I Corinthians 1:11,12
‘For I have been informed concerning you, my brothers and sisters, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you. Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, “I am with Paul,” or “I am with Apollos,” or “I am with Cephas,” or “I am with Christ.”’
This is a difficult place to be. It’s as if this is their pattern. They are in a rut. To use a biblical description, they are yielding to the flesh.
I Corinthians 3:3 says, “for you are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and dissension among you, are you not worldly? Are you not walking in the way of man?” Galatians 5:19- describes fleshly behavior, “Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: sexual immorality, impurity, indecent behavior, idolatry, witchcraft, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” That’s quite a list. The corinthians are stuck in strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy.
This is not how the christian is to walk. In Matthew 16:24 Jesus said, ‘Then Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.”‘ The corinthians aren’t denying themselves. Quite the contrary, they are putting themselves and their group primary.
We all know how to seek out our own way. We are born that way. Our parents seek to teach that out of us. Some never learn. Others know how to mask it. Jesus works in us at the heart level. He wants us to trust Him for what will be ours. We aren’t to resort to selfish means to get our way.
Philippians 4:12 says, “I know how to live humbly, and I know how to abound. In any and every situation I have learned the secret of being filled and being hungry, of having plenty and having need.” Paul learned how to be content. God wants us to learn that also. He doesn’t want us to whine and complain. We are to trust His provision. We are to be content with the lot God gives us. It’s ok to seek a way that’s better, but sometimes that’s not possible. So we rest contently in the state we are in.
We are to be christlike. Ephesians 4:13 says, “until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, as we mature to the full measure of the stature of Christ.” God will work that in us. We are to comply and to have that same goal. We are to put others ahead of us. His new commandments are to love God and others.
We aren’t to be as the corinthians and behave immaturely. The were factious and immature. We are to be mature. If others aren’t doing it, then we are to initiate it.