or Just Our Denomination?
When someone asks about your faith, what’s your first response? Do you say “I’m a Christian who follows Jesus,” or do you identify yourself by the name on your church building? Somewhere along the way, many of us started identifying ourselves by our denomination instead of the One we serve. While there’s nothing wrong with denominational identity, problems arise when it becomes more important than Jesus and causes division among believers.
The Corinthian Church’s Division Problem
This issue isn’t new. In Paul’s time, the church in Corinth was literally tearing itself apart over the same kinds of divisions we see today. After Paul had spent 18 months building this church and left it flourishing under Apollos’s continued ministry, he received heartbreaking news: the church was fighting.
But they weren’t fighting over the truth of the Gospel. They were arguing over trivial matters like who had the better teacher or who was the better Christian.
What Were They Fighting About?
First Corinthians 1:11-12 reveals the problem: “For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you. 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.'”
Sound familiar? They were creating factions based on their favorite leaders, just like we sometimes do today with denominations, pastors, or worship styles.
Paul’s Response to Church Division
Paul’s response was direct and powerful. In verse 13, he asks: “Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?”
Paul reminded them that he didn’t come to make disciples for himself or build up his own name. He came to preach the Gospel – not with fancy words or impressive speeches, but with the simple message of Jesus Christ crucified.
The Real Problem Behind Division
When we make Christianity about personalities, movements, or preferences instead of Jesus, we rob the cross of its power. We start following people instead of Christ, and we forget that it’s not about the preacher, the building, or even the worship style – it’s about Jesus.
How Satan Uses Our Divisions
Scripture warns us in 1 Peter 5:8: “Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”
When Satan couldn’t stop the Gospel, he tries to stop the church instead. He prowls around our churches, homes, marriages, and relationships, looking for ways to make us useless for the Gospel by getting us to fight over trivial matters.
The Cost of Our Fighting
While we argue over worship styles, politics, personalities, and preferences, the world is dying and going to hell. Satan laughs because we’re doing his work for him – dividing the church body and destroying our witness.
When the world looks at Christianity and sees fighting instead of love, they want nothing to do with it. At a time when the world is falling apart and looking for peace, they see division in the church instead of unity.
What Jesus Prayed For
The night before His crucifixion, Jesus prayed for all believers in John 17:20-21: “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.”
Jesus prayed for unity among believers so that the world would believe. Not unity in preferences or styles, but unity in the Gospel and truth.
What’s Worth Fighting For vs. What Isn’t
There are things worth defending. Paul makes this clear in Galatians 1:8: “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.”
Essential Gospel Truths
- The deity of Christ
- The resurrection
- Salvation by grace through faith
- The authority of Scripture
These are non-negotiable truths we must defend.
Disputable Matters
However, Romans 14 discusses “disputable matters” – things Christians can disagree on while remaining brothers and sisters in Christ. These include worship styles, food preferences, and observance of certain days. Paul says we shouldn’t judge each other over these things.
The Power of the Cross
First Corinthians 1:17-18 reminds us: “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. 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.”
When we focus on the cross, our differences fade away. When we focus on Jesus, the fighting stops, and the message of the cross breaks down barriers between us.
God Uses the Foolish Things
Throughout Scripture, God consistently chooses what the world considers foolish or weak to accomplish His purposes:
- Moses, who was “slow of speech,” led Israel out of Egypt
- Gideon, the least in his family, defeated a massive army with just 300 men carrying torches and trumpets
- David, a shepherd boy, defeated Goliath with a sling and stone
- Mary, a young girl from Nazareth, carried the Savior
- The disciples, fishermen and tax collectors, turned the world upside down
God does this so that no one can boast in their own strength. As 1 Corinthians 1:29 says: “that no flesh should glory in His presence.”
What We Should Be Boasting About
Instead of boasting about ourselves, our churches, or our denominations, we should boast in what Jesus accomplished. Second Corinthians 5:21 tells us: “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
Jesus, who never sinned, became our sin so that we could become righteous before God. He experienced the separation from the Father that we deserved, crying out on the cross: “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46)
The Torn Veil
When Jesus died, the veil in the temple was torn from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51). This thick curtain that separated people from God’s presence was torn by God Himself, showing that we no longer need a priest to go to God for us. Jesus is our High Priest.
Hebrews 4:14-16 encourages us: “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
The Resurrection Changes Everything
Three days after His death, Jesus rose again, proving His victory over sin and death. Philippians 2:9-11 declares: “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Every knee will bow to Jesus. The question is: will you bow now in faith, or wait until it’s too late?
Unity Around the Gospel
What if we actually lived like the cross was enough? What if we stopped fighting over things that don’t matter and instead became united around the Gospel?
We might worship differently, have different preferences, or disagree on preaching styles, but we can agree on this: Jesus is God, He died for our sins, He rose from the dead, and He’s coming back. That’s the Gospel, and that’s what matters most.
When the Church is United, We’re Dangerous
Remember Gideon’s 300 men who defeated a massive army? Remember David with his single stone? God uses weak, united people who know it’s not about them but all about Him.
When the church is united around the Gospel, Satan’s kingdom shakes. When we stop fighting each other and start fighting for the lost, darkness trembles.
Life Application
This week, examine your own heart and attitudes. Are you contributing to division in the body of Christ, or are you promoting unity around the Gospel? Stop letting minor differences create major divisions. Instead of focusing on what separates us from other believers, focus on what unites us – the cross of Jesus Christ.
Consider these questions:
- Do I identify more with my denomination than with Jesus?
- Am I causing division over matters that don’t affect the Gospel?
- How can I promote unity while still maintaining biblical truth?
- What would change in my relationships with other believers if I focused more on the cross?
The cross is enough. Jesus died for our sins, rose from the dead, and offers salvation to all who believe. Let’s unite around this truth and show the world that our love for one another proves we are His disciples. When we do this, Satan loses, the Gospel advances, and God gets the glory He deserves.