The church in
Corinth was badly divided when Paul wrote them a letter around 55 A.D. They
were exceptionally troubled and had all kinds of doctrinal questions and errors
(7-15). They were even abusing the Lord’s Supper so badly that the apostle
said, “When you come together it is not for the better but for the worse” (1Co.
11:17)! But as he began to rebuke and correct their misuse of communion, Paul
had this to say: “There must be factions among you in order that those who are
genuine among you may be recognized” (1Co. 11:19).
Do you know what
happens when you squeeze a juice-box? I have small children, so I know.
Whatever is inside comes squirting out. That is what happens when human beings
are placed under stress. What is inside of us, inside our heart, comes
squirting out. Jesus said, “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth
speaks” (Matt. 12:34). That does not mean genuine disciples never sin under
stress. We do, all too often. We say things we should not. We do things we
should not. We despair. We rage. But every time we do, we discover that sin
still lurks in our heart. Sometimes it takes a crisis to find it.
Stress does not
create character; it reveals it. That is why Paul says factions are necessary.
They are not pleasant, and ideally they would never occur. But they have the
beneficial result of making clear who is committed to following Jesus, and who
is not. Not everyone who professes faith in Christ truly knows Him (Matt.
7:21-23). When things get hard some people turn back (John 6:60-66), but others
prove diligent in their commitment to follow the Lord (John 6:67-69).
Does this mean
all those who leave a church are evil or sinful or not real disciples? No,
not at all. But it does challenge us to examine ourselves and see what
stress reveals about us. Problems can help us test our hearts, to root out sin
and renew our commitment to Jesus. Factions are not fun, but they are
necessary. Let’s not waste the opportunity they provide us all. -JME
