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哥林多前书：1:10-12: 10弟兄们，我藉我们主耶稣基督的名，劝你们都说一样的话。你们中间也不可分党，只要一心一意，彼此相合。11因为革来氏家里的人曾对我提起弟兄们来，说你们中间有分争。12我的意思就是你们各人说：“我是属保罗的”，“我是属亚波罗的”，“我是属矶法的”，“我是属基督的”。
哥林多教会的基督徒面临很多问题。其中一个便是因为人们不同的个性特点而造成的结党纷争。发生这样的事情令人感到非常难过，因为教会不是建立在牧师的性格特征上，而是建立在基督和他的话语上！
我真希望今天的教会里这样的事情已经不多见了。我曾经担任某个教区的总会主席，这个教区150个教会，有几百个牧师和教师。有一件关于教会纷争的事情让我至今记忆犹新。那个教会里有相当一部分人想开除他们的牧师，但教会里有至少有同样多的人爱他，希望他留下。一边占百分之四十，另一边占百分之六十。我还记得那些愤怒的声音和和阴沉的脸色。在这里看不到爱心、忍耐和谦卑。更可悲的是，这种结党纷争的行为导致教会在传福音方面停滞不前，因为谁想加入一间有纷争的教会呢？
我曾与这几百个牧师和教师一起工作，可以说他们中间没有一个人是完美的。这也包括我。保罗、亚波罗和彼得也一样。但是耶稣拣选了不完美的人，赋予他们不同的恩赐来传扬他的福音，牧养他的百姓。他呼召圣徒团结在他的话语的周围，仔细聆听他的道，无论站在讲坛上的传道人是伟大的还是平庸的。他呼召我们要温柔，要有耐心，要彼此相爱，因为基督就是这样做的，他呼召我们也要如此行。
祷告：主耶稣，我感谢你赐给我们的话语，求你在我们中间保守这真理的话语。你召我们要我们彼此相爱服事，没有怨恨，没有分争。求你将你的忍耐，温柔，慈爱，都多多的赐给我们，使我们在你的教会里和睦相处，一同做工。阿们。
1 Corinthians 1: 10 Brothers, I am making an appeal to you using the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I ask that you all express the same view and not have any divisions among you, but that you be joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 11 For the news I heard about you, my brothers, from members of Chloe’s household, is that there are rivalries among you. 12 What I mean is that each of you says, “I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos,” or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.” (EHV)
There are a number of issues the Christians in Corinth faced. One of them was having divisions in the church based on personalities. How sad when that happens because the Church is not built on the personality of a pastor, but on Christ and his Word!
I wish I could say that this was a rare thing in the Church today. I served as a district president with 150 churches and several hundred pastors and teachers. I remember one of those situations well. A significant number of people in the church wanted to get rid of their pastor, and just as many, if not more, loved him and wanted him to stay. Forty percent sat on one side and sixty percent on the other. I remember angry voices and scowling faces. Love and patience and humility were not in evidence. And sadly, those divisions kept the congregation from reaching out with the gospel, because who wants to join a church that is divided?
Having worked with hundreds of pastors and teachers, I can say that there was not a perfect one among them. That included me. It was the same for Paul and Apollos and Peter. Yet Jesus chose imperfect people with different gifts to proclaim his gospel and to shepherd his people. He has called on his saints to gather around the Word and to listen carefully, whether it is a great preacher in the pulpit or just a so-so preacher. He has called us to be gentle and patient and loving with each other, because that’s what Christ is, and that’s what he’s called us to be as well.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I am thankful for the Word that you have given us, and for preserving that Word of truth among us. You have called us to serve one another in love, without rancor or division. Give us a full measure of your patience and gentleness and love, that we may live and work together in your Church in peace. Amen.