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How To Unite A Divided Congregation
How to Unite a Divided Congregation
There is more trouble discussed in 1 Corinthians than in any other letter. There is more taught about the Lord’s supper in 1 Corinthians than any other book (chapters 5,10,11). Not surprisingly, they messed that up too. But unexpectedly, is that a clue to unity?
Chapter 5 alludes to Christ as our Passover. The church itself becomes a type of Passover wherein churches are to not tolerate blatant sin which is synonymous with leaven. This identity with the Passover is likewise connected to the Lord’s supper as Christ, the church, and the meal, are all identified under the same analogy. This will.be done again later with the analogy of the “body”. In chapter 5, the backdrop for this Passover meal, the Christians were not willing to righteously judge a man living with his father’s wife. God had judged Egypt. Corinth is becoming Egypt.
Chapter 10 and verse 16 is where we get the name “communion” (KJV). This discussion includes phrases such as believers everywhere being blessed by sharing in one bread and one cup. Included in the language is calling this spiritual meal the Lord’s table (10:21). A table pictures for us unity. The Christians were sharing with Corinthian idol worshippers.
Chapter 11 uses the word body in a threefold way – Jesus’s physical body, symbolic body, and spiritual body. The Christians were wrongfully judging and shaming the poor among them by not.sharing.
Sadly, chapter 5 shows them wrongly not judging; while chapter 11 shows them wrongly judging. Sadly again, chapter 10 shows them sharing with idol worshippers, but not sharing with fellow believers in chapter 11. Paul sums up and connects all three discussions in the last section.
Putting this all together, may I suggest that one of the most unifying teachings and practices for a divided church is a reexamination of the deeper truths concerning the Lord’s supper. Instead, we usually study about how we are divided in this meal which is meant to unite. Are we more like the Corinthians than we want to admit? What would the Holy Spirit want Paul to write to us?
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