In 1 Corinthians 1:10-13, Paul addresses a division in the church in Corinth that sprang from different Christian parties that claimed to be aligned with one leader in the faith. People in Corinth claimed to follow Paul, Apollos, Cephas, and Jesus exclusively from each other. However, Paul reminds the Christians in Corinth that Christ is not divided and that Paul didn’t die for them or baptize many of them. The three parties centered around people are incorrect because Paul, Apollos, and Cephas are just normal people and didn’t do anything to deserve praise like God does; the party that follows Jesus is also mistaken because they have pride and judgment over those who aren’t in that party. Paul calls them to unity because they are all in the same boat: they are all in need of a perfect and righteous savior to save them from their sins.
In 1 Corinthians 1:13-17, Paul explains why he is thankful that he didn’t baptize more people. He is thankful because if he did baptize more people then the people who were baptized would have a moral sense of superiority compared to people in other groups. Additionally, Paul reveals the goal of his past mission to Corinth. When he went there before, Paul didn’t baptize many people because his goal was not to baptize. Instead, Paul’s calling was to spread the Gospel of Jesus. He wasn’t sent to preach with a clever mouth, but he was there to speak the truth in a way that is powerful to the listener. Paul reminds us of the important truth that salvation does not come from baptism or our own actions, but it comes from the Gospel of Jesus and His life, death, and resurrection.
What does this mean for us? Nowadays, it is very common to ask people what church they go to or denomination they are in, and it is easy to draw conclusions or judge based on that. I speak from personal experience. Today’s passage has taught me that whether people go to KPC, CGC, a Lutheran church, a Baptist church, or even a Roman Catholic church, we should all be united under Jesus instead of being judgmental about other parties. As Christians, we are united as the Body of Christ and as the Church, so we should not divide ourselves more than that. I was also reminded that my salvation doesn’t come from my own actions or baptism or anything that I can do, but it comes from God alone and from what Jesus did on this earth.