In chapter five, we come to an abrupt change. It is as if Paul had finished writing chapter four when he got word of a serious problem within the Corinthian church. He immediately changes focus and addresses the flagrant sin of immorality. What should the church do when someone becomes involved in a shameful sin? Ignore it? Pray about it? Hope that God will take care of the matter? Or, take action to confront the person? READ: v.1-6

"It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you" v.1a

Definition: Immorality is the Greek porneia, from which we get pornography, and refers to any illicit sexual activity.

Several times Paul addresses this issue

"The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body." 1 Co 6:13

"Flee from sexual immorality." 1 Co 6:18

Corinth a very permissive society not unlike America has been since the 1960's.

They had only recently been a part of that world, and they brought into the church deeply ingrained habits of thought and action which stood in stark contrast with the ideals that God had for them in their new relationship with Him.

How to live a moral life, in an immoral world is a constantly recurring problem for Christians even in our day.

TRANS: Not only where they pernicious generally, but there was a single case grievous sin.

!"and of a kind that does not occur even among pagans: A man has his father’s wife."

A man was having relations with his non-Christian stepmother.

The severity of the sin is expressed when Paul says, "and of a kind that does not occur even among pagans."

Prohibited in the Old Testament law as well as the Roman law of that day.

TRANS: Not only was this a most grievous sin, but the church people themselves, were at fault for not dealing with the issue:

"And you are proud ("arrogant" NASB)! Shouldn't you rather have been filled with grief ("mourning in sorrow and shame" LB) and have put out of your fellowship the man who did this?" v.2

"And you are proud!"

Their pride in themselves and in their church had blinded them to important moral issues.

One pastor said this, "I can almost imagine someone rationalizing the situation in a way that would sound familiar to modern Christians. “Ours is a broad-minded church. As long as he stays active in the church and does his part, I don’t think it’s anyone’s business what he does in private. Besides, while he’s a lot younger than she they seem to have a meaningful relationship. What they really need from us is affirmation and not judgment.” Sound familiar?"

"Churches have always been tempted to pride themselves on their rich foundations and institutions, on producing champions of the faith, able writers, eloquent preachers, on their cultured ministry, on their rich and aesthetic services, and not on that very thing for which the Church exists: the cleansing of the morals of the people and their elevation to a truly spiritual and godly life."

"Shouldn't you rather have been filled with grief"

When we tolerate sin, whether within ourselves or in others, we become insensitive to it; we no longer feel appropriate conviction.

Hebrews speaks about becoming, "hardened by sin’s deceitfulness."

Heb 3:13

"Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)" 2 Pet 2:7-8.

"put out of your fellowship the man who did this"

The Bible speaks several times about removing a sinning person.

It is an extreme form of Church discipline, abused in church history, and underused in the life of the today.

"When my cousin, who is the age of my mother, told me of those deacons, who like secret agents, peeked through the windows at school dances to record the names of the church youth who were present and how on Sunday these names were called from the pulpit and the church was asked to “discipline” the guilty, I knew why her enthusiasm for that church had grown cold." A pastor wrote

This man's sin was not trivial, but blatant and serious and needed to be dealt with.

Removing a person from the fellowship is the severest form of rebuke.

A function of the Old Testament prophet

"Again and again I sent my servants the prophets, who said, ‘Do not do this detestable thing that I hate!’" Jer 44:4

Paul to Timothy

"These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you." Tit 2:15

Jesus taught

"So watch yourselves. “If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him." Lk 17:3

The purpose of removal was 1) restorative to the individual and

2) protective to the church fellowship.

As painful as the experience would be, Paul felt that it might bring the man to his senses and cause him to see what he was doing and repent.

"The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient for him. Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him." 2 Co 2:5-8

TRANS: Paul next explains to them the process he wants them to follow

"Even 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. When 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, 5 hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord." v.3-5

"When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus"

"Assembled:" not something a committee can do or a pastor, which could lead power plays or the fear of a powerful person.

"In the name of the Lord" Not a lynch mob, vigilante group, kangaroo court.

"and I am with you in spirit and the power of our Lord Jesus is present"

"You must call a meeting of the church. I will be present with you in spirit, and so will the power of our Lord Jesus." 1 Co 5:4 LB

"If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector. “I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth (decide about this) will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. “Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done (power) for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."

Mt 18:17-20

"hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed"

To remove anyone from the fellowship of the church is to hand them over to Satan and his world rule and influence. His sinful nature was already being destroyed by his sexual immorality. "If that's the way he chooses to live, let him live that way!" In Satan's world, without the protection of God and the church, he will experience untold suffering and aggravation.

King David wrote, "When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Selah Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”- and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah" Ps 32:3-5

David prayed, "restore to me the joy of my salvation."

God does not condemn sin in the sinner and then condone it in the saint. "Judgment must begin at the house of God" 1 Peter 4:17.

TRAN: notice again, that the whole purpose of this is restorative.

"and his spirit (the better part of him) saved on the day of the Lord"

"If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames." 1 Cor 3:15

Once we are saved, we are never kicked out of God's family.

"Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." Heb 12:10-11