1 Corinthians 1:11 English Standard Version (ESV) For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers.

How does it feel to hear that someone we know has been talking about us?

Snitch is a harsh word and for some of us snitch is exactly the word that comes to mind. Who are they to talk about us? It is suggested by the inclusion of the name in the report that it is not a secret. We have an idea who has been talking or a least we should know.

Ephesians 5:18b-21 English Standard Version

¹⁸ ….. be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹ addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, ²⁰ giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹ submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Submitting to one another is not a hierarchy, no one is above except Christ. It is likely that Paul is called in to address a dispute because he is involved in some way. This is the case here.

1 Corinthians 1:12-15 English Standard Version

¹² What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” ¹³ Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? ¹⁴ I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, ¹⁵ so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name.

Only Paul can answer for problems where issues of division surrounding his name and actions are concerned. When we call another person into question, they have every right to explain what is seen by some as a problem.

This problem is minor compared to some of the things are said about others in fellowship.

Titus 3:4-8 English Standard Version

⁴ But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, ⁵ he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, ⁶ whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷ so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. ⁸ The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people.

While pondering the issues of what we must do to be saved I discovered these passages that is the gospel in a nutshell. Nutshells protect the seed inside and make it difficult to expose to contamination.

Paul has written so much about behaviors in the early church and laying out the foundational behaviors for us to help one another, we can get bogged down in the miry clay of our lives together.

The simple answer to what we must do to be saved is to trust and believe. That is simple, so simple that it does not explain all that God has done to assure our salvation to eternal life. The basic principles are all here in the opening passages.

In verse 8 Paul says “I want you to insist on these things”. These things that need to be insisted upon are what God has done and has nothing to do with us beyond trust and belief. Devotion to good works has nothing to do with our salvation and yet some will want to link good works to salvation. Note Paul says “who have believed” past tense, a thing done.

These things are excellent and profitable for other people, not ourselves. We have already received mercy and grace and now are allowed to extend it to others in need.