1 Corinthians 1:10-17 - I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. What I mean is that each one of you says, 'I follow Paul,' or 'I follow Apollos,' or 'I follow Cephas,' or 'I follow Christ.' Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name. (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

In 1 Corinthians 1:10-17, the Apostle Paul addresses the issue of divisions and quarrels that had arisen in the Corinthian church. He appeals to them in the name of Jesus Christ to be united and in agreement, rather than divided into factions based on which leader they followed - whether Paul, Apollos, Cephas (Peter) or even Christ. Paul points out the foolishness of such divisions, asking rhetorically if Christ is divided or if Paul was crucified for them. He emphasizes that they were baptized in the name of Christ, not in the name of Paul or any other leader. In fact, Paul expresses gratitude that he personally baptized very few of the Corinthians, specifically mentioning Crispus, Gaius and the household of Stephanas. His primary mission and focus was preaching the gospel of Christ, not performing baptisms. He did not want anyone to be able to say they were baptized in Paul's name and form a faction around him. Paul wanted all the glory and focus to be on Christ alone. He preached the gospel not with clever words of human wisdom that would empty the cross of its power, but with full reliance on the power of God. The key takeaway is that as believers, our ultimate loyalty and unity should be in Christ. While God uses human leaders and teachers in the church, they are merely servants and we must be careful not to idolize them or create divisions based on an over-alignment to them. Baptism is an important step of obedience, but it is not the gospel itself. The gospel is the power of God for salvation to all who believe. Our shared faith in Christ and His work on the cross should bind us together as one body.

This passage provides an important reminder about the centrality and supremacy of Christ in the Christian faith and in the church. It's so easy for us as believers to get caught up in personalities, in aligning ourselves with a particular leader, teacher or ministry that we resonate with. We can even do this with different traditions or denominations within the broader body of Christ. But Paul rebukes this kind of thinking and these divisions. He points us back to the fundamental truth that Christ alone is the head of the church, He alone died for us, and our identity and unity is found first and foremost in Him. The mention of baptism in this passage is interesting. Paul almost seems to downplay it, expressing thanks that he baptized very few of the Corinthians. But this doesn't mean baptism is unimportant. Baptism is a vital step of obedience for every believer, an outward symbol of the inward reality that we have died to our old self and been raised to new life in Christ. It's a public declaration of our faith and identification with Christ. However, Paul's point is that baptism itself does not save us. It's not the gospel. And it should never be a point of division or a means of exalting a particular leader or group. I'm challenged to examine my own heart and consider where I may be prone to an unhealthy attachment to certain leaders, teachers or groups, or where I may be contributing to divisions in the body of Christ, even in subtle ways. Am I more passionate about a particular ministry or church than I am about Jesus himself? Do I spend more time talking about my favorite preacher than I do pointing people to Christ? Ultimately, this passage is a call to unity in the gospel. As believers, we have infinitely more in common than we have differences. We have been bought with the precious blood of Christ and baptized by one Spirit into one body. When we keep the main thing the main thing, when we are centered on the cross and the power of the gospel, so many of our divisions and quarrels will fade. This doesn't mean we will agree on everything, but it means we extend grace and keep the focus on Christ. May we be a people who are not easily swayed by eloquent words of human wisdom, but who cling to the wisdom of God and boast in nothing except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. May we find our identity, our unity and our mission in Him alone. And may we never lose sight of the power of the simple gospel message to save and to transform lives for eternity.

Heavenly Father, Thank You for the gift of the gospel and the precious blood of Jesus that unites us as one body. Forgive us for the times we have allowed divisions, quarrels and factions to distract us from the centrality of Christ. Forgive us for the times we have been more devoted to a particular leader, group or ideology than to Jesus himself. Help us to keep the main thing the main thing. Give us an unshakeable commitment to the truth of Your Word and a passion for the gospel above all else. May we never boast in human wisdom or align ourselves with men, but rather may we boast in Christ alone and align ourselves fully with Him. Give us a spirit of humility, grace and unity in the body of Christ. Even where we have differences, may they never overshadow the infinitely greater spiritual realities we share in Christ. Protect us from pride and division. Make us a people who are known by our love for one another. Thank You for the leaders and teachers You have placed in the church. Help us to honor them and benefit from the gifts You have given them, while always remembering that they are merely servants and that our ultimate loyalty is to Christ. May we never lose sight of the power of the cross. May it be our only boast and may we proclaim it unashamedly to the world. We pray this in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.