Scripture to Read: 1 Corinthians 11:19
God had Paul talk about the divisions, but God also had Paul mention the factions. They might seem like the same thing, but then we read in 1 Corinthians 11:19, “For there must also be factions among you, so that those who are approved may become evident among you.” God allowed the factions “so that those who are of approved character may be clearly recognized among you” (Amplified Bible). God had Paul point out that He gives His approval, His blessing, to those who walk in obedience to Him. Those who were simply attending the worship service but had not surrendered to Christ as their Lord would not receive the blessing of our Lord. God tells us in Psalm 1:1–3, “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. 3 He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers.” The blessed are those who delight in the Lord and His Word and also walk in obedience to His Word. God says it this way in James 1:25, “But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.”
Challenge & Application
Why are there factions at times within a local church?
How does God use the factions for His glory and what does He teach His children through those factions?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!