I Have My Rights!

1 Corinthians 1:10-17

"I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment." -1 Corinthians 1:10

One of the major problems that Christians have today is unity. We want to be individuals. We have problems when we all have to share a sandbox. This was a major problem for the church at Corinth, as well. A woman named Chloe sent people to Paul to make a report to him. part of that report included the church members claiming allegiance to different leaders. Paul, Apollos, and Peter were being claimed. Members of the Corinthian church wanted to have their own views acknowledged based on the church leader that they claimed to speak from.

 The really ambitious members even went as far as to claim to speak for Christ. This is the earliest example of the denomination problem that plagues the church.

I live in a community with at least twenty churches within a population of 3,000! Most of the people in the community do not attend any of these churches. For all the effort spent in disagreement and separation one would think they would mount an effort to share community with others. They do not. They want to be to themselves for the most part. Denominational separation is usually about selfish infighting rather than true reflection on the things of God and people outside of the church know it, so they stay away.

Baptism, the Lord's Supper, and worship are supposed to be the things that unite Christians together. Yet these are the very bones of contention between them. The most vicious fights in a church will surround such issues. The church at Corinth is a prime example of how not to handle such things. Paul is clear, "be united." But how do we attain such unity? We have opinions on these important matters and we feel that we are right.

Paul has given us a way over the chasm. I can choose not to claim my rights!

It is not that I am not right. It is that my love for others is stronger than my need to be right.

I can choose responsibility for the unity of the church.

I have my rights, and I give them away, for you.