Originally posted by wolfgang59
1 Corinthians 1:10
New Living Translation (NLT)
Divisions in the Church
10 I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters,[a] by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.
So can one agree that this statement has meaning and would be true?
Christians should never be completely discouraged about disunity in the church (though they should seek to overcome this) because -
1.) In the church age it is not necessary that the entire body of believers be one in order for God to accomplish His will on the earth.
As in the Old Testament, the apostasy of the majority of Israel did not stop God from moving forward with His plan. A remnant of faithful ones afforded Him a way.
2.) The genuine oneness among believers has never been completely vanquished. As when Paul wrote the Corinthian letter so today. There are some who are appoved in this matter .
Paul's exhortation indicated that there were some who were in the genuined harmony -
"For it has been made clear to me concerning you, my brothers, by those of [the household of] Chloe, that there are strifes among you." (1:11)
This indicates that at least those of the household of Chloe must have recognized the abnormality. This could indicate that those of Chloe's household
were maintaining the proper unity against the odds.
"For there must even be parties among you, that those who are approved may become manifest among you." (11:19)
Parties among the church in Corinth went to reveal those (perhaps a minority) who were approved as being in the proper unity.
While parties and divisions are a sad fact of life, God will maintain a remnant of those who overcome in the approved harmony He needs to accomplish His purpose.