FACTIONALISM IN A BELIEVER'S GATHERING
4 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 Corinthians 3:4-9 (NKJV)
Sectarianism or factionalism is when you are an adherent of a particular sect or party, especially when this is within the same local church or denomination.
It is being narrow-minded and parochial and it is totally condemned. A believer should not be narrow minded to the point that he or she would go into sectarianism, allowing factions in the gathering of believers.
The Corinthians believers descended so low that they began to create or form factions in the church. Some of them claimed that they belong to Paul, while some said they are for Apollos, and some for Cephas, and some for Christ (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4).
There is this tendency or proneness in humans that when they have fondness or liking for someone, they would want to show it and vaunt about it. Likeness or fondness for a particular preacher or minister should not be shown to the point that factions and contentions are being caused or created in a church—a believers' gathering.
The Corinthians believers exhibited their immaturity by some of them claiming they belong to a particular minister whilst some are for other different ministers. The uniqueness of each individual minister cannot outrightly be overlooked or ruled out, but then, It should not be allowed to degenerate into factions and contentions in the church (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4).
Factionalism or sectarianism is not right but when It is now happening among the same people who supposed to work in oneness and unity, in order to reach out to the unreached, the world; it has become abnormal. Wherever factionalism is allowed, It usually inhibits the move of God and the progress of the work—the church or ministry. Apostle Paul outrightly condemned it when he was told that such a thing was going on among the Corinthian believers (1 Corinthians 1:12).
This same thing is still happening in many local churches and it is hindering the progress of the work in such places. Some would be in the support of the outgoing pastor, whilst some others would be against the incoming pastor. When the board of deacons or elders are not in agreement with the minister in charge of a local church, the progress of the work in that local church would be stifled; muffled or deterred or hampered.
A mature believer should strictly not be part of such a thing. If you are in a local church, work for the progress of the whatever is being done there. Do not join hands with those who do not have heaven as their goal and be fighting the pastor, the leadership of the church. Do whatever is within your power to work in agreement with whoever God has appointed to be the leader of His people. Do not frustrate or sabotage the efforts of the minister in charge because of your own selfish reasons.
It is my prayer that your labour in God's vineyard will not be in vain in Jesus' name (Hebrews 6:10)
Peace.
FACTIONALISM IN A BELIEVER'S GATHERING
4 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 Corinthians 3:4-9 (NKJV)
Sectarianism or factionalism is when you are an adherent of a particular sect or party, especially when this is within the same local church or denomination.
It is being narrow-minded and parochial and it is totally condemned. A believer should not be narrow minded to the point that he or she would go into sectarianism, allowing factions in the gathering of believers.
The Corinthians believers descended so low that they began to create or form factions in the church. Some of them claimed that they belong to Paul, while some said they are for Apollos, and some for Cephas, and some for Christ (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4).
There is this tendency or proneness in humans that when they have fondness or liking for someone, they would want to show it and vaunt about it. Likeness or fondness for a particular preacher or minister should not be shown to the point that factions and contentions are being caused or created in a church—a believers' gathering.
The Corinthians believers exhibited their immaturity by some of them claiming they belong to a particular minister whilst some are for other different ministers. The uniqueness of each individual minister cannot outrightly be overlooked or ruled out, but then, It should not be allowed to degenerate into factions and contentions in the church (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4).
Factionalism or sectarianism is not right but when It is now happening among the same people who supposed to work in oneness and unity, in order to reach out to the unreached, the world; it has become abnormal. Wherever factionalism is allowed, It usually inhibits the move of God and the progress of the work—the church or ministry. Apostle Paul outrightly condemned it when he was told that such a thing was going on among the Corinthian believers (1 Corinthians 1:12).
This same thing is still happening in many local churches and it is hindering the progress of the work in such places. Some would be in the support of the outgoing pastor, whilst some others would be against the incoming pastor. When the board of deacons or elders are not in agreement with the minister in charge of a local church, the progress of the work in that local church would be stifled; muffled or deterred or hampered.
A mature believer should strictly not be part of such a thing. If you are in a local church, work for the progress of the whatever is being done there. Do not join hands with those who do not have heaven as their goal and be fighting the pastor, the leadership of the church. Do whatever is within your power to work in agreement with whoever God has appointed to be the leader of His people. Do not frustrate or sabotage the efforts of the minister in charge because of your own selfish reasons.
It is my prayer that your labour in God's vineyard will not be in vain in Jesus' name (Hebrews 6:10)
Peace.