Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

Daily Encouragement for the Family of God by Kenton Cheek

18 August 2025

Reading From I Corinthians 1

“I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.  My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you.  What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas” still another, “I follow Christ.”

Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul?”

“For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.”—I Corinthians 1:10-13, 17

We have far too much work to do in the Kingdom of God to be fighting with one another. In the essentials of our faith there should be agreement and in disputable matters, the matters not essential to the Gospel, we need to allow each other to be directed by the Holy Spirit in our unique contexts and through our God given personalities. In everything we need to be filled with and display the love of Jesus for our brothers and sisters in Him. We are attacked so much from them outside, let us not have so much infighting. We don’t have time for that!

It is interesting to me that Paul mentions that he was not called to baptize. He is speaking of water baptism. This is because the spiritual baptism of the heart in the blood of Jesus by the Holy Spirit is what is necessary, not symbolic washing away of dirt from the body. Water baptism is an outward sign of the inward baptism that has already occurred in the life of the born again believer.

“God, bring us back to the foundations of our faith. We have common ground in Christ and His Word. Bind us all together in one accord. We love You Jesus. Amen.”

Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters.—Romans 14:1

And this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear consciencetoward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,—I Peter 3:21