Can you please explain 1 Corinthians 1:14?
To get the proper context to answer your question, let’s read 1 Corinthians 1:10-15, “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 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. 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. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius; Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.”
The Apostle Paul was concerned because the believers in Corinth were dividing themselves up into groups rather than enjoying the truth of the unity of the body of Christ. Paul condemned this behavior here and in 1 Corinthians 3:3-4 where he says, “For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?” To say these saints in Corinth were carnal, simply means they were walking according to the leading and pleasures of the flesh. Paul warns against that behavior in Galatians 5:16 where he instructs us, “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”
In Corinth, they were dividing themselves us and naming themselves after their favorite teachers. Some named themselves after the apostle to the Gentiles, Paul. Some after Apollos. Acts 18:24 tells us that he was, “an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures. Some after Cephas, who is Peter. The Lord told Peter in John 1:42, “Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.” Some after the name of Christ, as if to say the others were not of Christ, only them. Paul asks the logical questions of them, “Is Christ divided?” “Was Paul crucified for you?” “Were you baptized in the name of Paul?” Of course, the answer to each question is a definite NO! The body of Christ is ONE. CHRIST, not Paul, was crucified. They were baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit as the Lord instructed them in Matthew 28:19, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”
Considering how these Corinthian saints were acting, Paul stated, “I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius; Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.” Paul was so careful to keep the Lord’s name in the forefront. He would do NOTHING that would detract from the glory of the Lord. He was concerned that if he baptized the Corinthians, they would boast of that and say they were baptized in the name of Paul. He had only baptized Crispus and Gaius. It seems apparent that he would not baptize anymore of them. At least while they were acting in the flesh.
Does that attitude still exist today? Certainly it does! Today, people say I am of Martin Luther (Lutherans), I am of John Wesley (Wesleyans), or I am of John the Baptist (Baptists). Some even say they are the church (Church of God in Christ). The Lord condemns that behavior today as much as He did then. It robs Him of His glory when we gather ourselves unto someone’s name other than our savior. The Lord Jesus, Himself, said in Matthew 18:20, “For where two or three are gathered together IN MY NAME, there am I in the midst of them.” How can we gather in the name of the Lord? Simply gather as the Lord leads without using another name. It’s not a denomination. It’s not a sign stating who we are. It is simply being gathered together, realizing it is the Lord in our midst to lead our time together, whether in ministry or worship. (285.10)