1 Corinthians 1:10-17

"I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?” I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name. (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power."

Unity is found in the gospel and should be maintained for the gospel. We are so prone to group up and form clicks. We have our friends. They are most like us and we get along without much strife. But then sin enters in, and our camaraderie actually becomes a source of sin. We start excluding other people or looking down on other people because they aren’t just like us or they haven’t had the privileges that we have had.

This divisiveness reflects a lack of depth on our part. When we divide over trivial matters, we betray our sinful faithfulness to men over and above Christ. Our loyalties should be with Christ and the gospel, not with a group of friends or a dynamic leader. When our friends or leaders become so important to us that we are willing to quarrel or separate with other believers because of them, we have lost sight of what is really important, namely Christ and His redeeming work.

It is even possible for us to allow important issues to divide us unnecessarily. While the scripture does indicate that there are things worth dividing over, this passage indicates that there are things that are important but aren’t cause of division. Baptism is an important part of the Christian faith (though it is not as important as the gospel). There are positions on baptism that are contrary to the gospel; those issues are cause for separation. But the personalities involved in your baptism are not important. If you focus on people and not the gospel, even something as important as baptism can become an unnecessary cause for separation or prideful haughtiness. This is so heinous that Paul feels it necessary to de-emphasize the importance of baptism when compared to the unifying effects of the truth of the gospel.

Our lives should revolve around Christ and the gospel. This should be done in a way that directs all attention away from people (especially us), and focuses on the redemptive power of Christ in the life of a sinner. Christ is not divided, and His ambassadors should not be divided either.