Divisions in the Church. (1 Corinthians 1: 10-17)

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🎙️ Welcome to The Bible Project Daily Podcast

A journey through Scripture, one verse at a time, one chapter at a time, one book at a time.

We’re currently in a brand-new season exploring Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians. This powerful letter, written to a divided church in a diverse and challenging city, has relevance for the church today.

📖 Today’s Episode:

Divisions in the Church
Text: 1 Corinthians 1:10–17

In this episode, we examine one of the early church’s most pressing problems—division—and Paul’s urgent plea for unity centered on Jesus Christ. The Corinthian church was rich in spiritual gifts but poor in spiritual unity, as believers began to rally around human leaders rather than the cross.

We’ll unpack what Paul means when he says, “Is Christ divided?” and reflect on how the modern church still wrestles with similar fractures. This episode challenges us to lay down personal preferences, reject personality cults, and return to the only unifying center we truly have: Christ and Him crucified.

📝 Episode Notes

📌 Key Themes:

• Unity over Uniformity: Paul calls for deep, Christ-centered unity—not sameness, but spiritual harmony rooted in the gospel.
• The Danger of Personality Cults: Loyalty to human leaders threatened to eclipse loyalty to Christ. Paul exposes this as foolish and spiritually dangerous.
• Gospel-Centered Identity: Our identity is not in Paul, Apollos, Peter—or any preacher—but in Jesus alone.
• The Mind of Christ: True unity flows from adopting the servant-hearted, humble attitude of Christ (Philippians 2:5–8).
• Cross over Cleverness: Paul refuses to preach with worldly eloquence lest the cross be emptied of its power. The gospel must remain unembellished and central.

🧠 Reflection Questions:

1. Are there ways I’ve aligned more with a leader or tradition than with Christ Himself?
2. Do I approach church with a consumer mindset or a servant heart?
3. How can I personally contribute to unity in my church, my family, and my community?
4. What does it mean for me to have “the mind of Christ” in daily relationships?

🙏 Application:

• Ask God to help you discern whether your spiritual loyalty lies more with human leaders or with Christ.
• Seek reconciliation in areas where personal preference or pride may have caused division.
• Embrace a servant mindset in your home and church community—not to be served, but to serve.

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