TEACHING NOTES Introduction In the last six weeks we studied Paul’s instructions about divisions within the church in Corinth. The next three chapters of Paul’s letter is going to focus on immorality within the church. As we will see, the church in Corinth was not only allowing immorality in the church, but they were also proud of this. They were proud of being accepting and affirming of immorality. Obviously, this is relevant for us as many churches are doing the same today. ‌ Problem: The church in Corinth is proud of being accepting and affirming of immorality. ‌ Principle: Allowing unrepentant sin in the church is the same as accepting and affirming sin. ‌ 1 Corinthians 5:1–2 1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father’s wife. 2 And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has been doing this be removed from among you. ‌ Actually reported = Grk. Holos akouetai - Literally, “Everywhere reported.” Paul is saying that churches all over know about this issue in the Corinthian church. This means that this had been going on for some time and churches in other areas were talking about it. ‌ Sexual immorality = Grk. porneia - This is a general term used for all kinds of sexual sin. Any sexual activity outside of biblical marriage (one man and one woman) is defined as sin in the Bible. ‌ Not tolerated even among pagans = While the sexual ethics of Roman and Greek pagans allowed for many things the Bible condemns, not everything was allowed. Even in pagan societies there were some sexual behaviors that were illegal. ‌ A man has his father’s wife = The Greek word for “has” here is echein, which means “to possess” or “to cohabitate” or “to be in close relationship.” This is the same word Paul uses for marriage in 1 Cor. 7:2 “each man should have [echeto] his own wife.” This man is in an intimate relationship with his stepmother and this relationship is publically known (they are living together). Obviously this was against Jewish Torah law (Lev. 18:8; Deut. 22:30; 27:20), but this was also against Roman law. In the Torah, this man would have either been put to death or at least excommunicated from Israel. Under Roman law a man could not have sex with nor marry his father’s wife. If a Roman man committed this crime, he would be exiled or banished to an island. ‌ You are arrogant! = Literally, “and you are proud of this!” Not only did the church allow this behavior, but they are also proud and supportive. They were affirming of this unbiblical and illegal relationship. ‌ Rather to mourn = Paul is clear that affirming sin is the wrong response. They should have been devastated for this man and his father’s wife. Paul does not say that they should be angry, but that they should be mourning. ‌ Let him be removed = Removing an immoral person from the group was not a new idea. Paul is in line with both Jewish and Roman law. Neither the Jews nor the Romans allowed this kind of immorality in their communities. Paul will actually quote a repeated phrase in the Torah, “Purge the evil person from among you” (1 Cor. 5:13). ‌ 1 Corinthians 5:3–5 3 For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who has been doing such a thing. 4 When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord. ‌ I already pronounced judgment = For Paul, this issue is not up for debate. There is no grey area in biblical sexuality. This issue had been going on in the Corinthian church long enough that churches everywhere knew about it. What should be done is settled, the only issue that remains is whether or not the church will do what needs to be done. ‌ When you are assembled = Paul is referring to the church gathering. The two Greek words used for “assembly” or “gathering” synago and ekklesia. Just as the synagogue was the local gathering of Jews, the church (ekklesia) is the gathering of God’s family in Christ. ‌ In the name of, with the power of Jesus = In the Old Testament, the tabernacle/temple was the place where Israel gathered around the presence and glory of God. The powerful presence of God is both glorious and dangerous. When unrepentant sin and rebellion existed in the gathering, the consequences were deadly. In the New Testament, the presence of God resides in the church. When we gather in the name of Jesus, His powerful presence resides with us. Paul is clear that allowing immorality in the church leads to deadly consequences (1 Cor. 11:27-30). ‌ You are to = This is a clear command from apostle Paul to the church. This is not an option or a suggestion of what they could do. This is what they must do in order to stay faithful to Christ and maintain holiness in the church. ‌ Deliver this man to Satan = Paul is not creating a new practice but is actually applying the Torah to the church. In the Torah, the Day of Atonement ritual describes the priest confessing the sins of Israel while pressing his hand on a goat. Then this goat was sent out into the wilderness to “Azazel” which is a Hebrew name that means “rebel against God.” Azazel is essentially the devil and the sins of the people are sent away from the assembly to the evil one. This ritual communicated that sin was purged from God’s people and sent back where it belongs. Also, there were certain sins that required an Israelite to be removed from among the people. Unrepentant sexual immorality was one behavior that required being removed until repentance. Paul is saying that the church must do the same by sending this man out of the church family and back to Satan’s domain. ‌ For the destruction of the flesh = Paul is using “flesh” here to refer to the man’s sinful desires. Paul’s hope is that removing this man from the church and sending him back to Satan will lead him to repentance. ‌ So that his spirit may be saved = The goal of removing someone from the church is not punishment, but repentance and salvation. If this man chooses to continue living in sin for the rest of his life, then he is not a follower of Christ and will not be saved. But if this man repents and returns to God’s family, he will be saved on judgment day. ‌ The day of the Lord = In the Bible, “the Day of the Lord” always refers to a day of judgment. When God allowed Babylon to conquer Israel, it is referred to as “the Day of the LORD.” Here Paul is referring to the final Day of the Lord when Christ appears and the entire world is judged. At the final judgment, Jesus will purge all evil from the world to usher in the new creation. ‌ 1 Corinthians 5:6–8 6 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7 Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. ‌ Your boasting is not good = Paul is clear that being proud of accepting and affirming sin in the church is not good. Many churches today pride themselves on being accepting of everyone. Paul and the apostles would say those churches are supporting immorality and leading people into destruction. ‌ Example: Imagine a gay couple, or a Muslim, or an adulterer, or a robber goes to a church. Many churches would accept them and never confront their sin problem. As a result, the sinner starts to believe that they can be a Christian and continue to live in sin and be part of the church. This is not good, even if the church is hoping that the person will repent. A biblical church should have a statement of faith posted publicly (like on their website) that describes how Christians are expected to live according to the Scripture. A biblical church should teach holiness and require it of their members. A biblical church would not allow someone to continue in sin to their own destruction, but try to lead the sinner to repentance. ‌ A little leaven leavens the whole lump = When leaven or yeast is added to a lump of dough, it automatically works its way through the whole lump. Yeast is an organism that grows when added to dough. Paul uses this to illustrate what is happening in Corinth. Allowing unrepentant sin in the church is like yeast and will spread through the church. ‌ You really are unleavened = God intends for us to live a pure and repentant life. A faithful church maintains holiness and purity by dealing with sin. The church in Corinth was sacrificing their purity by allowing sin to remain. ‌ Christ, our Passover Lamb = The Exodus Passover is the foundational story that defines salvation for God’s people. In the first Passover, the Israelites are told to sacrifice and eat an unblemished lamb with unleavened bread. Everyone in Egypt, both Jews and Gentiles, who obeyed this instruction were saved from death. In the new Exodus, Jesus sacrifices Himself as the Lamb of God who takes away our sins and saves us from death. When we gather and receive Communion, we are celebrating the new Exodus of our salvation. ‌ Celebrate the festival = Jesus instituted a new Passover feast at the last supper. Just as the Israelites ate the Passover meal to celebrate their salvation from Egypt, we celebrate the Eucharist (Communion/Lord’s Supper) to celebrate our salvation. The early church practiced Communion at every Sunday gathering. Paul is telling the Corinthians that their Communion has been “leavened” or corrupted by allowing this unrepentant sin to continue. ‌ 1 Corinthians 5:9–10 9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. ‌ I wrote to you in my letter = This is how we know that what we call first Corinthians is actually not the first letter Paul wrote to Corinth. This also shows that Paul had already instructed them on the issue of sexual immorality. The church in Corinth has been directly disobeying Paul’s previous instructions. ‌ Not to associate with sexually immoral people = Paul clarifies in verse 10 that he is referring to sexually immoral people within the church, not people in general. The Greek word for “associate with” is synanamignysthai, which is similar to synago or “assemble with.” We are not to gather with people who claim to be a Christian but are living in sexual sin. ‌ Sexually immoral, greedy, swindlers, idolaters = Notice Paul groups several sins with sexual immorality. If this man who “has his father’s wife” had been greedy or an idolater, Paul’s instruction would be the same. Paul is not elevating sexual sins above other sins. In Corinth, sexual immorality was rampant and not taken seriously at all. Paul is elevating sexual immorality to the same level as other sins. ‌ 1 Corinthians 5:11 11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. ‌ Anyone who bears the name of brother = Paul is clear that these instructions are about people within the church who claim to be Christians. This does not apply to those outside the church who are not claiming to be a Christian. In the early church, there was no concept of unbelievers being part of the church. If a person was gathering with the church, then they were claiming to be a Christian and were required to live a life of repentance. ‌ Greed = Grk. pleonektes - desiring to have more than is due. Idolater = Grk. eidololatres - worshiper of idols/other gods. Reviler = Grk. loidoros - abusive person, slanderer. Drunkard = Grk. methysos - habitually drunk. Swindler = Grk. harpax - robber, thief, vicious, violent. ‌ Not even to eat with such a one = Not only should an unrepentant person not be allowed to attend church gatherings, but church members are not to hang out with this person until they repent. A true follower of Jesus will want to be restored to the church family. Excommunication is never meant to be permanent, but to lead to restoration. ‌ 1 Corinthians 5:12–13 12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? 13 God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.” ‌ Judging outsiders = Paul is clear that it is not a Christian’s business to judge unbelievers outside the church. He clearly states, “God judges those outside.” In the Old Testament, Israel was not told to enforce the Torah on Gentiles living outside of Israel. In the same way, the church is not called to enforce Christianity on those outside the church. ‌ You are to judge those inside the church = Contrary to popular belief, Christians are commanded to judge one another within the church. We are not to judge those outside the church, but we are commanded to correct sin within the church. ‌ “Purge the evil from among you” = Paul is quoting Deuteronomy where this exact phrase occurs nine times (Deut. 13:5; 17:7; 17:12; 19:19; 21:21; 22:21; 22:22; 22:24; 24:7). In the Old Testament, Israel was the assembly of God’s people. Unrepentant sin was not allowed and those who refused to repent were removed. To allow unrepentant sin in the Israelite community was to rebel against God. Because Israel did not follow these commands, God eventually divorced Israel and allowed them to be conquered. In the same way, if we allow unrepentant sin in our churches we are following Israel’s example and headed for destruction. ‌ How to Remove Sin Biblically: ‌ 1. Follow the teaching of Jesus. ‌ Matthew 18:15–17 15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.” ‌ 2. Keep restoration as the goal. ‌ Galatians 6:1–2 1 Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. ‌ Note: In 2 Cor. 2:5-11, Paul tells the Corinthian church to forgive and comfort a man that had been disciplined. It is unclear whether this is the same man from 1 Cor. 5:1-13, but the same principle of restoration applies. ‌ 3. Remember that sin is a life and death situation. ‌ James 5:19–20 19 My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. ‌ - This is about a person’s soul (eternity). - One unrepentant sin leads to many more sins. ‌ Conclusion ‌The church is to be holy and maintain holiness. ‌ Allowing unrepentant sin defiles the church, destroys the sinner, and discredits the Gospel. ‌