Monday: Centered on Jesus
Daily Lesson for Monday 13th of July 2026
Read 1 Corinthians 1:10. What do you think Paul meant by “be united in the same mind and the same judgment” (ESV)?
The formation of cliques constituted here a denial of one’s allegiance to Christ (1 Corinthians 1:10). God called us “into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:9, NKJV). Our Lord is Christ, and we must be centered on Him. Thus, the answer to the rhetorical questions “Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?” (1 Corinthians 1:13, NKJV) is a resounding “No!” Christ is not divided. It is Christ who was crucified for us. We were baptized “in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19, NASB).
Image © Erik Stenbakken at Goodsalt.com
Paul mentions that we are “the body of Christ and individually members of it” (1 Corinthians 12:27, ESV; emphasis supplied). While the body has many parts—each one with its function—it is still one body. For the body to function properly, each part has to do its work according to its capabilities. This metaphor indicates that Paul is looking for unity, not uniformity. He is looking for unity in the diversity. More than that, he is looking for unity despite diversity.
However, all thoughts and opinions must be submitted to Christ, our Lord. The fact that Christ is our Lord is such an important concept for Paul that he resorts to it repeatedly, in the opening of 1 Corinthians (1 Corinthians 1:2,7-10). Thus, before Paul deals with the issue of cliques and human leaders, he first emphasizes that all of us have Jesus as our Lord. The church is not centered on human leaders. Christians are centered on Jesus.
The emphasis on the Lordship of Jesus in the early verses of 1 Corinthians helps us understand what Paul meant by the words: “Be united in the same mind and the same judgment” (1 Corinthians 1:10, ESV). The Greek term translated as “united” comes from the verb katartizō, which suggests that something is to be restored to its proper condition. When cliques are formed around human leaders, relationships within the church must be restored to their proper condition, and that can happen through unity in Christ and the death to self it entails.
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During the past few decades, some parts of the Seventh-day Adventist Church have emphasized small group Bible studies. What is the difference between cliques and small groups? How can we be careful that small groups do not turn into cliques? |
It is useful to look at subsequent Corinthian history to see if Paul’s entreaties to put Jesus first actually worked. The answer is yes, and no. Initially, it did work and if you look at subsequent references, you will see Paul speaking highly of the Corinthians. You need to be familiar with some biblical geography to make sense of this. Paul speaks about the believers in Achaia. Achaia is the southern part of Greece and included what we now know as the Peloponnese Peninsula where Corinth is situated.
One particular reference is quite insightful. In Romans 15 Paul praises the Christians in Macedonia and Achaia for their contribution to the poor in Jerusalem. When the Spirit of God moves people one of the fruits is they think of others. There is more too. Paul is very encouraging about their progress in his second epistle, but I guess we will come to that in a later part of this study.
Sadly, their unity did not last. About 40 years later, Clement of Rome addressed the new disunity among the Corinthians. The older generation had reached their “use by date” and were replaced by the new generation who had their own ideas about what to do. Clement wrote a letter to the Corinthian church reminding them of Paul’s advice. This appeared to be effective for a while.
The takeaway from this little excursion into history is that putting Jesus first and following the Holy Spirit is not a one-off event but must be a continuing, renewed relationship. I think it also helps to understand that when we see the needs of others and unite to help them, we gain a clearer picture of Jesus and his self-sacrificing love.
Our world is filled with different philosophies, opinions, and choices, each with the potential to divide us. Yet Jesus cuts through the noise and offers one clear path that brings unity to all who believe in Him. Like a compass, our Christian journey is guided by unchanging truth. The north point of a compass never shifts; it remains constant, always pointing in the same direction. In the same way, Jesus is our True North. Amid the confusion and distractions of life, He alone is completely trustworthy, faithfully leading us in the right direction and uniting us in one purpose despite our diversity.
Even more significant is the fact that a compass is useless without its center. It is the center that allows the needle to function and point accurately. Likewise, our lives without Jesus at the center are aimless and uncertain. When Christ remains at the center of our hearts, everything else falls into its proper place, including our unity as believers. He is the One who holds us together and keeps us on the right path. As Jesus declares in John 14:6, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
A Christ-centered life is far more than simply receiving a ticket out of hell; it is the source of hope for both the present and the future. Christ has promised His presence, His grace, and His guidance as we journey toward our heavenly home. Living with Christ at the center enables us to recognize that He is the true source of the Church’s unity. God created us, owns us, has gifted each of us with unique talents, and is the author of our story. Every blessing we receive comes from Him (Genesis 1; Acts 17:26; James 1:17). When we keep Christ at the center, we discover not only our purpose but also the unity that binds us together as His people.
The formation of cliques (divisions) in the church is a natural human phenomenon. Purely from a human perspective, people desire belonging and acceptance, shared interests, security, social identity and association. These reasons can be understood; however, they become a stumbling block if they are exclusive, divisive, and discriminatory. The formation of cliques in the Corinthian church can be attributable to several reasons:
1) Paul saw it as a result of spiritual immaturity (1 Cor. 3:1–4). The Corinthians were acting as infants, acting from human nature rather than from spiritual nature.
2) Pride and desire for recognition – Corinth was a very competitive city where social status was highly prized. Some converts carried this into the church. This is not different in our times.
3) People admire certain personalities (Paul, Apollos, Peter, Jesus). People have different gifts which appeal to people’s instincts. The problem comes when we elevate one personality above others. Personalities should be complementary (Paul planted, Apollos watered, and God made the increase).
4) Cultural influences – Greek teachers and philosophers had followers (disciples). The Corinthian converts viewed Christian leaders from the same perspective. This is not any different nowadays. Believers follow the so-called charismatic preachers and leaders instead of Christ.
Paul describes the church as one body with many members (1 Cor. 12:12–27). Paul accepts the reality of diversity. He appeals for unity in diversity. Diversity is God’s design, but that diversity is meant to strengthen the church and not create an opportunity for competition and divisiveness. Satan thrives in an environment of competition and divisiveness. Competition and divisiveness can easily ruin a lovely family unity. No church harmony can survive competition and divisiveness. No army can win a battle where internal rivalry exists.
The night before Jesus was crucified (John 17) in His priestly prayer, He prayed for His disciples to be one and unity in the church. He did not pray for His followers to act as robots but to be one in love (John 13:34–35), one in truth (John 17:17), one in mission (John 17:18) and one in purpose (Phil. 2:1–5). Since sin entered the world, unity has ever eluded mankind. It is not surprising that Paul plead/beseech/appeal/implore the Corinthians in the name of Jesus Christ to be one. Unity is an outcome of the surrendered heart to the Lordship of our Lord Jesus Christ.
A clique is a small, close-knit group of people who share common interests or backgrounds and are exclusive, often unfriendly, or unwelcoming to outsiders. Sadly, there may be people in the church who deliberately exclude others.
But I would guess that many cliques may start innocently. Small groups of people get together because they enjoy a particular thing – maybe they enjoy seeing God in nature and would rather go out in the hills than sit in a hall on Sabbath afternoon. Or they enjoy Sabbath fellowship, and at their local church Sabbath service ends strictly at noon and everyone except them goes to their individual homes. Culture and personal identity run very deep. Being in spaces where we can express our identity can help to meet the needs of diverse church members.
There is a danger though that the good intentions of coming together can become cliques when we are not intentional about making sure we remain welcoming to others. We must always remember that our deepest identity is not our nationality, profession, musical taste, hobbies etc. Our core identity is that we belong to Christ.
However, I also believe that, especially in larger churches, it may not be as simple as just telling people to love others as Christ has loved us. Even with good intentions, we may need support in how to do that. I have several practical suggestions that come to my mind.
1.We can train our members how to be a loving community especially in diverse congregations. The local church is more than a place of worship and community. It is also a training ground for mission. Members would benefit from training in how to show this love. Even parents who love their children or married couples who love their spouse are recognising the benefit of educating ourselves on how love can be best manifested through the intentional choices we make. People also learn about how their own upbringing may colour their approach to parenting or marriage and how to look out for unhealthy approaches that harm rather than nurture relationships. The same intentionality can be brought to our churches.
2.We can aim to have open rather than closed circles. A closed circle communicates, “This is our group.” An open circle invites, “Come and join us.” In a closed circle, if a person from another race comes to your door on Sabbath morning, you kindly let them know there is a church a few streets down where they may feel more comfortable. In an open circle, you welcome them as if God has sent them to you especially to love on them. If a few Sabbaths later, they find their own way to the church down the road, they will not forget that they were welcomed into your circle (even if they found your style of worship not to their liking).
3.We can watch out for invisible barriers that keep people apart and be intentional about breaking down these barriers when we see them. What barriers may we be unintentionally creating? Maybe it is language, socioeconomic status, cultural assumptions. Maybe it is the fact that the same people always lead worship, organize events, teach classes, or host social gatherings, that makes others can feel like outsiders. How can we intentionally make room for those who are different, lonely, or new? Church members from children to adults can learn to regularly ask: Who is standing alone? Who haven’t I spoken to recently? Who could join us for lunch today?
I’m sure that even with our best efforts, we will sometimes get it wrong. That is why patience, wisdom, humility, and forgiveness are so important for us to exercise in the body of Christ. But unity of the believers is a mandate from God. That which He requires of us, He will also empower us to fulfil if we are willing to be led by the Holy Spirit.
In 1 Corinthians 1:10, when Paul says, “be united in the same mind and the same judgment,” he is not saying that every Christian must think exactly alike about everything. Rather, he is calling believers to have the same focus, goal, purpose and commitment to Jesus Christ. Cliques or group’s main focus should be Christ. We are to solve our differences in a Christlike manner.
Hi Joycelyn.
Reading your comment took me back a few Sabbaths ago. The church I attend is small, so during Sabbath School we break into groups to discuss the lesson. On one particular Sabbath, I couldn’t help but notice the other adult class sitting beside mine. Every week, I hear the same 2-3 people talking or sharing their thoughts, even though it’s a much bigger class of about 20 adults.
Reflecting on my professional role, where I conduct focus group discussions for project impact and make sure everyone present gets a chance to speak, using questions and facilitation cues to encourage fuller participation, I sat there thinking the class facilitator needs some training on how to run the discussion so more people feel able to speak up and share their ideas and experiences, not just the same voices every time.
This is a barrier a lot of people don’t notice until someone points it out, and you’ve done that. Thank you.
I think I’ll reach out to the Sabbath School facilitator, or whoever’s in charge, and ask if there are any trainings on running discussions this way.
Say you are in a quartet all singing Jesus keep me near the cross, there a precious fountain, free to all a healing stream, flows from Calvery’s mountain. As a quartet you are singing all in different parts. Yet you are singing the same message, centered on Jesus, holding to the core of the message, Christ and Him crucified, testifying, what He has done for us, to redeem, reconcile, and save us.
From the Clear Word. 1 Corinthians 1:10.
I plead with you, my brothers, in the name of Christ, agree with each other and hold to the core of our faith so you don’t end up splitting the church. You need to function as one body, having the same values, moral standards and objective to live for Christ.
“During the past few decades, some parts of the Seventh-day Adventist Church have emphasized small group Bible studies. What is the difference between cliques and small groups? How can we be careful that small groups do not turn into cliques?”
A small group Bible study like the quartet you are all on the same topic with different parts or opinions yet staying on key, or course. A clique you are together but exclusive. A study group avoids a clique by keeping it open to all in study of the Bible, making all feel welcome.
Small group Bible studies are intended to foster close relationships in the church. And they are very effective in keeping people connected in the church and to the church.
But members of the small groups should recognize that they are still part of the larger family that is the church. My personal observation is that seating at potluck can be more exclusive than small group Bible studies. Maybe we should all make an effort to sit with a different group at the next potluck.
Any human idea and device intended to advance the cause of God must be guided by scripture and prayer. This means that even small groups perceived to be preferred to cliques can be disastrous if not constantly directed by prayer and scripture.
There is a saying that originated in or around the 17th century. “In essentials unity. In non-essentials liberty. In all things charity.” This is a good reminder and principle to follow anytime especially in issues of faith. Practicing this could avoid a lot of strife and division in relationships, especially church relationships.
Unity is different than uniformity. We can see some things differently than others and still remain united in purpose, spirit, and mission. This is important to remember especially in our increasingly polarized and intolerant society where you can be destroyed online and on social media platforms if you dare to go against the herd or the echo chamber. The so called tolerant are often tolerant of diversity of opinion and thought and idea as long as it agrees with theirs. We can get stuck in the same mindset if we aren’t careful.
The spirit of debate and pride of opinion does not originate with God. It began in heaven with Lucifer and has led to the conditions of this world, even in the church.
Let us follow the principle of diversity of thought within the framework of scripture, while avoiding being dogmatic about things that scripture isn’t dogmatic about, all the while being charitable especially with those that see things differently than ourselves. If we do that we can avoid becoming exclusive, closed minded cliques where we shut people down or out simply for thinking or being different.
God could have made us all cookie cutter clones. The beauty of creation and mankind is in it’s unity among it’s diversity. “Variety is the spice of life.” God has seasoned His creation with much variety. Even in a marriage there is not identical thought. If you and your spouse are exactly alike then one of you are unnecessary. Shalom!
I have had differences with a minister of our church who adds his ideas to the sermon about a specific Bible story that he is preaching about, completely changing the main idea of the lesson. The few times that I have approached him, he would rather disagree than discuss. It is extremely discouraging to me because we cannot reconcile. If there was another church nearby I would rush to change my membership. If it wasn’t the minister doing this, I would be much quicker to accept the differences. Is there an easy solution to my problem?
Thomas, I hear you. And there’s no easy answer. First of all, of course, pray for your pastor. Pray that the Holy Spirit will lead both of you in interpreting the Bible. Pray that you will both recognize the difference between your own imagination and the voice of the Holy Spirit.
I’ve been there and in some ways still am there. When the point of a sermon on a Bible passage directly contradicts the Bible’s own interpretation given a few texts later, I have a problem with the interpretation. I am concerned about the people listening who do not have enough biblical background and will just accept an errant interpretation. On the other hand, we need to consider how important the disagreement really is. Is it a salvation matter. Will the errant interpretation endanger someone’s eternal salvation? I had to admit that the individual errors would not likely endanger anyone’s salvation. (I am actually more concerned about methods of Bible study and interpretation, and I have the opportunity to teach a biblical approach without contradicting the pastor, which I carefully avoid.)
So I continue to pray for the Holy Spirit to do His work in my heart and his. I have found that, by encouraging the pastor when I have the opportunity, the door has opened for more communication that promises to be productive.
I pray you may have a similar experience.
Thank you once again, Inge. I will pray for you as well that the Holy Spirit continues to teach and convict.
I struggle the same way sometimes. I have seen people play quite loose with Bible texts, especially ignoring the context. It bothers me sometimes a lot, but I agree with Inge. These are usually not salvation issues. Most of the time the conclusions drawn in these sermons are fairly Biblical, but they just don’t fit with the passage well. Now if a preacher or anyway speaks unbiblical ideas, you probably do need to speak up.
I also try to remember that different people notice different things. You can’t exhaust Scripture. There is usually a best interpretation of a text, but often secondary lessons can be drawn. Some interpretations of texts are a bit weak and I wish the speaker would just think about them privately, but I guess we can learn to live with hearing them.
It appears that there can be a mystery to how disunity and division occurs that makes no logical sense. I reside in a conference that is considered by many to be a model conference within the North American division. It is known for its generosity in promoting evangelism. It is known for the very inspirational camp meetings it conducts on a yearly basis. Recently a leading and beloved pastor with a large following even outside of the conference was dismissed without explanation. The cause was not moral, theological, or financial, but no explanation was given, either verbal or written. Many came to the conclusion that it must have been considered some form of insubordination. With no explanation for the actions taken, this condition has led many to take sides. Some accuse the conference of exercising “kingly power” and that without explanation leaders are not being held accountable. Others express loyalty to the conference and trust the leadership’s actions, even though they cannot understand them. This appears to be a classic example of how division and disunity occurs. As I have observed this problem it seems, based on Christ’s admonition,
“By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” John 13:35 KJV
reconciliation should be inevitable, but so far it has not happened.
The last question is a very interesting one. I have definitely seen that there can be a fine line between cliques and small groups. There is nothing wrong with friends getting together and sharing interests or Bible studies. It is good to have people to connect with. But it’s very easy to have no interest in welcoming others into a group.
I don’t really know what the answer is. If you force people into small groups based on things like where they live, sometimes it’s hard to develop connections. People who are close can create strong small groups. But others not part of those groups can also be neglected. That being said, forced relationships rarely work well.
I guess each one of use needs to pray that God will keep our eyes open to people who are left out and we’ll do our part to make connections with them. If we all do this, I think everyone will be included somehow. We don’t have to give up our friends totally, but sacrficing some time with them can be God’s will for us.
I am a bit disappointed to find the lesson writer not including a clear and decisive reference to the Holy Spirit as the Provider of the means to establish unity among the believers in the name of Jesus. No matter when, where, or who receives Jesus Christ crucified and resurrected, receives the Father’s Spirit which indwelled our Lord and Savior – Rom.8:10-15.
We become members of the united family of God only through/in/by the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
Rom.8:14-15 – ”For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery that returns you to fear, but you received the Spirit to sonship, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
To know the Father is to know His Son Jesus Christ. To know Jesus Christ is to know the Spirit which binds us together to them. We cannot establish unity under a different spirit other than the one emanating from the Father through the Son to us.
If we attempt to unify under a different ‘spirit’ other than the Holy Spirit, it will lead us to destruction:
1 John 4:1-3 – v.2-3
”By this you will know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and which is already in the world at this time.”
We should be careful not to assume that every close-knit group in the church is a clique. Jesus Himself had an inner circle—Peter, James, and John—whom He spent more time with and entrusted with unique experiences. Yet no one could honestly say Jesus was exclusive or unwelcoming. Close friendships are natural and even biblical. The real issue is not whether people have close relationships, but whether those relationships prevent them from loving, welcoming, and including others. We should be careful not to confuse an inner circle with an exclusive spirit.
Small groups may help develop a sense of belonging. But they should not emphasize uniqueness. Although God made everyone a unique individual, Christ Himself can blend all races, cultures, and faiths into one.