FRAMEWORKS:
1 Corinthians 5: Dealing With a Case of Incest
[Chapter
Synopsis: Paul
has heard about sexual immorality in the church and so in this
and the next chapter, he challenges them over this. He confronts
the sin, shares what he feels about it, warns them about letting
sin grow in the church, and says have nothing to do with such
Christians.]
v.1,2
The Sin
v.1
(we've heard
there is sex sin in the church there) It
is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you,
and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping
with his father's wife.
v.
2 (you should
have been grieving over this and put the man out) And
you are proud! Shouldn't you rather have gone into mourning and
have put out of your fellowship the man who has been doing this?
v.3-5
Paul's Role
v.3
(as your father
figure you know what my judgment is in this matter) For
my part, even though I am not physically present, I am with you
in spirit. As one who is present with you in this way, I have
already passed judgment in the name of our Lord Jesus on the one
who has been doing this.
v.4,5
(so put this
man out of the church that he may be vulnerable to Satan and receive
God's dicisplining through him to bring him to his senses)
So
when you are assembled and I am with you in spirit, and the power
of our Lord Jesus is present, hand this man over to Satan for
the destruction of the flesh, [In
contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to
the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in
opposition to the Spirit.] so
that his spirit [or body] may
be saved on the day of the Lord.
v.6-8
Their failure as a church
v.6
(your indifference
is worrying, don't you realise that once sin is acceptable it
spreads) Your
boasting is not good. Don't you know that a little yeast leavens
the whole batch of dough?
v.7
(so get rid
of the sin so you may be a pure church as Christ's death has made
possible) Get
rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as
you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.
v.8
(let's celebrate
the new life by getting rid of wickedness and relishing truth)
Therefore
let us keep the Festival, not with the old bread leavened with
malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity
and truth.
v.9-13
Paul's directions to them
v.9,10
(when I wrote
previously [one of several references to a previous, now lost,
letter] about not meeting with immoral people, I obviously didn't
mean unbelievers) I
wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral
people— not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral,
or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would
have to leave this world.
v.11
(but I am now referring
to Christians who are ‘off the rails') But
now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone
who claims to be a brother or sister [The
Greek word for brother or sister (adelphos) refers here simply
to a believer, whether man or woman, as part of God's family;
also in 8:11,13.] but
is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard
or swindler. Do not even eat with such people.
v.12
(our role is
to sort people out inside the church, not outside it) What
business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are
you not to judge those inside?
v.13
(we leave the Lord to
sort out non-believers ) God
will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among
you.” [Deut 13:5; 17:7; 19:19;
21:21; 22:21,24; 24:7]
[Passage
Synopsis: The
word has got back to Paul of immorality in the church since he
left. Although he's not able to be with them for the moment he
is in the Spirit and they know what he feels about this. Their
casual approach to it is foolishness because if you tolerate one
obvious sin you open the door for more sin to become acceptable,
so they need to rid themselves of it. His previous references
to not associating with immoral people didn't mean people of the
world but those within the church. God will judge those outside
the church, we're to do it inside the church.]
Continue
to Chapter 6