The Grace of Discipline

The Grace of Discipline 1 Corinthians 5:1-13 June 17, 2018 THE BIG IDEA: Paul called the church to a love for one another that dared to confront sin and call one another to Godly sorrow that leads to repentance. “Church discipline”, done properly, is driven by grace with a goal of restoration to Christ and His church, never to simply punish or embarrass. 1 Corinthians 5:1-13(ESV) 5 It is actually reported 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 done this be removed from among you. 3 For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.” See the Problem for What it Is (vv. 1-2a) ü A toleration of sin among the brothers & sisters “porneia” à every kind of sexual immorality outside bounds of God’s design. “arrogant” à A pride-filled, sin-sick church will boast, “We are affirming and accepting.” We are “tolerant. Respond Biblically as a Church and as Friends (vv.2b-5) 1. Let Sin Break Our Hearts à “mourn” over sin § In many ways, we’ve lost our capacity to be shocked or ashamed. § The immediate problem in Corinth concerned sexual sin, but at the end of the passage, Paul names a variety of sins. So, we are being called to a consistent standard. 2. Assemble as a Church [after Jesus’ guidance in Matthew 18 has been followed] § Gather in the name of Jesus § Do all you do in His power § Have higher expectations of one another than we do of the world. (v.10) § If our brother/sister is unrepentant, we must “deliver” them to Satan, while praying that their “spirit may be saved.” (v. 5) o The fact that this is so seldom done today might mean that we are more loving and forgiving, or it could mean that we are less concerned with the integrity of the Christian life within the body of the church. o A 3rd possibility is that we saw it done with impure motives and terrible consequences and responded against that. § Withdraw from normal “association”. All of this is done with a broken heart, never with joy. Pursue Personal & Collective Holiness in the Church (vv. 6-13) • • Stop boasting and start grieving over sin (v. 6) Rid ourselves of our lists of “most grievous sins”, knowing that all tolerated sin robs the church and us individually of spiritual power and witness. HOW CAN WE DO THIS? • Love each other enough to confront sin. • Stop helping one another rationalize sinful behavior. • Be a “Nathan” to my Christian friends and expect Christian friends to be “Nathan” in my life.” [2 Samuel 12; Psalm 51] • Stay close to Jesus. • Adopt standards of holiness that are not derived from shifting public opinion, but are grounded in the eternal truths of God in Scripture. “An impure church will soon be a powerless church.” - Danny Aiken