His way of correcting the mistakes that were occuring with the Christians of Corinth? Wasn't he trying to get them to unify under one uniform doctrine? isn't he trying to get them to follow his teachings? 1 Cor 3:10, I would just like some thoughts on this?
2007-07-14 01:50:01 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Yes, correcting a particular mistake that was divisive.
At 1 Corinthians 3:10, 11, Paul says: “According to the undeserved kindness of God that was given to me, as a wise director of works I laid a foundation, but someone else is building on it. But let each one keep watching how he is building on it. For no man can lay any other foundation than what is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” So Paul is definitely admonishing that the teaching should be in line with the foundation which was laid by Christ Jesus himself. What does he mean?
At 1 Corinthians 1:10-17, this is what Paul exhorted the Corinthian Christians to do: “Through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ . . . speak in agreement, and that there should not be divisions among you . . .” Why did he say this. Well, according to verse 12, they were dividing themselves: some saying they belonged to Paul; others saying they belong to Apollos. This was dissension among them.
They all belonged to Christ, did they not? They needed to stay in line with the foundation that Christ himself had laid. Even in this seemingly little way, they were dividing themselves and thus dividing Christ. Christians are to be united in teachings, beliefs, actions, conduct, doctrines, attitudes and so on. That this is so can be seen in the prayer of Jesus himself at John 17:17-21: “Sanctify them by means of the truth; your word is truth. Just as you sent me forth into the world, I also sent them forth into the world. And I am sanctifying myself in their behalf, that they also may be sanctified by means of truth. I make request, not concerning these only, but also concerning those putting faith in me through their word; in order that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in union with me and I am in union with you . . .”
Notice the emphasis that Christ places on unity. Notice that he prays not only for his immediate disciples but for those who would become his followers in the future on account of the word taught by his immediate disciples. Unity is a must among true Christians. If it was divisive to say “I belong to Paul” and “I belong to Apollos” how much more divisive it would be to say, for example, “I belong to Republicans,” “I belong to Democrats,” “I belong to (such and such denomination)” or, “I belong to (such and such denomination)”. The Christ exists divided.
Hannah J Paul
2007-07-14 02:11:33 · answer #1 · answered by Hannah J Paul 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Paul's first letter to the church of Corinth provides us with a fuller insight into the life of an early Christian community of the first generation than any other book of the New Testament. Through it we can glimpse both the strengths and the weaknesses of this small group in a great city of the ancient world, men and women who had accepted the good news of Christ and were now trying to realize in their lives the implications of their baptism. Paul, who had founded the community and continued to look after it as a father, responds both to questions addressed to him and to situations of which he had been informed. In doing so, he reveals much about himself, his teaching, and the way in which he conducted his work of apostleship.
The community there was displaying open factionalism, as certain members were identifying themselves exclusively with individual Christian leaders and interpreting Christian teaching as a superior wisdom for the initiated few (1 Cor 1:10-4:21). The community lacked the decisiveness to take appropriate action against one of its members who was living publicly in an incestuous union (1 Cor 5:1-13). Other members engaged in legal conflicts in pagan courts of law (1 Cor 6:1-11); still others may have participated in religious prostitution (1 Cor 6:12-20) or temple sacrifices (1 Cor 10:14-22).
This is copied from teh introduction to the Book found in the New American Bible at http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/bible/1corinthians/intro.htm
2007-07-14 08:55:50 · answer #2 · answered by Sldgman 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Yes, it was. The people in Corinth were arguing and the church was divisive. He calls them his brothers in Christ. In 1 Corinthians, he teaches them about worship: His motive is love. I Corinthians 13 is the greatest chapter on love anywhere in literature (my opinion).
2 Corinthians:
was written less than a year after 1 Corinthians. Paul wrote because he was delayed in his trip to Corinth. The Corinthinas were indifferent/insensitive concerning one another and worship. Paul reminds them that they are brothers in Christ.
2007-07-14 09:01:46 · answer #3 · answered by batgirl2good 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yes he was.
That one doctrine is the gospel of Jesus Christ. The early church was divided in Corinth.
All of the Apostles preached the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul was telling them how carnal or not very spiritual they were to say they follow one or the other. There was only one message and all the men of God taught it. Jesus Christ. The people were not very spiritual to say I am of this one or that one when the ones they followed were all of that same spirit.
We see this even today with young converts and nonspiritual christians.
2007-07-14 09:46:58 · answer #4 · answered by Old Hickory 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Correcting mistakes? Yes. of course. Uniform doctrine? Yes...I'd even go so far as to use the term "dogma". "Dogma" means "authoritative teaching". St. Paul certainly had the authority as the Apostle to the Gentiles.
The Eastern Orthodox teach (from tradition...they are big on this!) that St. Paul literally received his teaching from Jesus Himself during the time he was at Ananias' home...
Something to consider.
2007-07-14 08:59:53 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
yes
2007-07-14 08:58:54 · answer #6 · answered by rocccj 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋