Paul insists that he and Apollos are but gardeners, "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth" (1Corinthians 3:6); nevertheless, people tend to neglect the one preached, showing favor to a preacher, "One says, 'I follow Paul,' and another, 'I follow Apollos'" (1Corinthians 3:4). That is our way, we champion the lesser, majoring on the minors, either sovereignty or free will, baptism by immersion or sprinkling, hymns or choruses, eternal security as opposed to losing your salvation, speaking in tongues or not, pre-, mid-, post-tribulation. We are Presbyterian or Methodist or Baptist or Lutheran or Episcopal or Pentecostal and we become divided. We brush aside the prayer of our Savior, "that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me" (John 17:21).
And so Paul, "decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified" (1Corinthians 2:2). He championed Jesus, and it is in that alone that we are Christian, we are united, we are one.
Daily Prayer
You, O God, are One. Father, Son, Holy Spirit. The Lord our God. The Lord is one.
You told us we must be one, that we must love one another, that we must be united. That our joy in You is connected to our unity in Your Spirit. God, bring us together. Help me to recognize that our shared love for Jesus is stronger than any differences in theology or methods.
Teach me humility and servanthood and love.
Amen
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