Jump Start # 496 

1 Corinthians 1:11 “For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you.”

  The Corinthian church was a mess. It seems if there were two options, a right way and a wrong way, the Corinthians always settled for the wrong way. Chapter after chapter brings more troubles. Many of the troubles find their root right here with quarrels among you. Those quarrels naturally led to separation or division. It led to some favoring others. It is found in their pitiful attitude toward each other. The acceptance of the immoral brother (chapter 5), the lawsuits among each other (chapter 6), the problems of the Lord’s Supper (chapter 11) and even the fussing over the spiritual gifts (chapters 12-14) have a connection to our verse and quarrels among you. 

  Quarrels don’t just go away. People do. Unsolved, they grow worse and generally involve more people. The solution of course is Jesus. Act like Jesus. Be humble like Jesus. Think like Jesus. See the big picture like Jesus did. Quit being selfish, and be like Jesus. 

  Quarrels is not what the thought I want to really look at today. It’s Chloe’s people. I don’t know who Chloe was. Apparently the Corinthians did, most likely one of their members. The people of Chloe told Paul about the quarrels. That seems odd to me. First impressions, it seems like they are tattletales or even gossips. Paul doesn’t seem to get on Chloe or his people for telling him. We don’t know the whole story. Could it have been that Chloe refused to take sides in the quarrels? Could it have been that Chloe tried all he could to resolve the fussing but the brethren wouldn’t listen to him? Could Chloe have taught Jesus but the quarrels dominated the hearts of the people? Could it have been that Chloe was out of options and he saw the situation growing worse and the wellbeing of the church was at stake? Could it be that he understood the authority of the apostles, Paul’s love for that place and he felt that they would at listen to him?

  Maybe it’s none of those things. I see someone caring so much for his church family and what is right that he will do all that he can to help. It is that spirit that I love. Chloe didn’t have the option that many of us do today, and that is just leave and go to another congregation. Corinth was it. Leaving meant going to another city which wasn’t an option at all. Instead, the problems had to be addressed and worked upon. Chloe felt an obligation to do what he could. He longed not just for peace, but for unity and a family in Christ that would honor the Lord and be a light to the world. As they were, they were an embarrassment.

  Churches can get that way because we can get that way. We forget who we are and what we are about and sin and selfish ways take over and ugliness usually arises. No one likes problems—wherever they are. Problems in the marriage are no picnic. Problems with the kids are nightmares. Problems at work are stressful. And here, problems among brethren, affect worship, divert our attention away from God, and invites all sort of ungodly attitudes and actions. Something had to be done.

  Chloe took to heart the words of Jesus, “Blessed are the peace makers.” We love peace. We want peace. We enjoy peace. But to be a peace maker, means you make peace where it doesn’t exist. That’s messy, hard and stressful—but it’s right and necessary.

  Chloe doesn’t get preached very much. Most wouldn’t remember his name. He plays an important role in trying to save the Corinthian church. He did what he could do. Which brings all this to us. What about us?

  Would we say, “I don’t want to get in the middle of that mess?” Would we say, “It’s not my problem?”  Would we just let happen whatever happened? Chloe had invested his soul in that church and he was doing all he could to keep it alive. More folks like that and there would probably be fewer problems. Chloe strikes me as a roll up your sleeves and let’s get at it type of person. I think I would enjoy being with a Chloe. Chit-chat would quickly turn to the well being of the church and spiritual things. That’s the way he seems to be. He was interested and wanted to make the Corinthian church the best it could be. When we have that attitude, we soon find ourselves rolling up our sleeves and trying to do what we can to make the church the best that it can be. Far too many are long on talk and short on doing and far too many see  problems but don’t want to be part of the solution.

   Had Chloe not told Paul about the quarrels what do you think would have happened? Would the church had split? Probably not—that’s an American solution to church problems, which really isn’t a solution. My guess is that they would have become so consumed with fighting and arguing and dividing that they would have just quit and gone back to their Jewish and pagan ways. Worse, they would have died in their sins and the light would have gone out in that city.

  The situation was serious. Chloe knew it. Action had to be taken. He did what he could. How about you? Have you done what you could?

  Things to chew on for a while. We are one day closer to Heaven and that has a way of reminding us what is most important.

Roger