First Christianity – Cursed Divisions of Christianity?

St. Clement of Rome writes in the ‘consecutive lines’ below to ‘obey apostle Paul’s letter to the Corinthian church’ (“Context”) and ‘curses’ the ‘divisions’ caused by those who ‘teach contrary to apostle Paul’ (implied by the ‘command’: ‘Take up the epistle of the blessed Paul the Apostle.’) by quoting Lord Jesus Christ Himself too as follows:

1Clem 46:8

Remember the words of Jesus our Lord: for He said, Woe unto that man; it were good for him if he had not been born, rather than that

at he should offend one of Mine elect. It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about him, and be cast into the sea, than

that he should pervert one of Mine elect.

1Clem 46:9

Your division hath perverted many; it hath brought many to despair, many to doubting, and all of us to sorrow. And your sedition still

continueth.

1Clem 47:1

Take up the epistle of the blessed Paul the Apostle.

1Clem 47:2

What wrote he first unto you in the beginning of the Gospel?

1Clem 47:3

Of a truth he charged you in the Spirit concerning himself and Cephas and Apollos, because that even then ye had made parties.

Translation Source:

http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/1clement-lightfoot.html

P/S: How to be Forgiven?

“Blessed were we, dearly beloved, if we should be doing the commandments of God in concord of love, to the end that our sins may

through love be forgiven us.” – St. Clement of Rome (1 Clement 50:4)

Is Forgiveness available for the “leaders of factions & divisions” (i. e. In modern terms, ‘denominations’)? Yes, as ‘God is Merciful’:

“For all our transgressions which we have committed through any of the wiles of the adversary, let us entreat that we may obtain

forgiveness. Yea and they also, who set themselves up as leaders of faction and division, ought to look to the common ground of hope.” – St. Clement of Rome (1 Clement 51:1)

P/S 2: Leaving Church – Why?

If we leave Church or our position/potential in Church for the ‘Reason of Love’, nothing is lost & in fact, much is gained as St. Clement of Rome explains as follows:

1Clem 54:1

Who therefore is noble among you? Who is compassionate? Who is fulfilled with love?

1Clem 54:2

Let him say; If by reason of me there be faction and strife and divisions, I retire, I depart, whither ye will, and I do that which

is ordered by the people: only let the flock of Christ be at peace with its duly appointed presbyters.

1Clem 54:3

He that shall have done this, shall win for himself great renown in Christ, and every place will receive him: for the earth is the

Lord’s and the fullness thereof.

1Clem 54:4

Thus have they done and will do, that live as citizens of that kingdom of God which bringeth no regrets.

P/S 3: Is Clement of Rome led by His Holy Spirit in his writings?

To quote:

“For ye will give us great joy and gladness, if ye render obedience unto the things written by us through the Holy Spirit, and root out the unrighteous anger of your jealousy, according to the entreaty which we have made for peace and concord in this letter.” – St. Clement of Rome (1 Clement 63:2)