Carnal divisions

For when one says, "I am of Paul," and another, "I am of Apollos," are you not carnal? - 1Corinthians 3v4

In some ways I hate to keep coming back to this topic of unity and division. Then I remember that the Holy Spirit moved Paul to write these words for a reason.

I agree with Spurgeon who said, “I feel vexed with the fellow who chopped the Bible up into chapters; I forget his name just now, and I am sure it is not worth recollecting.” There are times when chapter divisions simply get in the way of the flow of a passage. Right after he finishes the comment about the mind of Christ he addresses the issue of carnal divisions. It is clear that the mind of Christ is not a divided mind, but that the Christians at Corinth (we’ll use them, because it is more comfortable to speak of them than us) have not copped on to that yet.

Paul says that he wanted to share some deeper things with them, but they were too carnal to receive it. What was the evidence of their carnality? They were still following parties. There were Paul’s followers and Apollos’ followers. (I am certainly glad that this passage doesn’t apply to today, aren’t you?) How did the division manifest itself? Paul answers that in verse 3, “with envies and strife.”

Believe it or not the Corinthian church was so carnal that they fought over whether they followed Paul and his ideas or Apollos and his ideas! How could Christians ever part company over what man they followed? Paul’s followers and Apollos’ followers were fighting over who was right. If Paul and Apollos had started schools I reckon they would have fought over which school was best and put down the other school! I realise that is a little far fetched, but can’t you see those carnal Corinthians doing that?

I am so grateful that we have outgrown that kind of carnal division and are ready for the meat of the word!