Belonging to One Lord, Divided No More - Pastoral Reflections on 1 Corinthians: Shaped in Tension

Belonging to One Lord, Divided No More

Pastoral Reflections on 1 Corinthians: Shaped in Tension

Text: 1 Corinthians 1:10–17

I. Context: Where Does the Call to Unity Begin?

If we read directly from 1:10, we might think Paul is merely rebuking the Corinthians for their divisions.

But if we skip over 1:1–9, we will miss his deeper concern. Paul first reminds the believers that they are called by God to be saints in Christ (1:2), and that they already “have been enriched in every way” and “do not lack any spiritual gift” in Christ (1:5–7). In other words, they already possess every resource needed to live as a united community. Thus, what follows is not so much a demand as it is a calling:

“I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another… and that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.” (1 Cor 1:10)

Paul’s tone is not top-down rebuke but family invitation. The verb parakalō (“I appeal”) carries both the sense of “to urge” and “to comfort.” In essence, Paul is calling them back to their true identity: You already are one family in Christ.

II. Corinth’s Background: Where Do the Cracks Begin?

Corinth was a city deeply marked by social stratification. As a Roman colony and commercial port, it was home to wealthy merchants, freedmen, slaves, and immigrants. It was also a cultural crossroads: Greek philosophy prized wisdom, Roman culture valued power, and Eastern religions sought mystical experience. Naturally, this diversity spilled into the church.

Paul reveals the divisions in 1:12:

“One of you says, ‘I follow Paul’; another, ‘I follow Apollos’; another, ‘I follow Cephas’; still another, ‘I follow Christ.’”

Behind these “parties” lay more than simple preferences—they reflected contests of identity:

• Paul’s group: perhaps emphasizing mission to the Gentiles and Christian freedom.

• Apollos’ group: likely drawn to his rhetorical training and eloquence.

• Cephas’ group: representing Jewish background, stressing tradition and law.

• Christ’s group: possibly marked by spiritual elitism, claiming greater purity.

The Greek word for “divisions” is schismata, meaning “tears” or “cracks.” The problem was not diversity of voices itself, but the tearing of hearts that no longer recognized one another as belonging to the same body.

III. From Corinth to Us

Today we may not say, “I belong to Paul,” but we often find ourselves silently taking sides.

• By language congregations:

  • “They don’t understand our needs.”

  • “They have more resources.”

  • “The leaders favor them; let them handle it.”

• By ministries:

  • “This is our gathering—they won’t get it.”

  • “They only care about their own programs.”

  • “He belongs to their department; I can’t ask him for help.”

  • “Why do they get more support than we do?”

• By generations:

  • Younger people feel older ones are too conservative.

  • Older people feel the young lack commitment, Scripture, or sacrifice.

These unspoken thoughts build invisible walls that weaken trust. Like Corinth, we too search for secure identities of belonging, yet often forget: our ultimate belonging is in Christ alone.

IV. The Cross: Paul’s Only Answer

Faced with division, Paul did not design a new organizational chart or a plan for distributing resources. Instead, he asked a piercing question that cut to the core:

“Is Christ divided?” (1 Cor 1:13)

Paul was not denying differences but redefining identity:

• We are not united because we agree on every idea.

• We are united because we belong to one Redeemer.

True unity is not achieved by compromise but flows from the cross. At the foot of the cross, all calculations of resources, cultures, congregations, and generations are set in their rightful place.

V. Pastoral Invitation: Shaped in Tension

For the church, this passage is more than a historical account. It is a living invitation:

• Return to Christ at the center

  We are not “the Chinese congregation,” “the Mandarin congregation,” “the English congregation,” or “this department” or “that ministry.” We are one family in Christ.

• Embrace differences

  Differences are not threats but grace. In tension, we learn to listen and to complete one another.

• Let love precede rights

  In the reality of limited resources, the church’s greatest witness is not efficiency but love.

The hardest part of 1 Corinthians is not studying its background or parsing its Greek terms. The real challenge comes when, as we read about tension, certain faces come to mind—those who have disappointed us, criticized us, hurt us, or even wished us harm.

It is then that Paul’s question becomes deeply personal: “Is Christ divided?” In Christ, we are called not only to love those close to us, but also those we struggle to approach. This love does not rest on feelings, but on the fact that we are family in the Lord. When this love touches us, unity ceases to be a slogan and becomes a grace-filled journey.

Walking in the way of the Lord is never easy. We stumble and grow weary. Yet, by God’s grace, we can always return to the beginning, and with the Lord’s help, continue on.

VI. A Prayer of Reflection

Lord, we confess that we often draw lines of “to whom I belong,” forgetting that we all belong to You.

Heal our torn hearts, break down our invisible walls, and teach us to be perfected in tension and to love across difference. May our church bear the witness of unity that belongs to You.

Amen.

—Pastor. Antony

Transformation of thought is never easy; growth depends on the Lord’s strength. Let us press on together.

---

📖 Selected References

1. Gordon D. Fee, The First Epistle to the Corinthians (NICNT), pp. 4–6.

2. Anthony C. Thiselton, The First Epistle to the Corinthians (NIGTC), p. 112.

3. Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, p. 453.

4. Joseph A. Fitzmyer, First Corinthians (AYB), pp. 121–124.

5. Kenneth E. Bailey, Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes, pp. 42–45.

6. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together, p. 36.