For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not mere men? What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one.

Applying his theology of “Christ and Him crucified,” Paul moves from the didactic (teaching) to application. He was not inclined to beat around the bush, nor does he give “theological speak” without nailing it down with pointed, practical applications. No beating around the bush! Paul names names; he talks specifics. Earlier he identified the source of his information about the Corinthians’ behavior (1 Cor. 1:11); now he identifies the pseudo-spiritual cliques by identifying the teachers that each rallied around.

We should learn from this, so as to avoid dealing with conflict in dysfunctional ways: innuendo, untouchable topics, awkward interpersonal histories, focusing on peripheral issues and missing the main issues. Make no mistake, every church has its share of conflict and stress. No headway can be made unless the conflict is brought out into the open and the people involved identified. For many of us, this strikes fear in the heart, and in the avoidance of conflict, we shove conflict underground, where it simmers and occasionally flares up. After a while, Christians learn to avoid “trigger” points, or begin to speak in general terms laden with innuendo. Some even resort to writing judgmental tracts and essays, without naming names, yet with clear intentions. Following Paul’s example, we should bring conflict out into the open.

We learn also from the apostle that he was the consummate applier of God’s truth. In the presenting case, how can Christians distinguish themselves by identifying with Paul or Apollos, both of whom are great men of God and powerful teachers of the Word? How today can people pride themselves by saying, “I’m Baptist,” “I’m brethren,” or “I am non-denominational?” Are we not taking pride in what makes us different, rather than focusing on that which unites us as believers, namely, “Christ and Him crucified”?

To be sure, denominations have their distinctives, especially with the multitude of spiritual teachers within evangelical, believing Christianity. Although each teacher (or denomination) has his strengths, none has the corner on all of God’s truth. We should hold firmly to the spiritual truth God has revealed to us, but we cannot let our differences divide us such that we can never work together or that we look down on other groups. This is especially true within each local church. There are bound to be differences of doctrinal and theological emphases. But we have more that unites us than divides us.

Lord, help me to appreciate godly teaching from those outside of my“clique.”