Apollos

1 Corinthian Series – Chapters 1-3

“Now that I’ve left my church and joined yours, must I be baptized again?” The young lady was serious. I stood speechless, wondering where on earth such a thought could come from. Then I asked “When you were baptized, were you baptized into Jesus or into your church?” “Oh into Jesus” she said.” “So, if you’re baptized into Jesus you are baptized for all churches, right?” Her eyes lit up, “Oh good … thank you!”

Over the last few years a number of people have asked me the same question. Isn’t it strange how quick we are to forget that all churches and denominations are part of one universal church – the Body of Christ unified and bound together by his death and resurrection.

At Corinth, the Christians did not speak of belonging to different churches or denominations, but they said something very similar. Some said, “I follow Paul”, others said “I follow Apollos” (1 Cor 1:12). Paul was stunned. He asks “Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul?” More