I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.”
Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, so no one can say that you were baptized in my name. (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don’t remember if I baptized anyone else.) For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
1 Corinthians 1:10-17
Divisions in the church happen when we give gold to second place.
How do we identify divisiveness among us?
- Do I have the impulse to defend certain influencers from critique?
- When I experience friction within our church, do I react by seeking allies and support?
- Where are my preferences competing with the way of Jesus?
Reality: Power struggles are a problem.
Vision: We should reflect unity.
How: The cross of Christ is our process.
If, then, there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, make my joy complete by thinking the same way, having the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others.
Philippians 2:1-4
Cruciformity looks like surrendering all of your life and allegiance to Jesus, trusting that the new life He will give you is better than what you could keep for yourself.
Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited. Instead, he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death- even to death on a cross. For this reason God exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow- in heaven and on earth and under the earth- and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:5-11
Bottom Line: Allegiance to Jesus includes unity with our brothers and sisters.
Prayer & Reflection
- Which influential figures in my life do I feel the need to defend from my church family?
- Could I be holding any of my preferences as essential identity markers?
- When I experience friction within our church, do I react by shoring up support from my allies or by seeking resolution?
- Where am I giving gold to second place?
- Ask God to reveal to me how often I complain about my church.
Action Steps
- Meditate on Philippians 2 this week.
- Reach across the gap- talk to someone you’ve seen before, but don’t know his/her name.
- Take on the brothers and sisters mindset: Practice reorienting your language from they/those people, to my church family.
- Initiate restoration: “I would like to be made right with you.”
