Contentious Christians.

19. Contentious Christians.

"For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. (11) Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ."- 1 Corinthians 1:11-12 Was it God's will that there were contentions among the Christians, as they were choosing up sides and following different men? The answer is--No, that was not God's will. If election means they will always do God's will, then they would not have done this out of their own free will. As one would study the whole book of 1st Corinthians, we find out the various things that these Christians were doing were very, very "un-Christian-like" in conduct. They were the most carnal church in all the world at that time. However, it was not God's will that they remain carnal. It was God's will that they grow up to be spiritual Christians, not little babies in Christ. This is what Paul spoke about in 1 Corinthians 3:1 :

"And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ."

How could those at Corinth be unspiritual if it was God's will that they be spiritual, if they had no free will of their own?  In 1 Corinthians 1:2 we find that these Christians were...

"...sanctified in Christ Jesus..."

...yet they had not grown enough to live a practical sanctification or separation unto God.  The free will of man stands out as God did not withdraw their right of decision.  He will deal with us in chastening because He loves us too much to allow us to continue in disobedience.  The choice is ours and we will stand responsible!