I. Introduction
A. Mr. Lee was terribly overweight, so his doctor put him on a diet. "I want you to eat regularly for 2 days, then skip a day, and repeat this procedure for 2 weeks. The next time I see you, you'll have lost at least 5 pounds." When Mr. Lee returned, he shocked the doctor by losing nearly 20 pounds. "Why, that's amazing!" the doctor said, "Did you follow my instructions?" Mr. Lee nodded. "I'll tell you though, I thought I was going to drop dead that 3rd day." "From hunger, you mean?" asked the doctor. Replied Mr. Lee, "No, from skipping."
II. Body
A. Lets begin by reading 1 Corinthians 3:1 - 4
1 Corinthians 3:1-4 (NKJV)
And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. {2} I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; {3} for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? {4} For when one says, "I am of Paul," and another, "I am of Apollos," are you not carnal?
1. The word translated “carnal” is a word that means “flesh”
a. The Greek ending of one word, means “made of”
b. The Greek ending of another word means “characterized by”
2. So that Paul is saying in one place that the Corinthians church is made up of humans, characterized by following the flesh
a. Simply put, they were very immature Christians
(1) Now Paul says that in the years he spent preaching and teaching in Corinth he did not see spiritual growth beyond the stage of spiritual infancy
(2) And consequently, he found that they had not advanced beyond the spiritual infancy they had achieved before
(a) Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote during the German church's controversy over Hitler, “The unrest in church politics! ‘The heart is a stubborn and despondent thing.’ Stubbornness and despondency--these can only be overcome in prayer”
(b) Can you imagine Christians having any controversy over Hitler?
(c) Even Christians can support the wrong issues
3. Paul points out the several signs, that is evidence, that they are mere babes in Christ
a. Note that he does attribute believing faith to these people
(1) He calls them babes in Christ
b. But he points to these evidences of their infancy
(1) Envy
(a) Envy of some one else’s position
i) Position in this world
ii) Or position in the church
a) Pastor
b) Deacon
c) Or door keeper, greeter
(b) Of another’s influence
i) Influence in the world
ii) Or influence in the church
(c) Of another’s financial position
i) Financial position in the world
(2) Strife
(a) Envy can cause strife
i) A battle to increase one’s position often means tearing down another
ii) This battle may manifest itself in many ways
a) A battle for position of influence
b) A battle for doctrinal influence
c) A battle for financial influence
d) A battle for recognition
(3) And divisions
(a) The natural consequences of envy and strife is divisions in the church
(b) Paul points this out very specifically in verse 4
1 Corinthians 3:4 (NKJV)
For when one says, "I am of Paul," and another, "I am of Apollos," are you not carnal?
(c) And the natural consequence of division is contention and discord
(4) This tension and discord may not be over which teacher is to be followed
(a) Yes, the discord here is over the teacher
i) Apollos
ii) Peter
iii) Or Paul
a) And this has happened in churches and denominations
(b) But the discord could be over the color of the lady’s rest room carpet
(c) Or over whether that should be a Christmas tree in the church
(d) Or even whether the Christmas decorations have a place in the church
i) Lets turn to Mark 9:40
B. One evidence of maturity is unity
Mark 9:40 (NKJV)
"For he who is not against us is on our side.
1. Lets turn to Matthew 12:30
2. This is the other side of the coin
Matthew 12:30 (NKJV)
"He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.
a. I believe that the first thing we must note is the very positive way Jesus said these two statements
(1) If your not against us, you are for us
(2) If you are not for us, you are against us
(3) There is no nurtural position
(a) For
(b) Or against
(c) No fence sitting
b. Lets understand this one thing, “No matter the controversy, we must always remember that believers, every believer and all believers, are on the same team”
(1) The Atlantic Monthly, in November of 1994 told about superstar tenors Jose Carreras, Placido Domingo, and Luciano Pavarotti performing together in Los Angeles. A reporter tried to press the issue of competitiveness between the three men. "You have to put all of your concentration into opening your heart to the music," Domingo said. "You can't be rivals when you're together making music." That's also true in the church.
c. Do you mean that Christians can cause problems in the church
(1) When a Christian is intent on forwarding his own agenda and disregards Christian love, that Christian manifests carnality
(a) If, we can accept another’s point of view with Christian love, we manifest Christian love
(b) And promote unity
i) Lets turn to 1 Corinthians 3:4-9
C. Paul points out the problem of their divisions
1 Corinthians 3:4-9 (NKJV)
For when one says, "I am of Paul," and another, "I am of Apollos," are you not carnal? {5} Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? {6} I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. {7} So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. {8} Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. {9} For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building.
1. What does it matter if you only read the books written by Apollos or Peter or Paul?
a. These three giants of the faith were never in competition
(1) They preached and taught the same gospel
(2) But, perhaps, Paul used better illustrations
(3) Peter used more personal insights about the Savior
(4) And Apollos reached the intellect better
(5) But they were never in competition
b. They has issues with one another
(1) Turn to 1 Corinthians 16:12
(2) Paul wanted Apollos to visit one particular city
1 Corinthians 16:12 (NKJV)
Now concerning our brother Apollos, I strongly urged him to come to you with the brethren, but he was quite unwilling to come at this time; however, he will come when he has a convenient time.
(3) But Apollos was unwilling to visit that city at that time
(a) Paul writes of this in what seems to me to be with a very forgiving heart
i) Turn to Galatians 2:11-12
(4) Paul confronted Peter at one time
Galatians 2:11-12 (NKJV)
Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; {12} for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision.
(a) But the issue was not the gospel, the issue was Christian lifestyle
i) Turn to Galatians 2:7-8
(5) This is what Paul had to say about Peter and his ministry
Galatians 2:7-8 KJV)
But on the contrary, when they saw that the gospel for the uncircumcised had been committed to me, as the gospel for the circumcised was to Peter {8} (for He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the circumcised also worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles),
i) Turn to 2 Peter 3:15
(6) This is what Peter had to say about Paul
2 Peter 3:15 KJV)
and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you,
2. Lets take this issue of rest room carpet just to show how ridiculous it really is
a. I believe the carpet should be red
(1) This is to encourage those who use the rest room to do their business and get out
b. Another believes the carpet should be a middle shade of blue
(1) This is to give those who used the facility a cool comfortable environment
c. Now these reasons are scientifically accurate
d. As I may believe the carpet should be red and another believes the carpet should be blue
(1) Can we not address the issue in a quiet, loving, forgiving manner and allow the carpet to be green or pink of dark gray
(2) Will the color stunt the spirituality of the church?
3. What about the issues with the Christmas tree or decorations in the church?
a. Some individuals do have some difficulty with Christmas trees and decorations in the church
(1) Can we who are spiritually mature approach this issue with a loving forgiving heart?
(2) Say I object to the Christmas tree and decorations
(a) Don’t have any objections
(b) I love Christmas and all the trees and decorations
(c) But, just for the sake of argument, lets say I do object
(d) But others want the tree and decorations
(e) A mature, loving, forgiving Christian can help put up the decorations and the tree even though personally objecting because the mature Christian understands that such trees and decoration do not detract from the spirituality of the church or the truth of the gospel
i) Turn to Romans 14:15
b. Paul wrote to the Roman church that we should not offend the weaker brother with our food
Romans 14:15 (NKJV)
Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died.
(1) Lets rephrase that verse substatuting carpet color for food
Romans 14:15 (NKJV)
Yet if your brother is grieved because of your choice of carpet color, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your choice of carpet color the one for whom Christ died.
(2) Lets rephrase that verse substatuting Christmas treet for food
Romans 14:15 (NKJV)
Yet if your brother is grieved because of your feeling about Christmas trees, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your feeling about Christmas trees the one for whom Christ died.
(a) Look down to verse 21
c. This is Paul’s way of looking at this issue
Romans 14:21 (NKJV)
It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.
(1) To put it another way, we can be the bigger person by approaching every issue in a loving, forgiving manner
(a) Allowing for the carpet color, Christmas tree, or any other non-essential issue
i) Turn to John 14:6
D. There are issues for which we must fight
1. These issues are the principle issue of doctrine of the gospel
John 14:6 (NKJV)
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
a. Turn to Acts 4:12
b. This issue is the issue of Savlation
Acts 4:12 (NKJV)
"Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
(1) Salvation is by faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ
(2) Faith in Christ plus nor minus nothing else
(3) Jesus only
2. There are other similar issues
a. The divinity of Christ
b. The unity of God’s Word
c. The One God, in three persons
3. We could go on and on
a. Suffice it to say, concerning non-essential issues
(1) Carpet color
(2) Christmas trees
(3) Lets not fight like little kids
b. But, concerning essential doctrinal issues
(1) Like Christ’s dividity
(2) The Bible
(3) One God
(4) Lets face the battle in the whole armor of God
(a) Turn to Ephesians 4:1-3
III. Conclusion
A. Unity, Maturity, and Christ likeness
Ephesians 4:1-3 (NKJV)
I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, {2} with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, {3} endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
1. And turn to Philippians 2:1-4
B. And with this we will close
Philippians 2:1-4 (NKJV)
Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, {2} fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. {3} Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. {4} Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
C. Confess and repent of anything that has put you at odds with other believers
