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Is Christ Divided?
Not Our Group—But Is It Christ?
Waupaca Church of Christ | 03/22/2026 AM | Preacher Ed | 1
The Text
Mark 9:38–40
1 Corinthians 1:10–13
NASB 1995
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The Standard
- Every identity built on men must be rejected
- Loyalty to parties contradicts the cross
- Complete submission belongs to Christ alone
Thesis
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The Core Problem
A man can say “Christ” with his mouth and still belong to something else in his heart.
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Corinth in Crisis
- The church was tearing itself apart
- Men were using party slogans
- “I am of Paul,” “I of Apollos”
1 Corinthians 1:12-13
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The Apostolic Disease
- John saw someone casting out demons
- They tried to stop him
- Reason: “he was not following us”
Mark 9:38
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I. Party Spirit Tries to Divide What the Cross Has Made One
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The Plea for Unity
“Now I exhort you, brethren… that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you…”
1 Corinthians 1:10
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No Human Banners
- A preacher may teach you
- A faithful man may help you
- A congregation may strengthen you
- But none of them died for you
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σχίσματα
(schismata) — divisions
This is not harmless variety. This is the tearing of what should remain whole.
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κατηρτισμένοι
(katērtismenoi) — made complete
The answer to schism is not tolerating fragmentation. It is being fitted back together.
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μεμέρισται
(memeristai) — has been divided
Has Christ been cut up and parceled out into religious portions?
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“When a man’s name organizes your loyalty, the cross is pushed out.”
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The Foundation of Unity
- DO NOT build on shared preferences
- DO NOT build on tribal instincts
- DO build unity on revealed truth
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II. Group Loyalty Replaces Christ as the Standard
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The False Measure
“we tried to prevent him because he was not following us.”
Mark 9:38
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ἀκολουθέω
(akoloutheō) — to follow
They made association with their circle the test instead of relation to Christ.
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Two Kinds of Judgment
- Righteous Judgment: Is it true?
- Righteous Judgment: Does it honor Christ?
- Sectarian Thinking: Who said it?
- Sectarian Thinking: Are they one of us?
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“The moment ‘us’ becomes the test, Christ is displaced from judgment.”
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III. Party Spirit Has a Long History of Corrupting Religion
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The Early Corruption
- First-century Judaism fractured into parties
- Post-apostolic apostasy layered human hierarchy
- Tradition buried the authority of Scripture
Historical Background
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Reformation & Restoration
- Reformation multiplied named bodies
- Men stopped halfway back to the NT church
- Even restoration pleas can drift into sectarianism
Historical Background
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“Men condemn creeds with their mouths and build one with their habits.”
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IV. Christ Alone Defines Identity, Truth, and Salvation
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What is a Denomination?
A denomination is division organized, named, and normalized.
Scripture gives one identity to the redeemed: Christian.
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One Body
“There is one body and one Spirit… one Lord, one faith, one baptism”
Ephesians 4:4–5
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Doctrinal Boundary
- Rejecting party spirit is not false unity
- Truth still matters
- Doctrine governs fellowship
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“Every loyalty that rivals Christ is treason in religious language.”
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Christ Is Not Divided
Do not divide in practice what Christ has never divided in truth.
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Submission to Christ
- Hear the Word (John 8:24)
- Believe (John 8:24)
- Repent (Acts 17:30)
- Confess His Name (Rom 10:9-10)
- Baptism for Remission (Acts 2:38)
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