Within the church of God, the stage is set for another year of continued and more destructive upheaval as some leaders strive to draw people to themselves and their projects rather than to God. A few have claimed titles such as apostle, prophet, the First Witness, the Voice, and even the Messianic Prophet of Deuteronomy 18:18. Greedy men, determined to do God's work for Him immediately, are fleecing the flock. In some corners, there is an extreme focus on past days and leadership, with a resolve to recreate former glory, not in faith or character, but in media and material gain. Amidst this turmoil, it is vital to remember that God remains sovereign and is not unaware of the dysfunctions affecting His children. Jesus Christ, as the head of the church, continues to build it, ensuring that the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. He sanctifies and cleanses the church, applying pressure and friction to strip away carnality. At times, He allows the enemy, whom He can restrain, to test and temper the Body. Paul notes divisions and factions among the brethren, stating that such must exist so that those who are approved may be recognized. Additionally, not everyone associated with the church has been begotten by God, as the New Testament warns of false prophets, apostles, teachers, and brethren. Jesus teaches that tares remain with the wheat until the harvest for the sake of the wheat, preventing spiritual uprooting. God uses the presence of the false to refine and prove the true brethren, employing this consistent pattern to purify and perfect His children.

The Bible frequently reminds us that members of God's church should anticipate problems that disrupt their comfort. Peter advises not to be surprised by fiery trials, as they are to be expected (I Peter 4:12). Paul assures us that no temptation is unique, and God, being faithful, will not allow us to be tested beyond our capacity (I Corinthians 10:13). James encourages joy in facing various trials, recognizing that they test faith and produce patience (James 1:2-3). Jesus Himself warns His disciples of tribulation in the world, yet urges them to remain cheerful, for He has overcome the world (John 16:33). The Christian journey, though rewarding, is seldom smooth, with peaceful moments often being the exception. God does not intend for us to settle into a comfortable state, as this can lead to spiritual drowsiness and complacency, which hinder growth and overcoming. Instead, He permits various individuals and situations to challenge us, prompting a search for godly solutions that draw us nearer to Him and build godly character. As Paul notes, factions must exist among us so that those who are approved may be recognized (I Corinthians 11:19). Such severe trials push us beyond comfort, driving us to seek solutions that align with God's revealed truth and strengthen our bonds with Him and His true worshippers.

Spiritual autoimmunity is a serious congregational problem: parts of the Body of Christ misidentify other parts as enemies or treat them with suspicion, so the whole Body functions in tumult and inefficiency. It shows up in boastful comparisons between one's own minister or group and another's, in insinuations that members are less spiritual or less converted because they send tithes to a different address, and in leaders forbidding fellowship with members of another organization merely because its approach or administration differs. Paul addressed the same kind of division in Corinth, reminding the church that the Body is one with many members, and that if one member suffers, all share the suffering. Defenses against real enemies are needed, since Scripture warns of false prophets, apostles, teachers, and brethren. The trouble is improper discernment and judgment, combined with a lack of forbearance, which finds enemies at every turn. Like a hair-trigger immune system that attacks a vital organ when no infection is present, members blind to their own spiritual state presume the moral high ground and label as enemies those whose only offense is disagreeing with them. Church leaders are given to equip and edify the saints, not to add to the Body, which only God does. Their task is to bind wounds, clean sores, and set bones, yet little effort goes toward healing while the Body drags forward, one part assaulting another. The cure is simple though hard to apply: focus on the Head rather than the offending parts, let Christ judge who belongs to His Body, assign responsibilities, and direct its work, and ask Him for His vision, including of one's own spiritual state. A Body working in concert glorifies Christ.

The Corinthian congregation's central problem was partiality within the Body: esteeming some members and despising others. By failing to discern the spiritual Body of Christ correctly, they implied that His blood was worth more for some members than for others. Value is set by what someone is willing to pay, and the Father and Son paid the same incomparable price, the blood of the sinless Son of God, for every member, including the spouse or friend we cherish and the fellow member we know we should love but do not much like. It is easier to regard some as outside the Body than to be partial to them, yet doing so diminishes Christ, since sinning against the brethren is sinning against Christ (I Corinthians 8:12). Such conduct throughout the year makes taking the Passover unworthy, because no one can value Christ's shed blood while devaluing parts of His Body. The result is judgment, including the removal of God's protection and the sickness and premature death Paul mentions in I Corinthians 11:30. Not every illness traces to this sin (John 9:3), but an unwarranted tongue-lashing of a member is a type of Christ's scourging, so His stripes indict rather than heal. Self-judgment about how we value all members is the remedy. God's judgment is chastening that spares us condemnation with the world (verse 32).