the sure foundation

St. Paul Writing by Sacchi

1 Corinthians 1:10–13; 3:1–11

Instead of being unified as followers of Jesus Christ, some of the Saints divided themselves into groups or factions within the Church. Divisions and contention affect our fellowship as disciples of Christ, because they exclude people. Jesus did not exclude or point fingers, because someone was a bit shabby or not versed in the lingo of a particular denomination. Obviously, He wasn't happy with the divisions and contentions, since He inspired His apostle to speak and write about it.


Paul counseled the Saints to do to be more unified.“Speak the same thing.” Have “no divisions among you.” “Be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.”

Just as the Jews before them, Corinthian Saints received only the “milk” of the gospel, because they were carnal and not ready for more. Only when we put away "envying, and strife, and divisions" will we be able to feast on all the gospel has to offer. At times I have felt this. When I choose to love others with the pure love of Jesus, it's as if a channel of communication and instruction opens to my soul. Just as surely as I cease loving His children, this spiritual window closes.

Paul was quite specific. While there are many servants of the gospel worthy of our love and appreciation, they are fallible humans. Without Jesus Christ as the sure foundation of our faith, we will surely fall. "And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall." Helaman 5:12