1 Corinthians 1:10 (ESV) 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.

I like how Paul begins – “in the name of our Lord Jesus.” It’s not in Paul’s name or the church’s name that he wants divisions stopped – but in Jesus’ name. And Paul doesn’t say just Jesus, but LORD. Our Biblical word “LORD” has three main uses.

First, indicating someone who is important. In the Old Testament, Sarah referred to Abraham as “My Lord.” Second, is the application of “Lord” to Jesus Christ. We see this throughout the New Testament. Even those who did not submit to Him, called Him Lord. But greater than that, Paul tells us in Philippians 2, that, “Every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” (Philippians 2:11). This does not mean everyone will be saved, but that there is a day coming when nobody will be able to deny that Jesus Christ is LORD. This crosses over to the third use of the word LORD, which is in the Old Testament, where Jehovah is translated with all caps LORD. When that day comes that everyone confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord, everyone will be acknowledging that Jesus is God. Paul’s use of the word LORD here is to put things into perspective.

That Paul pleads with them by the name of the Lord Jesus informs us that Paul considers this to be a serious matter. And so Paul reminds the church in Corinth of the Lordship of Jesus. If we would only remember Who it is that we belong to when we backbite, quarrel, and divide – maybe we’d think twice.