The True Body of Christ (HS part 14) 8/10/2025

1 Corinthians 1:10-17)  nkjv10 Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 11 For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you. 12 Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name. 16 Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas. Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other. 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.

 ❓Have you ever wondered, out of all the churches that argue and dispute between themselves, which one is right?  

⭐   Some will say “ Well, I’ve prayed about it and I have the Holy Spirit and the Lord has spoken to me so that I know that I’m in the right church! We believe what the Scripture teaches and follow it.”  There will be someone on the other side that will confess the same thing and believe just as firmly that they are the right way.

➡️💥  One of the evidences and powerful workings of the Holy Spirit is to take contentions and divisions out of the church. (Between the people of God)

💥  Christ is not divided! v13) 13 Is Christ divided? Church splits and divisions started early in the church! 

➤  Even several times among the disciples, before Christ was crucified, the disciples were arguing amongst themselves who would be used the most and be the most favored by God.  (Luke 9:46-48,Matthew 18:1-5,Mark 9:33-37,Luke 22:24)

➤  As the church began to grow and people were being saved and filled with the Holy Spirit, Satan still manipulated and maneuvered to find a way to get into the church to make them carnal and ineffective. v1 Corinthians 3): 3:  3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

➤  These were saved people!  1 Corinthians 1:4-9) 4 I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, 5 that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, 6 even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, 7 so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

• There were jealousies, strife and envying among them. 
• Despite having the Holy Spirit, they were walking more in their flesh than the Spirit.
• Acting more like worldly people rather than born again believers.

Result:They were divided. ( Denominations) 1.   I Corinthians 3:3-4)   3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and [a]behaving like mere men? 4 For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?

2.   It caused the message of the gospel to seem ineffective! vs17) 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.

3.   They had disputes over teachings of baptisms.v14)  Still one of the main roots that causes divisions and arguments today.   Baptism or how we baptise becomes more important than the work Jesus did for us on the cross. 

• We seem to ignore what Paul says in v17) 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.

⭐ People are willing to send people to hell if they aren’t baptised in the way they think is right! 

• What does that do to the gospel?  Faith   Grace  (easy)

⭐⭐⭐ Cause the churches of the world to exist in disobedience to the Scriptures!  1 Cor. 1:10  10 Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 

💥  No one denomination or non denominational church is right. So who is right?💥💥💥THE BODY OF CHRIST !!!!1.   The undivided body of Christ! v13) , that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 

2.   The people who seek to follow Christ ( the truth) v10) 10 Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

• Walking in the Spirit you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
• Be taught and tutored by the Holy Spirit.
• Remember the book of Acts and the way people were saved and the different ways they were filled with the Spirit.
• Don’t have to agree on everything. (Jealousy and pride don’t rise up)

💥➤   This preaching is foolish to those who are lost or don’t grasp the truth. v18) For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 

3.   Who is the Body of Christ? A.   People who love and accept Jesus Christ as their only Lord and Savior.B.   People who love and follow Jesus first and foremost in their life.C.   People that don’t listen to the teachings and wisdom of mankind above the Word of God.D.   People who work together to build up the Body of Christ so that all can be saved and come to Jesus.1 Cor, 3:5-8)5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. 8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

People, that when you meet them, you meet fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

• I’ve met them in all churches.  Those who believe what the gospel says about  being saved. (Not mankind)  
• Follow Christ and walk in the Holy Spirit and continue in the Word.
• Love the brethren.  ( All people will know you belong to me by the love you have for each other)   John 13:35)

How do we handle contentions?  Biblically.  Romans 14:1-12, 1 Corinthians 8: