第87章

The apostle's great love for the Corinthian believers was revealed in his tender greeting to the church.He referred to their experience in turning from idolatry to the worship and service of the true God.He reminded them of the gifts of the Holy Spirit which they had received, and showed that it was their privilege to make continual advancement in the Christian life until they should attain to the purity and holiness of Christ."In everything ye are enriched by Him," he wrote, "in all utterance, and in all knowledge; even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: so that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ."Paul spoke plainly of the dissensions that had arisen in the Corinthian church, and exhorted the members to cease from strife."I beseech you, brethren," he wrote, "by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment."The apostle felt at liberty to mention how and by whom he had been informed of the divisions in the church."It hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you."Paul was an inspired apostle.The truths he taught to others he had received "by revelation;" yet the Lord did not directly reveal to him at all times just the condition of His people.In this instance those who were interested in the prosperity of the church at Corinth, and who had seen evils creeping in, had presented the matter before the apostle, and from divine revelations which he had formerly received he was prepared to judge of the character of these developments.Notwithstanding the fact that the Lord did not give him a new revelation for that special time, those who were really seeking for light accepted his message as expressing the mind of Christ.The Lord had shown him the difficulties and dangers which would arise in the churches, and, as these evils developed, the apostle recognized their significance.He had been set for the defense of the church.He was to watch for souls as one who must render account to God, and was it not consistent and right for him to take notice of the reports concerning the anarchy and divisions among them? Most assuredly; and the reproof he sent them was as certainly written under the inspiration of the Spirit of God as were any of his other epistles.

The apostle made no mention of the false teachers who were seeking to destroy the fruit of his labor.Because of the darkness and division in the church, he wisely forbore to irritate them by such references, for fear of turning some entirely from the truth.He called attention to his own work among them as that of "a wise master builder," who had laid the foundation upon which others had built.But he did not thereby exalt himself; for he declared, "We are laborers together with God." He claimed no wisdom of his own, but acknowledged that divine power alone had enabled him to present the truth in a manner pleasing to God.United with Christ, the greatest of all teachers, Paul had been enabled to communicate lessons of divine wisdom, which met the necessities of all classes, and which were to apply at all times, in all places, and under all conditions.

Among the more serious of the evils that had developed among the Corinthian believers, was that of a return to many of the debasing customs of heathenism.One former convert had so far backslidden that his licentious course was a violation of even the low standard of morality held by the Gentile world.The apostle pleaded with the church to put away from among them "that wicked person.""Know ye not," he admonished them, "that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened."Another grave evil that had arisen in the church was that of brethren going to law against one another.Abundant provision had been made for the settlement of difficulties among believers.Christ Himself had given plain instruction as to how such matters were to be adjusted."If thy brother shall trespass against thee," the Saviour had counseled, "go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church:

but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican.Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." Matthew 18:15-18.