1 Corinthians 5
Expel the Immoral Brother!
1It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that does not occur even among pagans: A man has his father's wife. 2And you are proud! Shouldn't you rather have been filled with grief and have put out of your fellowship the man who did this? 3Even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. And I have already passed judgment on the one who did this, just as if I were present. 4When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, 5hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature[a] may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord.
6Your boasting is not good. Don't you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough? 7Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth.
9I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10not 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. 11But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.
12What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13God will judge those outside. "Expel the wicked man from among you."[b]
Footnotes:
[a] 1 Corinthians 5:5 Or that his body; or that the flesh
[b] 1 Corinthians 5:13 Deut. 17:7; 19:19; 21:21; 22:21,24; 24:7
4 comments:
I Cor. 5
Wow. Hits kinda hard if you ask me. I can only think of Matthew 5:27-8
27"You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.'[e] 28But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Who's not guilty?? Anyway, point is, this chapter reminds me how critically important it is for us as men to really fight satan against the lust the we all feel. Like a friend of mine said, "The first glance is admiring God handiwork, the second and third are the ones that get you in trouble. I have found prayer for someone’s salvation really helps me.
In Christ,
cas
This chapter (like cas says) strikes extremely hard. It seems so uncharacteristic of the Gospel, yet it elevates the life of believers. We are to live a radically transformed life, which Paul says in a prior chapter is only possible by the transforming power of God in Christ.
In our current cultural climate, I think the last two verses of the chapter:
2What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13God will judge those outside. "Expel the wicked man from among you.
show us what we should care about. Instead of being shocked by the sin around us in the "World," Paul says deal with the sin inside us and among us in the Church. Let discipline come there first and do not judge the sinners from society, that is for God to do.
I know that personally I tend to be swift to see and judge the sin outside the Church. I know that I also tend to focus on a few sins that are easily spotted in others. BUT the reality is our hearts within the Church are laden with the sins mentioned here. And what does Paul warn the Corinth church to do about it?
vs. 11--do not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.
I won't pretend to know how to really live this out after the last century of neglecting this in the body of Christ.
Father, again Your Word brings me to a place of struggle and uncomfortableness. I ask that you give me wisdom, discernment and courage to understand and live out your ways in the Church and in the World. Help set us free from the sins of sexual immorality, greed, idolatry, slander, drunkenness, and manipulation of others for our profit. Help us be Your people in this world. In it, but not of it. We love you and see our huge need for You once again.
In Christ's Name,
a-men.
I Cor 5
I just wanted to add my name to what ER says about being uncomfortable and pary that Christ keep us from all the sins listed. To be honest, they stem from selfishness if you ask me.
IN Christ,
cas
1 Cor 5
I've really enjoyed reading this book this time around, instead of always seeming like Paul has lofty goals for us, he seems as though he understands our plight more than we know.
When I read this, I don't see him as wanting us to judge and be high and mighty within the church just for the sake of it or only because its right, but moreover because it is so easy to fall into the trap. We are men, and God blessed us with hormones, being attracted to a woman is one of our jobs. So it is our very nature to be strayed by ungodly brethren. That is why it is so important that we not associate with them, not because they are wrong (they are) but because it is so easy to have the enemy sneak into our minds and reconciliations through them.
Thank you Father, for sending one like Paul who sees our faults, our shortcomings, and is able to understand. We need help to keep us from hurting ourselves. Help us to watch out for each other's weaknesses. In Jesus' name,
Amen
In Christ,
CRB
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