Greetings!
Here’s a summary of the Bible study on February 16.
What Can’t Be Ignored (1 Corinthians 5)
Churches consist of imperfect people. While true Christians are justified (declared righteous by God) and sanctified (set apart for God), we still sin (1 John 1:8). Nonetheless, Christians are supposed to be different.
Christians are called to a high standard of morality, rooted in changed hearts, motivated by God's love, and empowered by the Holy Spirit. We are called to "be made new in the attitude of [our] minds, and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness" (Ephesians 4:23-34).
At the same time, Christians are called to be humble, gentle, kind, patient, forgiving, and bearing with one another in love (Ephesians 4:1, 32). However, this doesn’t mean Christians should be tolerant of blatant and unrepentant sin in the church. Such behavior can’t be ignored.
Need for Judgment (5:1-5)
In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul says he heard that someone in the church is guilty of "sleeping with his father’s wife” (that is, his stepmother). Apparently, this is an ongoing sexual relationship. While sexual immorality was common in Corinthian culture, even nonbelievers didn’t tolerate this kind of behavior (5:1). Yet church members are puffed up with pride! Why?
Maybe they are proud despite this man’s sinful behavior. They ignore it. Or maybe they are proud because of their tolerance of it. In our world today, many people are proud of their tolerance of behavior that opposes God’s authority and moral will.
However, Paul says they should not be proud! Instead, they should be mourning, in sorrow and shame (5:2). The man’s behavior is morally wrong! It’s destructive – for him, for the woman, and for others. It’s harmful to the church. It dishonors God. The church is supposed to reflect a holy God. So it’s heartbreaking. It’s shameful. It can’t be condoned or ignored.
So what is needed? Paul tells the church what to do. He says, “Hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord” (5:5, NIV). Wow, that sounds harsh. But what does Paul mean?
“Handing the man over to Satan” is the same as “putting the man out of their fellowship” (5:2). When they expel the man from the church, they are sending him back into the world that Satan rules (1 John 5:18-19). What is the intended result of this action?
The intended result is “the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord” (5:5). This is interpreted in different ways. It may mean the man will physically die (or at least suffer) but his spirit will be saved. Of course, this would happen only if he truly trusts in Jesus Christ for his salvation.
Or perhaps “destruction of the flesh” means the defeat of sin’s rule in the man’s life. As the man realizes his desperate situation outside the fellowship of God, he confesses his sin, turns to God, and experiences deliverance from his sin. Whatever interpretation is correct, the hope is that the man will be saved.
But Didn’t Jesus Say, “Do Not Judge…”?
Paul says he has “already passed judgment” on the man, and he instructs the church to carry out that judgment (5:3-5). He later tells the church, “Are you not to judge those inside [the church]?” (5:12). Someone may ask, “But didn’t Jesus say, “Do not judge…?”
Yes, Jesus did say that, but he did not rule out every kind of judging! There is a bad kind of judging, and a good kind of judging (e.g., John 7:24). (See “Judging Others” under Resources/2024 Studies, Matthew, on the ICF website.) Jesus also gave instructions concerning sin in the church, which didn’t conflict with Paul’s instructions (see Matthew 18:15-17).
Old Yeast (5:6-8)
To illustrate the danger of the man’s sinful behavior and the need to remove him from their church community, Paul uses a mix of metaphors related to the Passover Feast. In verses 6-7 he talks about “yeast” (leaven), which is used to make bread rise.
In this context, yeast represents sin. As a little yeast affects the whole batch of bread dough, so sin in the church affects the whole body of believers. Paul says the old yeast must be removed so that they may be a “new unleavened batch” (5:7). Christians are already a new batch (by God’s grace), but we need to behave like it!
Christians are a new batch because of the Passover lamb, Jesus Christ (5:7). As God delivered Israel from slavery in Egypt through the sacrifice of the Passover lamb, God delivers us from slavery to sin and death through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Christians should “keep the Festival” (5:8) by honoring God’s deliverance in our daily lives.
Responsibility (5:9-13)
In a previous letter (which we don’t have) Paul instructed the Corinthians concerning associating with sexually immoral people (5:9). They apparently didn’t pay attention! Anyway, he doesn’t want them to misunderstand his instruction, so he clarifies it in verses 9-13.
As Paul talks about not associating with immoral people, he makes a distinction between people “outside the church” and those “inside” the church. Why?
Christians are supposed to have a positive role (as “salt and light”) in this sinful and dark world (Matthew 5:13-16). To do this, we must engage with people in the world who need to know the Light of the world. So, Christians welcome opportunities to associate with people “outside the church.” And we don’t expect nonbelievers to think and act like believers.
On the other hand, people who claim to be believers are supposed to represent Christ. However, if they live in blatant, unrepentant sin, they harm the church’s life and mission. If they refuse to repent (change), the church may determine that the person is not welcome in the fellowship. Such action is taken only after much prayer and counsel. It’s a last resort. Hopefully, such action will help the offender realize his or her sin, resulting in repentance and restoration.
What About You?
Is your life infected with “yeast” (sin) and its harmful effects? Do you need to become a “new unleavened batch of dough” through faith in Jesus Christ – the Passover lamb? Do you have questions about this? Pursue answers.
Brothers & sisters, reflect on the seriousness of sin. Christ died for it! Are you ignoring sin in your fellowship, and firstly, in your own life? By God’s grace, commit to live as the “new unleavened batch” that you are.
Your Servant,
Jay