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"I plead with you, brethren..."

Text: 1 Corinthians 1:10

A GOOD START

The Corinthian Church had begun on a good and strong note. The following features may be noted: –

1. Good foundations

a) Paul and his fellow-workers had laid a good foundation.

b) The bed-rock was the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

c) There was strong preaching and teaching of the Lord’s word.

2. The founder members

a) Sosthenes was one of the good founder members.

b) There were others whom Paul had baptised.

3. Good signs of blessings

a) Grace-gifts were found among the members.

b) The testimony of Christ was confirmed and established.

EARLY SIGNS OF PROBLEMS

Having begun well does not mean that a Church would be problem-free! Intimation of trouble was given to the Apostle Paul. Immediately, Paul wrote to address the problems. It would be unwise not to deal with problems swiftly!

“Now I plead with you, brethren,
by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that you all speak the same thing,
and that there be no divisions among you,
but that you be perfectly joined together in
the same mind and in the same judgment.”
1 Corinthians 1:10

There are many lessons that we may learn from the Apostle Paul how we may deal with problems.

1. “Now I plead with you, brethren”

a) The word “plead” suggests the following:

i) Humility

ii) Gentleness

iii) Love

b) The word “brethren”

i) Paul did not see the people as “enemies”.

ii) They were indeed “brethren”.

iii) This was an appeal to the idea of being “God’s People” and hence “brethren”.