Paul's Question; Men's Answer
When Paul wrote to the Corinthians he asked the question, "Is Christ divided?" He was making an argument and a plea for unity in the Corinthian church. The unity of Christ was so thoroughly understood, and so completely believed and accepted by the Corinthians that Paul used it as a premise from which to start. He based his argument on their acceptance of the truth that Christ is not divided. And if Christ is not divided, then his people, his body, must also be not divided.
Contrary to Paul's declaration, the denominational world today gives a ringing affirmative to his question, Is Christ divided?, and declares that Christ is indeed divided, and ought to be! They would tell us first of all that Christ is divided in will. They argue that denominationalism and religious division among men is well pleasing to the Lord; they think such divisions constitute a true blessing, and that we ought to thank God that there are enough churches for every man to have a "church of his choice." They are pleased that God is worshipped in so many different ways, under so many different systems or plans, by people wearing different religious names, and following different doctrines. They contend that God approves such, and is well pleased to see such.
Not only are we told that division is well pleasing to the Lord; that it is his desire and wish, but they argue that Christ is also divided in message. They actually say that the Bible is responsible for the contradictory doctrines and conflicting claims that are made and taught in the world. They seek to find a basis for every creed and doctrine in the word of God. Whatever divisions exist are to be accounted for on the basis of contradictory Bible teaching on the various questions; the Bible message is confused and confusing. It teaches opposite ideas on many matters; so that actually it all finally resolves itself into a matter of interpretation. One man interprets the Bible one way; another man has a different interpretation of it. And since the Bible is couched in such difficult and ambiguous phraseology, it is the Bible, not man, that must be held responsible for divisions.
There is still a third way in which men say Christ is divided. In answer to Paul's question, Is Christ divided?, they would affirm that he is divided in will, and is divided in message; and that he is divided in body. Have you ever heard the expression, 'One church is as good as another'? This is a common and popular idea. The thought behind it is that all the denominational churches of the land, in the aggregate; go to make up the body of Christ. His true body, his spiritual body, is made up of a whole multitude of warring factions and sects and parties. Since Christ desires division, and since his message is confused and contradictory, it will but be inevitable that his body, the church, be made up of a great number of bodies and sects.
Again, a fourth affirmative answer is given to Paul's question when it comes to the matter of the name. Men teach that Christ is divided in name; that it makes no difference at all what name one may wear religiously, just so he is honest and sincere in the wearing of that name. For many generations men have worn religious names of their own choosing — Presbyterian, Baptist, Catholic, etc. — ignoring the Bible teaching on the subject of the name.
These are the answers men give to Paul's question. But what answer does the Bible give? One can see at aglance that the answers men give are affirmative in every respect. They say Christ is divided; he desires or wills that his followers should be divided; he gives them different messages to bring about that division; he puts them into different religious bodies to perpetuate the division; and he is wholly unconcerned as to the different names they wear by which their divisions and differences are identified. In contrast to the answers men give, the Bible answer is negative from every point of view. Contrary to what men say, denominationalism and division are condemned in the Bible; division is displeasing in God's sight, and is a sin before him. The man who has not learned that from his Bible has indeed read to little profit.
The very chapter under consideration (1 Corinthians 1) states God's attitude in unmistakable terms, "I beseech you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ that .... there be no divisions among you." Who is it that asks this? It is Christ speaking through Paul. This is the will of God, set forth in language that no honest mind can misunderstand. What effrontery the man must have then to say that division and denominationalism are pleasing in God's sight!
If it was the will of the Lord that unity should exist in Corinth 1900 years ago, it is likewise the will of the Lord that unity exist among his followers today. Division is contrary to the will and authority of Christ, contrary to his teaching, contrary to the whole purpose of his mission on the earth. It is unity he desires, not division. Men go contrary to his will when they fail or refuse to achieve that unity which is possible through him.