Wednesday, March 03, 2004

Has Christ been divided?

From today's New Testament reading, Paul's first epistle to the Corinthians, chapter 2:

10 Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among
you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose. 11For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there are quarrels among
you, my brothers and sisters. 12What I mean is that each of you says, 'I belong to Paul,' or 'I belong to Apollos,' or 'I belong to Cephas,' or 'I belong
to Christ.' 13Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?


Today we can name other persons or groups to whom people claim allegiance, which is all right only to a degree. All the while we should have our eyes firmly fixed on Christ.

We may join different groups because we think they help further the cause of Christ, but we cannot "belong" to them. There is only Christ to whom we can belong, in whose name we are baptized and who was crucified for us. He is the only one to whom we can swear an oath of loyalty or affirmation. He alone is the one who is unchanging and eternal, who will be with us to the end of the age, and who will claim us at the end.

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