The Corinthian church was a lot like mine. Young and full of new believers, some had been raised in Jewish faith and came to believe in the Messiah. Others were converts from secular Corinth. The city was a seaport, filled with trade at the crossroads of the world. Diverse and multicultural, Corinth was an ancient New York, New Orleans, or San Francisco. The citizens likely struggled for identity in a melting pot culture immersed in change.
Paul planted the church around 54 AD, and then a powerful orator Apollos follow behind him. Paul’s student, Apollos discipled the young church. In Paul’s absence, Apollos grew his own following until some of the church said “Apollos is my preacher.” Other said “I follow Paul” while still others declared “Well, we follow Jesus.” Word of this dissention reached Paul, and became part of the reason for his first letter, the book of I Corinthians.
In the absence of any structured discipleship to help the Corinthian believers mature, the congregation used their secular, unsaved framework to order their new sacred identity. They struggled for identity, and even in the church wanted to be part of a community, especially in an impersonal metroplex. Today we do the same thing, and we use businesses, accomplishments, possessions and sometimes church affiliations as part of our identity.
On hearing the news, Paul wrote a stern, loving correction of the church’s immature wrangling. As someone who had learned his faith in the context of diversity and community, Paul had to point the believers back to, and forward to their Source.
Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn’t talk to you as I would to spiritual people. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in the Christian life. I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren’t ready for anything stronger. And you still aren’t ready, for you are still controlled by your sinful nature. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn’t that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren’t you living like people of the world? When one of you says, “I am a follower of Paul,” and another says, “I follow Apollos,” aren’t you acting just like people of the world?
After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building. (1 Cor 3.1-9, NLV)
When I got saved, this argument took place between denominations. “I’m Catholic, I’m Charismatic, Christian Reformed, Methodist . . .” Today, even though denominational walls are falling and churches are more willing to work together, I still see my friends planting their flag in the ground. “I preach the faith message. I believe the grace message. I follow a liberal, social gospel.” Like Corinth, the voice that I hear least is “I follow Christ.”
God recorded his response to this sectarian approach to the faith-life through Paul. God said when we are more concerned with our identity than with his kingdom, we are “carnal, immature, sinful, and people of the world.”
I think the world wins when we spend more time fighting for our personal identity than working to communicate his love to a dying world. Maybe that’s why God’s Church has lost influence on the world for the past 40 years instead of transforming it. Maybe this a heart attitude we need to confess, and leave behind if we want to see God glorified in our midst so He can work though us to change the world.
What do you think? How do you apply Paul’s words to your life? How can you work to see God’s desire for his Church become more of a reality? Is your identity in Christ, or do you settle for a cheap substitute?
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