Where In The Bible Will I Find:

Is Christ Divided?

It is quite likely that Paul wrote his first letter to the church of Christ of Corinth in the early part of A.D. 57 and near the end of the three years' period of his labors in Ephesus. He had established the church in Corinth approximately five years before; and the immediate occasion of its writing appears to have been the arrival of a family, or some portion thereof, of a Christian woman of Corinth named Chloe. From her, or from members of her household, the apostle learned of conditions prevailing in the church in Corinth and requiring immediate attention.

He wrote: "...it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul, and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were ye baptized in the name of Paul" (I Cor. 1:11-13).

The contentions in Corinth grew of out partyism; and the partyism was the result of extreme favoritism toward preachers! So pronounced were these preferences, factions arose and alienations had resulted. Though Paul was among those thus "honored," he rejected and repudiated the situation as being wholly foreign to the will of the Lord. "Is Christ divided?" He pointedly asked, literally, "is Christ parceled out in small portions?" Did the Corinthians think that it was possible to rend the body of Christ into small bits and divide it among the several factions existing?

This is the implication which obtains wherever division occurs in the body of Christ. Though Paul was one of those elevated to the head of the party, he refused to accept it with the inquiry, "Were ye baptized into the name of Paul?" If so, then they could wear the name of Paul, but they had been baptized into the name of Christ (Matt. 28:18-20); therefore, only Christ's name - Christian - might they properly wear.

The disciples of the first century church were taught not only to accept Christ as their only head religiously but to reflect this fact to others by wearing only His name. Luke, the inspired historian of the early church, wrote that the disciples "...were called Christians first in Antioch" (Acts 11:26). It is significant that these disciples not only claimed to be Christians, it was by this divinely given name that they were known. It is in this name the name - Christian - that we glorify God (I Peter 4:16), and NOT through any church bearing human names.

If you have NOT been baptized in water at all, you have no right to any name religiously - not Paul's, not Cephas', not Apollos' , not Luther's, not Calvin's, not even Christ's. His command is: "...be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ.." (Acts 2:38).