anything to get the job done, or to stitch together some kind of a con cept that will bring him a follow ing. As today in America, Corinth had "religious" leaders who would sense the mood of men and then concoct a religious philosophy that would gain a following. In verse 20, there is another quote from Psalms 94:11, "The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity." This echoes the thought, the sentiment of I Corinthians, chapter one, where Paul recounts the fact that a per son cannot be born again by sim ply listening to the crafty words of individuals who know not the Lord Jesus Christ. We must build upon the proper foundation. Paul says there is one founda tion, one building, one Holy Spirit who resides within, and no one, that will stand as an alternative to salvation in Christ. Paul closes this chapter with a powerful summation: "Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are your's; Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are your's; And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's." There is after all no need at all for division because we have all that we need in Christ Himself; a given teacher or leader may de tract, but he cannot add anything more than what these verses em brace. In a similar vein, the Psalmist tells us (verse one, chapter 24), "The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein." It is all God's; and yet, through Christ, it has all become ours! Consider how divisions limit, Page 42
isolate and encourage rivalry, all to the detriment of the body. Divisions keep from part of the body the benefits of certain teach ers and leaders who are consid ered the property of one faction of the Christian body. As in poli tics, so in the Christian community, we dare not listen too carefully or be blessed too extensively by some one from the "other" group. Many republicans would rather vote for an extremist in their own party than listen to the counsel of an in dependent or democrat. The same is equally true about democrats. But the tragedy is that it is also a fact among Baptists, Brethren, Pres byterians, Nazarenes,.Mennonites, Methodists, independents, and a host of other divisions within the true body of Christian believers. Divisions in the body, limit — and all is not ours in Christ through the foolishness of man. Divisions do another thing. They isolate. And this is tragic. Somehow or other it sets people apart and it solidifies differences. It makes unity virtually impossible as isolation sets in. For instance, in Congress there have been times when there have actually been fist- fights on the floor of the Senate. Members, isolated from others, have moved in their own area un til certain commitments were so strong they could not appreciate others. When men are represent ing varying commitments, this can be understood. But we are one in Christ, we are not followers of men. We, together, are the temple of God. Divisions isolate; they solidify differences; they make unity virtu ally impossible. Paul presents God's antidote to that. "All things are yours." Whether they are things
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