How can we avoid divisions during church gatherings, as warned in 1 Corinthians 11:17? The Warning in View “Now in giving this instruction I do not praise you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse.” (1 Corinthians 11:17) Paul writes to believers whose meetings had slipped from edifying fellowship into harmful division. Scripture speaks plainly and literally: gatherings can either bless or break the body. Recognizing What Drives Division • Self‐centered attitudes: eating and fellowshipping “each one ahead of others” (11:21) • Socio-economic partiality: the well-off humiliating “those who have nothing” (11:22; cf. James 2:1-4) • Factional pride: “there must be factions among you” (11:19) when personal loyalties eclipse Christ (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:12-13) • Forgetting the Lord’s presence: treating assembly as common rather than sacred (11:29) Gospel-Anchored Principles for Unity • Christ is one Head; we are one body (1 Corinthians 12:12-13; Ephesians 4:4-6). • Love covers “a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8) and binds everything together in perfect harmony (Colossians 3:14). • Humility esteems others above self (Philippians 2:3-4). • The Lord’s Table is a participation in the one sacrifice (1 Corinthians 10:16-17); it demands mutual consideration. Practices Before the Gathering • Prepare the heart: confess known sin (1 John 1:9); forsake grudges (Matthew 5:23-24). • Pray for fellow members by name (Ephesians 6:18). • Plan to contribute, not consume—come ready to serve, greet, and encourage (Hebrews 10:24-25). Practices During the Gathering • Wait for one another (1 Corinthians 11:33). Hospitality means slowing down so all can partake. • Honor every member’s gift—song, testimony, teaching—so “all may learn and be encouraged” (14:26). • Show visible affection: genuine welcomes, shared seats, shared meals (Acts 2:46-47). • Guard the tongue. Words must build up and give grace (Ephesians 4:29). • Submit to orderly leadership so “all things be done decently and in order” (14:40). Practices After the Gathering • Follow up with the overlooked: widows, singles, newcomers (James 1:27). • Share resources: “they had everything in common” (Acts 2:44-45). • Resolve conflicts quickly; do not let the sun set on anger (Ephesians 4:26). • Keep meeting informally—homes, coffee, prayer walks—to deepen family bonds (Romans 12:10-13). Guarding the Supper’s Integrity • Examine yourself so you partake “in a worthy manner” (1 Corinthians 11:28-29). • Remember the Cross, not the meal’s menu. Simple, Christ-centered observance helps strip status displays. • Teach plainly that the Table proclaims “the Lord’s death until He comes” (11:26); this unites rich and poor at the foot of the same cross. Maintaining a Culture of Unity • Regular exposition of passages on oneness (John 17:20-23; Psalm 133). • Frequent testimonies of reconciliation encourage imitation. • Leadership modeling: elders who shepherd “not lording it over those entrusted to you” (1 Peter 5:3). • Corporate singing of truth that exalts Christ, not personalities (Colossians 3:16). Living the Better, Not the Worse When gatherings revolve around Christ’s sacrificial love, divisions shrivel. By approaching each service with prepared hearts, humble service, visible care, and continual self-examination, believers fulfill the command: “Let there be no divisions among you… that you be perfectly united in mind and conviction.” (1 Corinthians 1:10) |
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