Social Buffering Does Not Equal Christianity - 1 Corinthians 1-2

 1 Corinthians 1:10-16 (ESV)

10 I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. 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. 16 (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.)

Social Buffering Does Not Equal Christianity 

Social buffering is a thing.   Groups of people meet based upon their familiarity, beliefs, social demographics, interests, etc.   Animals social buffer.  Elephants hand with elephants.  Hippos hand with hippos.   Lions and gazelles do not hang out together and have lunch together (well, one gazelle might be able to join the lions for lunch).  Social buffering is the philosophy of FaceBook.   People, that basically agree with each other, hang out in FaceBook groups,  In the above passage we see that social buffering has been around a long time.  The early church at Corinth was practicing social buffering.   Chloe’s people were hanging with Chloe people.   Paul’s people were hanging with Paul people.   Apollos’ people were hanging with Apollos people. And, Cephas’ people where having with Cephas people.  There was even a group that were Christ’s people.   Paul asks emphatically, “Is Christ divided?”   He deflects any praise or following of him.    He even makes sure they all know that he did not promote any following.   He diminishes his own impact on their church (which I is quite something since he established the church on his first missionary journey).   Paul knows the power of unity in Christ.  That is the point he is trying to make.   He wants no social buffering. That is the world’s thing. That is a political thing.  That is a dangerous thing.   Paul wants unity in the Body of Christ.   He calls upon this church (and our churches today) to not hinder the gospel.   We promote the gospel when we reach across social barriers, social descriptions and/or social identifiers.   Paul said it this way to the Galatians:

Colossians 3:11 (ESV)

11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.

We are all and in all!  No social buffering in the Body of Christ!!