Last Updated on April 2, 2025 by Ryan

Now these things, brothers, I have applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us you may learn not to go beyond what is written, so that no one of you will become puffed up on behalf of one against the other.

1 Corinthians 4:6 (LSB)

The Bible is God’s Great Redemption Story

The Corinthian church was an illustration of what could go wrong in a church when the problem of pride and division break out in a church, it also reveals our desperate need for firstly for redemption, but also for sanctification. These believer came short in no gift the apostles tells us. (1 Cor 1:7). We see throughout scripture from Genesis to Revelation, we see how pride fractures relationships, all the way with Adam and Eve’s fall and continuing through human history, mankind declares I know better than our maker God. God says we are to do something, mankind says who are you to tell me what to do? Yet despite man’s rebellion, God’s redemptive plan has always been to create a unified people who reflect His glory. God then sends His Son to redeem a people and it is in Christ, we see the perfect antidote to human pride, we see a divine Son who as the scriptures say “did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself” (Philippians 2:6-7). Through this act and humbling sacrifice our Lord Jesus provides not just forgiveness but the power of a renewed mind, a transformed heart. Out of this we also have through the Holy Spirit, His enabling grace and power which allows formerly prideful people to become a unified body that functions in harmony. When Paul addresses the Corinthians’ partisan spirit —some members claimed allegiance to Paul, some to Apollos, and some to Cephas (Peter)—, he’s calling them to focus on this truth that they are part of a unified body and this is part of God’s redemptive vision. What this teaches us is that In God’s kingdom, there is no room for the arrogance that divides His people.

Theme: Overcoming arrogant partisanship in the church

Lesson: Pride destroys unity while humility fosters fellowship

Redemptive Connection: Christ modeled perfect humility and unity with the Father

Exegetical Theme: Paul confronts the Corinthians’ divisive factionalism, urging them to reject arrogance and recognize that all spiritual gifts and leaders come from God alone.

Timeless Truth: God calls His people to humble unity that recognizes all blessings come from Him, not from human leaders or achievements.

Introduction

Have you ever found yourself subtly elevating one set of believers, or minister over another? Perhaps you’ve felt a sense of superiority because of which teacher, author, or pastor you follow? The Corinthian believers faced this exact temptation, they divided up themselves into factions based on their preferred apostolic leader. The Church is called to honour and respect their leaders for the word says “Appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction” (1 Thess. 5:12), however too far east is west and the church went to far. This partisan spirit revealed something deeper than mere preference; it exposed that there was pride among them and a fundamental misunderstanding of spiritual leadership.

We often fail to recognize how serious pride or being puffed up can fracture the very community Christ died to create. In our fallen nature there is a natural inclination toward self-importance which then can leads us to form tribes or cliques and draw lines where God intends unity. This tendency reveals our constant struggle with the sin of pride, which always seeks to elevate self rather than Christ.

In 1 Corinthians 4:6, Paul addresses this directly: “That no one of you will become puffed up on behalf of one against the other”, Pauls concern should also be our concern and we should be asking the question to ourselves If everything we have comes from God, what right do we have to boast or create divisions? It is God who decides what gift each leader gets, it is God who determines where He places those leaders. We should be thankful to God for the gifted leaders, but we should not then turn around elevate one over the other.

Since we and our leaders are all stewards of God, entrusted for a short while to serve Him with His resources. To be good stewards of what God has given to us we must embrace these four humility practices so that Christ’s unified body might function as God intended:

• We must Recognize the true source of all spiritual gifts
• We must Resist the temptation to create divisions
• We must Remember your identity as a steward, not an owner
• We must Reflect Christ’s humility in all relationships

Devotional Body

A) God is Redeeming a People – United in Christ, Not Divided by Pride

The first humility practice is to recognize the true source of all spiritual gifts.

In 1 Corinthians 4:6, Paul confronts a fundamental problem that threatened God’s redemptive work in Corinth: believers were dividing into factions based on which apostle they followed. This partisan spirit directly opposed God’s plan to redeem a unified people for Himself. Throughout Scripture, we see God’s consistent desire to form a people who belong to Him and reflect His character. (Exodus 6:7)

God’s redemptive purpose has always been to create a distinct people united under His lordship, not fragmented by human pride. (Titus 2:14)

The below table gives a glimpse of the key references about the redemption plan of God which talks about being part of a unity body.

Theme	Reference	Key Message
Christ’s Prayer for Unity	John 17:20–23	The body of Christ Unity is modeled after the Trinity
We are One Body	1 Cor. 12:12–27	We are Christ’s body, and individually members of it. We have diversity in unity.
No Distinction	Gal. 3:28	All one in Christ, all who come to Christ are redeemed into one body.
Unity of the Spirit	Eph. 4:1–6	We are to be Unity in the Spirit in One body, Spirit, Lord, faith
Peace in Christ	Eph. 2:14–18	At the cross God redeemed both Jew and Gentile to united in one new body.
Humility in Unity	Phil. 2:1–4	Unity through selflessness
Gifted for Unity	Eph. 4:11–13	Gifts to build up the body
Growth into Christ	Eph. 4:15–16	Truth in love strengthens unit
A people for God’s possesion	1 Peter 2:9	Christians are a collective of believer who are God’s own possession

Key Takeaways:

1. God’s redemptive plan has always included creating a unified people, not divided factions.
2. When we form partisan groups around human leaders, we contradict God’s purpose in redemption.
3. Our true identity is found in being God’s possession, not in our association with particular leaders.

B) God Redeemed Us By His Son – The Ultimate Model of Humility

The second humility practice is to resist the temptation to create partisan divisions.

Paul’s concern about arrogance in 1 Corinthians 4:6 points us to the only solution for human pride: the redemptive work of Jesus Christ on the cross. The divisions in Corinth stood in stark contrast to the self-emptying humility demonstrated by our Savior and to what He died to accomplish.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

John 3:16

This verse reveals that our redemption came through the ultimate act of humility, as God Himself entered human history in the person of His Son.

Think about the truth of Romans 5:8, when all of us were least deserving, Christ humbled Himself and secured our redemption.

Key Takeaways:

1. Christ demonstrated the ultimate humility by laying down His life for undeserving sinners.
2. Our redemption was secured not through human wisdom or eloquence but through Christ’s sacrifice.
3. Partisan divisions dishonor the humble Christ who died to make us one body.

C) God Redeemed Us for His Son – Called to Reflect His Character

The third humility practice is to remember your identity as a steward, not an owner.

The Corinthians’ arrogant partisanship revealed a fundamental misunderstanding of their purpose in redemption. Paul reminds them and also us , that we are not redeemed to exalt ourselves or to play favorites with our leader, but we belong to Christ and we must elevate Him and reflect His character

Colossians 1:16 declares that “all things have been created through Him and for Him.” This includes the church and all its members. We exist for Christ, not for ourselves or for human leaders.

In Revelation 19:7, we see the ultimate purpose of the church: “Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.” The church is being prepared as a bride for Christ, unified in devotion to Him alone. True believers are all are part of Christ’s bride. Our exclusive devotion is to Christ and Christ alone, and we are not to have divided loyalties based on human leaders.

Key Takeaways:

1. We were redeemed to belong exclusively to Christ, not to form factions around human leaders.
2. Our identity as Christ’s bride calls for undivided devotion to Him.
3. When we create partisan divisions, we compromise our purity and purpose as Christ’s people.

D) God Redeemed Us for His Own Glory Forever – Humility Reflects His Greatness

So far, we’ve seen how recognizing the source of all gifts, resisting partisan divisions, and remembering our identity as stewards shape our response to God’s redemptive work. There is one more practice for us to look at how does all of this fit into bring our God glory.

The fourth humility practice is to reflect Christ’s humility in all relationships.

The ultimate purpose of our redemption is God’s glory. When the Corinthians became arrogant on behalf of one leader against another, they were robbing God of glory that belonged to Him alone. God is not divided , and Paul is urging us that we are to reflect the triune God and not be divided.

Isaiah 43:7 reminds us that we were created “for My glory.” Our primary purpose is to magnify and ascribe the Glory to God which He is due, we are not to glorify ourselves or our favourite leaders.

Our entire redemptive journey is directed toward the magnification of God’s glory. (Eph 1:12)

We need to start living based on our eternal reality, as in eternity, all human boasting will cease as we unite in glorifying God alone. (Rev 7:12)

Key Takeaways:

1. The ultimate purpose of our redemption is God’s glory, not human recognition.
2. Partisan divisions shift glory from God to human leaders, contradicting our created purpose.
3. Humility now prepares us for eternal worship where God alone receives glory.

Application Framework

What This Teaches Us About God’s Kingdom

God’s kingdom operates on principles that often contradict human wisdom. In His kingdom, unity is the standard, we are to be humble and look to service others verses looking for position. The partisan spirit in Corinth revealed how easily we can bring back our old way of thinking from the world into church life, no matter how well intention it might seem , creating divisions is never the answer where God intends harmony. If they are disagreements they must be dealt with swiftly and biblical rather than be left to fester and defile to Church.

We as believers must recognize that all gifts, abilities, and leadership come from God’s grace, leaving no room for boasting or factionalism. (Eph 4:7-13)

Let This Stir Your Heart

We must consider how much we are damaging our testimony of the church when we divide over human leaders. The same Christ who prayed “that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You” (John 17:21) is dishonored when we create unnecessary divisions. Let your heart be stirred by the beauty of Christ’s humility and the wonder of being included in His body. Allow the Holy Spirit to convict you of any partisan spirit that may have set up shop your heart, and as that He remove it from you.

Living the Truth We Speak

We can resist arrogant partisanship by:

• Expressing appreciation for various teachers and leaders without elevating one above others
• Focusing conversations on Christ rather than on human personalities
• Being willing to learn from believers with different theological emphases (within orthodox boundaries)
• Practicing genuine humility by acknowledging that all we have comes from God
• Actively working to build bridges across unnecessary divisions in the body of Christ

Q&A: Overcoming Partisan Divisions

Q: Isn’t it natural to have preferences for different teaching styles or theological emphases?

A: Yes, preferences themselves aren’t wrong our the issue. The problem arises when preferences creates divisions or cliques within the body of Christ. When we start to create an “us versus them” type environment within the body of Christ. Paul wasn’t condemning appreciation for different leaders but the arrogance that led believers to form exclusive factions around them.

Q: How can I tell if my appreciation for a particular teacher has become unhealthy?

A: Ask yourself: Do I feel superior to believers who follow different teachers? Am I closed to learning from those outside my preferred theological camp? Do I define my spiritual identity more by human teachers than by Christ? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may have slipped into the partisan spirit Paul addresses.

Q: What if there are genuine doctrinal differences that seem to require separation?

A: Scripture does call us to maintain doctrinal purity on essential matters. However, many divisions occur over secondary issues where faithful believers can disagree. Even when separation is necessary over fundamental doctrines, it should be done with humility and grief, not arrogance or triumph.

Q: How do we honor godly leaders without creating unhealthy attachments?

A: We can appreciate leaders by thanking God for their gifts, learning from their teaching, and even imitating their faith (Hebrews 13:7), while always remembering they are servants of Christ, not lords over our faith. Healthy honor acknowledges that all their gifts come from God and points ultimately to Christ, not to the human vessel.

Q: How can church leaders discourage unhealthy partisanship?

A: Leaders can model humility by acknowledging their own limitations, pointing people to Christ rather than to themselves, speaking well of other faithful teachers, and gently correcting any signs of unhealthy attachment or factionalism among their followers.

Simple Explanation

In the Corinthian church, believers were dividing into different clubs based on their favorite leaders, saying “I follow Paul” or “I follow Apollos.” Paul confronts this behavior, pointing out that it stems from pride and misunderstands the nature of spiritual leadership. All leaders are simply servants through whom God works, and all gifts come from Him. We are not called to create divisions based on human leaders, when we do that we’re acting as if we have something we didn’t receive from God. True humility recognizes that everything we have comes from God’s grace, leaving no room for boasting or partisan divisions.

Reflection Questions for the Day

How does today’s study fit into the theme of the Bible?

God is redeeming a people who will reflect His character, including His unity and humility. The partisan divisions in Corinth contradicted this redemptive purpose, as they elevated human leaders rather than Christ. God’s redemptive plan has always been to create a unified people who glorify Him rather than themselves.

What does this passage reveal about Christ?

This passage reveals our need for Christ’s transforming work to overcome our natural pride and divisiveness. It points to Christ as the true head of the church, above all human leaders. It also reminds us of Christ’s humility, which stands in stark contrast to human arrogance and partisanship.

How did the original audience need to respond?

The Corinthians needed to repent of their arrogant partisanship and recognize that all their spiritual blessings came from God, not from human leaders. They needed to embrace humility, acknowledging that they had nothing they hadn’t received. They needed to shift their focus from human leaders to Christ, the true head of the church.

Application Steps

• Begin today with the prayer: “Lord, show me any partisan spirit in my heart and help me to find my identity in Christ alone.”
• Identify any theological or church contexts where you might feel superior to other believers and confess this pride.
• Make a point to learn from and appreciate a teacher or tradition different from your usual preference (within orthodox boundaries).
• Practice speaking well of leaders from various parts of the body of Christ, acknowledging their gifts without creating divisions.

Final Meditation

God’s Word – The Source of True Unity

Paul’s warning against arrogant partisanship reminds us that Scripture consistently calls God’s people to unity. As Psalm 133:1 declares, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!” When we meditate on God’s Word, we find that unity is not optional but essential to our witness and spiritual health.

God’s Works – The Giver of Every Gift

James 1:17 reminds us that “every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights.” When we recognize that all spiritual gifts, including leadership, come from God, we have no basis for boasting or creating divisions. God’s work of distributing gifts to His church should lead to unity, not division.

God’s Character – The Model of Humility

Philippians 2:5-8 reveals Christ’s humility as He emptied Himself and took the form of a servant. This divine humility stands in stark contrast to human pride and partisanship. As we meditate on God’s character revealed in Christ, we are transformed to reflect His humility rather than worldly arrogance.

Final Prayer

Heavenly Father, forgive us for the times we have created divisions in Your body through our pride and arrogance. Thank You for leaders who faithfully teach Your Word, but help us to see them as servants through whom You work, not as figures to elevate or follow in ways that create factions. Transform our hearts to reflect the humility of Christ, who though He was God, made Himself nothing for our sake. Unite Your church around Christ alone, that we might glorify You with one voice and one heart. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Conclusion – The Bible You Hold Tells This Story Clearly

• The Old Testament says: “There is a Promised Seed who will come” – We see humanity’s desperate need for a Saviour who would perfectly embody and submit to the Father’s divine plan.
• The Gospels declare: “The Promised Seed has Come” – Jesus Christ comes as the God-Man who demonstrates for us perfect obedience and humility, offering His life as the ultimate act of submission for sinners.
• Acts shows: “The Promised Seed reigns through His people.” – It shows The explosive growth of the Church as ordinary persons are indwelt by Him to live under His Lordship and spreads His will on earth.
• The Epistles teach: “The Path Revealed how we are to live in Christ” – The Redeemed Church is called to live for Christ and reflect Christ’s humility and reflect God’s glory.
• Revelation promises: “The Perfect Completion – The Promised Seed will Come Again in Glory.” – Every Knee Shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus is Lord. When our King returns, those who surrender their lives to Christ will share in His ultimate victory and eternal Glory.

As we reflect on Paul’s warning against arrogant partisanship, we’re reminded that pride has always been at the root of human division. From Eden to Corinth to our churches today, our tendency to elevate ourselves or our preferred leaders contradicts God’s redemptive purpose. Yet in Christ, we see the perfect model of humility that makes unity possible. When we recognize that all we have comes from God’s grace, we’re freed from the need to boast or create divisions. May we grow in humility that reflects Christ and fosters the unity for which He prayed, bringing glory to God alone.