Fiction

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“Ok, ok, hope everything is set?, girls go bath, brother Paul will be here any moment from now” Chloe said, untying her apron. Brother Paul the apostle was finally coming to visit her household and she was so excited. She had only met him twice, the first time was he had first come to Corinth from Athens; she met him through her cousin Priscilla and Aquila, her husband. She had been really awed to meet him in person because she had heard a lot about him especially of his former conduct in Judaism and his role in the death of Brother Stephen. God just never ceased to amaze her. After that, the second and last time she had seen him was when he came to plant the Corinthian church and that was when he had chosen her house as one of the church meeting places.
She hadn’t seen him since them but the church had continued to meet in her house once a week. She had become a trusted leader and a source of reliable information for the Apostle Paul. And through her relationship with the Apostle Paul and the Church, she had met other phenomenal women of God, such as Nympha and Lydia, who also had churches meeting in their houses. She couldn’t imagine what her life would have been without those women always encouraging and strengthening her in the Lord.
Just last week, she had received a letter through brother Urbanus from brother Paul telling her he would be coming to Corinth and he would make a stop at her house. She had been so excited to hear he was coming, because since she heard of his arrest and incarceration in Rome, she had lost all hope of ever seeing him again, but she later was told that the jailer had dealt fairly with him and had granted him permission to briefly visit his people.
Now the day had come, she couldn’t wait to see him, she eagerly looked forward to listening to him and she had a lot to discuss with him also.
Joanna and Martha stood shyly behind their mama as she spoke with the white haired man with the kind eyes.
“Sister Chloe, you are really doing a good work, may our God the father of our Lord, Jesus Christ continue to bless you”. Apostle Paul prayed. He had had the urge to visit Corinth for a long time to see how the church was doing and also how Sister Chloe had been faring with the church in her house. Although, he had heard good reports from the brethren who came to visit him in Rome. He was really impressed with the work the Lord was doing through Chloe’s house. The church in her house had increased from twenty to seventy five.
“Amen,, Brother Paul, Amen”
“I hope you have no challenges whatsoever in conducting the church?” he asked gently, knowing how daunting it could be to be a believer, and how much more for one having a church in her house.
“now that you asked, there’s one major issue I would like you to address at our church meeting in two days time. The brethren are divided, as some have been saying “we are on Paul’s side” while some others say “we are of Apollo’s” and another say “we are in the Messiah’s group”. Chloe couldn’t understand why the brethren felt they needed to form camps after all “Jesus and only Jesus is the saviour of all men”
“Really, is that so?” Paul asked. That could not be allowed among the brethren, division must not be allowed in the church at all. There is only one saviour and that is Jesus. Thank God he baptized only Crispus, Gaius and Stephanas , before people will begin to say he baptized in his own name hence the need for them to join his camp. Besides, his assignment was to preach not baptize. He knew Apollos would not be happy to hear this at all.
He looked kindly at Chloe and assured her the matter would be sorted out at the next gathering of the brethren.
After a few more words of exultations, he departed from Chloe’s house.

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