1 Corinthians 1:1-20 - Part C

When you mix grace and works while the power of the cross. The cross is all you have to do is believe._. And because you've been saved. Now you get baptized as an expression otherwise cross of Christ is made of no effect. Churches become divided kinds of different things today on connect with Skip Skip shares of the newly do you receive Jesus unite with fellow believers want to let you know about a resource that will help you get the most out of your Bible study time as well.

Record has again confirmed that the Bible is telling of all time. Research the number and portions of Scripture been translated into nearly 3500 different budgets. There's a big difference between having access to God's word and allowing it to change her life to death about practical Bible study from skip. I think observation was legal interpretation which must lead to application somebody once but if you want to meet in the street. Bible truths and shoe leather on the lungs where the rubber meets the road. You do what Jesus said to increase the effectiveness of your personal life how to study the Bible and enjoy it. This practical guide is thanking you when you get $25 or more to help keep his teaching ministry on the air. Get your copy today and take the mystery out of studying Scripture, 819 to 1888, or get online securely connectwithskip.com/offer first chapter 1, Skip to get into today's message having been justified by faith, we have with God through our Lord declared us righteous is declared us as having the same righteousness as his son Jesus, because we believe in his finished work doesn't mean you are perfect or righteous or blameless or faultless, but he already declares you are such an one day will present you as such. So it's a pretty good deal.

And that's why we have peace with God, having been justify with with. By faith we have peace with God.

Think of my peace dependent upon my performance will some days I be very peaceful and some days I would not be very peaceful because some days my performance is goods continues my performance really stinks and so I tried a piece one day and then I got the next day because I'm always looking at my performance, but because I'm justified declared righteous by faith I have peace with God every day through our Lord Jesus Christ, because now I understand how God sees me how God reckons me and how one day he will receive me and I'll be presented as faultless before his presence with exceeding joy. The psalmist I read it early this morning.

Some hundred and 30 O Lord, if you should mark iniquities who could stand if if God kept a record and checked it, who would stand we we we would be miserable, but we are justified so because of that one day you will be blameless. God is faithful, by whom you are called into the fellowship of the sun Jesus Christ. Okay so that is the introductory remarks of the epistle of the letter. Now we get down to business and he addresses the real issue that this person Chloe has written about and that is the tearing apart of the church. The breaking up into different factious groups because he says in verse 10. Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment were divisions schism Motta speaks of the tearing of a garment.

The fragmenting of something that was once a cohesive unit being torn into little pieces and it's not just that there were disagreements that's never a problem. There, that's a it's healthy to have disagreeing points of view over certain things. The problem was a disagreement was dissension they were splitting up and being opposed to each other as we will find out for it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe's household that there are contentions among you. On one hand I think all parties should mention Chloe because you got your under the bus never everyone is all you the one they ratted on us to Paul. But Paul had to give a source and probably this person Chloe by the way scholars are divided whether this Chloe is a feminine name or a masculine and we don't notice a person" what will call it will identify her as she just because that's how our minds probably will deal better with that is been declared by those in Chloe's household that there are contentions among you.

Now I say this each of you says I am of Paul. I am of Apollo sort I am of Cephas or I am of Christ is Christ divided was Paul crucified for you or were you baptized in the name of Paul when Jesus before his suffering prayed for his followers.

After praying for his immediate followers. He prayed at the end of his little prayer in John 17.

Lord, I don't just pray for these alone, but for all all those who will believe in me through their name that they may be one as as we are one IN you and you and me, that they may be one in us that the world may believe that you sent me. He prayed for our unity. Unity doesn't mean uniformity does mean we will agree on everything alike, but it does mean we will agree on what's most important. So there are essentials of our faith that we must all agree on.

And when we agree that Mark says is true believers. We believe in one God.

We believe that there is a triune God father son and Holy Spirit is essential Bible doctrine. We believe that God sent his son in the world to dine across it. He died physically as being God in human flesh, and that he resurrected bodily that is coming again.

We believe a number of things that we will call essentials but then there are other things that are really not essential and we can have vigorous debates about them and we can have disagreements but though you disagree it's different from dissension. I have a very particular eschatology.

I'm very convinced in my eschatology. I'm very convinced in my theological stand on a number of issues, but I discovered that in the church. There's latitude and that not everybody agrees with my position eschatological and I give them the freedom to be wrong, just as they give me the freedom to be wrong in their view right and that's okay. I think it was Augustine leasee is attributed is the one who said this, he said in essentials unity in nonessentials liberty. But in all things, charity.

So I believe that the more spiritual you become, the less denominational you become, the less the less you need to put up a wall. Sunday was a line I'm up Baptist good. I'm glad you are why my Methodist Ryman episcopate great, but if that's your first identity. I think it's problematic. Your first identity is I'm a Christian I'm in Christ and as long as we hold to the essentials.

That's what binds us together Mark says as believers the other things. Let's talk about them. Let's wrangle about them. But let's let's agree to disagree agreeably. Let's be loving about it in all things, charity walk, there seem like in Corinth. He was getting beyond just disagreement stage because you have now for groups that are represented. Verse 12.

Some say I am of Paul. Note to me make sense of somebody would say I'm of Paul. Paul started the church. Paul had a religious background. He was a Pharisee, but he discovered the grace of God.

He preached the grace of God was a wonderful message that included not just Juba Gentile very natural for somebody ago. Man that's liberating I'm I believe in that guy what he is set. Others were saying well. Paul was okay but there somebody that's been around here and has spoken here to our congregation and he's just really articulate his name is Apollo's in the book of acts described described him as being quite a scholar, very scholastic, probably advanced in learning advance in rhetoric so he could really tell a story and really get a crowd and really do a great job so they just like the Paulus Bay because he had a great background then there were others that said I'm a Peter or Cephas. That's the apostle Peter and others a record of Peter overcoming the Corinth, though he may have, but it could be that they just so you know, we relate to Peter. He was one of the original 12 Paul, you weren't is a fisherman, so he's not a rabbi like you are Paul or like Apollo shows he's a blue-collar guy. We relate to this working-class God. But then there was this fourth group that was the worst of all of they were so snobbish they look down all we don't need to follow human leaders where chest of Christ, that sounds good, like why, why, while I would be back the fact that he's marking them and lumping them in the same kind of categories being divisive shows that the way they were marking. The difference was not healthy. You know they were so nondenominational they they elevated their nondenominational is you can do the auto I'm not into the denomination met Calgary. Why go to this independent church. Whatever your Christian writer in Christ, just a word about human leaders. When God uses a human leader and by the way, what they did. Then we do today. People do it all the time people send me things that a radio teacher has said or somebody in the Internet has said you that list was that God is this an end.

People are attracted to certain styles and methods of teaching. Nothing wrong with that unless it becomes too exclusive and there's always a danger when you are a man or woman of God and your use mightily by God. You start people start elevating you in looking to you and they put you on a pedestal and you have to be the one to know that people have a tendency to do that and you yourself need to jump off the pedestal don't allow the pedestal to be under you get off of it being normal because really there's nothing special about you, no matter who you are right you are. The cross is what levels everybody level ground, but you remember in in the book of acts chapter 2 and there was a man who sat at the gate beautiful, who had a problem and Peter and John walked Brian and said so silver and gold have I none but such as I have I give to you in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise and walk and lifted him up and the man was healed and so all the crowd. The thought looked intently at Peter and John and Peter and John could've said this is the perfect opportunity to take an offering, people are on amazed at this. This'll their heartstrings or touch. Don't give but I love their response. He said men of Israel, why do you look intently at us as though we do our own power or godliness made this man walk.

We didn't do this were just instruments.

He did this. It happens again in acts chapter 14 when they're in a region and the man gets healed and in the pagan say the gods of come down to us may want to worship. Paul and Barnabas and they wouldn't let them do so. It is a danger. Whether you're Paul or a Paulus or Cephas you need to point to Christ and sissy look I love how Paul says in verse 13 is Christ divided. In other words, can you take Jesus literally can you take Jesus and cut him into pieces and distribute those pieces. Now you can. Was Paul crucified for you know Paul's writing the letter know he was or were you baptized in the name of Paul. Now this is to me is fascinating and I'm looking at the time you will be able to probably make it through the whole chapter man. I think God verse 14 that I baptized none of you except Crispus, that's the first RK cement go gossip, head of the synagogue who came to faith. I except Crispus and Dyess, lest anyone should say I baptized my own name.

Yes, I also baptized the household of Stefon S. Besides, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else any other for Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with the wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect. Notice how Paul makes a difference draws a contrast between baptism and preaching the gospel. Christ didn't send me to baptize, he sent me to preach the gospel now II want you to hear this. He's not snubbing baptism at all, nor is he saying that baptism is not a part of declaring the gospel, but he is putting baptism in its proper place.

There are some people who believe in a doctrine.

Theologians call baptismal regeneration baptismal regeneration that you know how I was raised right. They believed in baptismal regeneration. You better get that baby baptized you don't get that baby baptize a baby going live forever in limbo, not in the Bible, not in the Bible. No limbo in the Bible somebody find limbo showed to me later on I be happy to change my view but you bet, you baptize every because that baby gets saved when they get baptize and are not just the catheter there other teachers who believe in baptismal regeneration. Now if baptismal regeneration is true.

If a person gets saved when there baptize them. Paul the apostle is wrong.

He is misleading when he says Christ didn't send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel if baptismal regeneration is true, then we would have to say Paul.

He did send you to baptize because baptize autism and salvation are on equal levels.

Now if Paul believed in baptismal regeneration know that he would've had to travel with the tank everywhere he went. Unless he was by the Mediterranean Sea.

If he was inland.

Anywhere you have to bring some take water, find some local lake or something and you always see them baptizing everyone remember I'm the people I baptize them in other people baptize for Christ didn't send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel so people say do I have to be baptized to be saved, here's how I answer that you have to be saved to be baptized. That's how it works have to be baptized. We say no. You have to be saved to be baptized in the book of acts.

It was an Ethiopian eunuch who was reading Isaiah you got led to Christ and he saw water and he said to Philip.

Hey, there's there's some water right there.

What hinders me from being baptized. Philip said, if you believe with all your heart, you may doubt was the prerequisite to baptism you have to believe and if you believe you are saved and if you're saved then you can get baptize member Jesus seven in Mark chapter 16 going all the world make disciples of all the nations and baptize them. Name the father and the son. The Holy Spirit whoever believes and is baptized shall be saved and often that is coded by those who want to show me baptismal regeneration, but they leave out the last part of the verse.

Jesus, that whoever believes and is baptized shall be saved. Whoever does not believe shall be condemned. He didn't say whoever does not believe that is not baptize. It's the faith that saves or the lack of faith that condemns now usually when I bring this up them and I wanted to go through this because there's a lot of questions on it and I'm looking at the time so this is Bobby Warburg and and but some usually people want to bring up a taxi and asked chapter 2 when they say oh no you, you must be baptized in order to be saved. I go up and they usually quote acts 237 and 38 generated so this is Peter in Jerusalem asked to verse 37, 38, when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, men and brethren, what shall we do then Peter said to them, repent now watch this and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and logo. There is right there you are baptized for the remission of sins. Now when they say that to you what the art are equating is the word for you baptized for the remission of sins. There thinking the word for must mean in order that in order that so be baptized in order that your sins might be remitted. The problem with that is the word for is for me is translated from the Greek word in the Greek text ice that would be in Greek spelling epsilon Yoda Sigma ice for four ice and that word ice translated for often means because of not in order that you follow me, so here's an example in English if I say the soldier was decorated for bravery. I don't mean that the soldier was decorated in order that he would become braves like I got a metal woman to be brave, no he got a metal because he was baked brave as an expression that celebrated his bravery. If we say that criminal was punished for his crime.

He's not punished. In order that he might go out and commit a crime he was punished for a crime meeting because of a crime.

So when he says repent and be baptized for the remission of sins.

It's not in order that your sins would be forgiven, but because your sins have been forgiven as an expression that they have you follow so wanted to clear that up and kinda make it ironclad, less somebody want to say oh you don't believe in baptism, the way I do. I'm up all I'm of a Pulmozyme of seekers. Whatever Christ didn't send me to baptize with the preach the gospel, not with the wisdom of words with the cross of lest the cross of Christ be made of no effect to see the cross of Christ would be made of no effect. If you tell people you have to believe that's faith and you have to do something in order to be saved. That's a work getting baptized. Now you are mixing grace and works in when you mix grace and works you robbed the power of the cross. The cross is all you have to do is believe. End of story. And because you've been saved. Now you get baptize as an expression of that. Otherwise the cross of Christ is made of no effect for the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to those of us who are being saved it is the power of God for it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise words describe where is the disputer of this age as God not made foolish the wisdom of this world and will continue and follow this section up and finish this up next week. But as we close, let me just give a little PS a little addendum to that whole little baptism thing that I just talked about you not saved by baptism but it is important. It is an expression of an inward change and I always get leary when somebody says oh yeah, I've been saved for 30 years but has never been better. What that's that's weird that's is weird. The New Testament norm and throughout church history is that baptism almost immediately followed salvation. It was it was an expression, it seemed that way in so many countries around the world.

We just in the West to become a little too lax about it. I think that want to display to the world that that change has occurred, something you should want to celebrate that Skip the message from the series expound first Corinthians you Skip until you keep encouraging messages like this coming your way as you help connect others to God's word, the early church made evangelism priority and it's something we take seriously our heart is deceived, broken lives, healed and lost souls saved. That's why we share the good news of Jesus to these Bible teachings. Did you know you can be a partner in sharing the gospel today. Here's how you can give to see lives transformed. Call 800-922-1888 to give today 800-922-1888 or visit connectwithskip.com/donate.

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