Connect 1 Corinthians 1:13 to Ephesians 4:4-6 on church unity. Unity Questioned: “Is Christ Divided?” “Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?” (1 Corinthians 1:13) • Paul confronts party-spirit in Corinth—believers rallying around human leaders rather than Christ. • His three rapid-fire statements expose how factionalism denies literal gospel facts: only Christ was crucified, only His name saves, and Christ Himself is not fragmented. Sevenfold Oneness: The Pattern in Ephesians 4:4-6 “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” • One Body—every believer organically joined to Christ and each other. • One Spirit—the same Holy Spirit indwells and empowers all. • One Hope—shared future in resurrection and glory. • One Lord—Jesus Christ alone rules His church. • One Faith—the once-for-all apostolic gospel. • One Baptism—the public, unifying identification with Christ. • One God and Father—our common source, authority, and sustainer. Core Truths That Unite • Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection accomplished a single, sufficient redemption (Romans 6:3-5). • The Spirit baptizes every believer into one body at conversion (1 Corinthians 12:12-13). • Union with Christ erases former divisions of ethnicity, status, or gender (Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:11). Barriers to Oneness • Elevating personalities or traditions above Christ and Scripture (1 Corinthians 3:4-7). • Doctrinal compromise that abandons “one faith” (Jude 3). • Pride, unforgiveness, and envy that grieve the Spirit (Ephesians 4:30-32). Living the Unity We Already Have • Guard sound teaching while showing love (Ephesians 4:14-15). • Practice mutual submission and humble service (Philippians 2:1-4). • Pursue reconciliation quickly to prevent division (Matthew 5:23-24). • Gather regularly around Word, fellowship, and table as the early church did (Acts 2:42-47). Unity Displayed in the Early Church “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony.” (Psalm 133:1) • Jerusalem believers “were together and had everything in common” (Acts 2:44). • Antioch church prayed, fasted, and commissioned missionaries as one (Acts 13:1-3). The Lord’s Desire and the World’s Witness “I have given them the glory You gave Me, so that they may be one as We are one— I in them and You in Me— that they may be perfectly united, so that the world may know that You sent Me.” (John 17:22-23) • Visible unity among believers validates the gospel before a watching world. • Christ prayed for it, Paul commanded it, and the Spirit empowers it. Enduring Significance for Today Because Christ is not divided, His church must not live as though He were. Grounded in the sevenfold oneness of Ephesians 4, believers reject factionalism, hold fast to truth in love, and display the harmony purchased at the cross. |
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