1 Corinthians 1:13, Is Christ Divided?

1 Corinthians 1:13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?

Jesus is Lord and Saviour. There is none else. The Apostle Paul by his apostolic authority rebuked the church at Corinth for idolizing men, albeit himself! He was neither crucified for their sins nor were they baptised in his name. He seeks to awaken their spirit to mind the things of the spirit and not be caught up with earthly position and empire-building. By using the Apostle Paul’s name, the members are gathering disciples for their carnal end. This is not acceptable, the Apostle Paul retorted!

Our Lord Jesus prayed before He went to the cross that the unity of His disciples is preserved after His departure,  “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one.“ (John 17:21-22) He was praying for the believers through the ages that they may be one in Him!

The Apostle Paul explains this well in 1 Corinthians 12:12-13 “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.“

The church loses its witness when there are such immature disputing. May God be merciful to thwart the counsel of such disrupters of Christ’s church! Amen.