Sin Accomodating Churches-3 Series

SIN ACCOMODATING CHURCHES-III—1Cor. 5:1-13

Attention:

In the days of wooden ships & boats—A ship or boat whose hull is known to have shipworms below the water-line. Shipworms have an overwhelming presence in every ocean. In the 1700’s the British covered the hulls with copper. In the 1800’s creosote began to be used as a deterrent.

Suppose a captain docks the boat not concerned with the detrimental shipworms. The boat is given harbor, protected from the wind & adverse weather, all the while allowing the shipworms to infest the boats & docks of others, weakening that which is depended upon.

*Dance around rather than approaching an object.

Similarly, The Church proper is populated by Christians, all of the same heritage...they are brothers & sisters by the blood of Jesus. None of them are Christian sympathizers, they are actual Christians!

However, the sympathizers are readily invited to witness & be involved with the true Christian work but only to a limited extent...

...Because...

1)The church works so closely with the world, & that...

2)We cannot ultimately determine the reality of anyone’s salvation(only God can per 1Cor. 4-5) & that...

3)We minister with those who consider themselves ‘saved,’ the church can inadvertently & ignorantly become party to worldliness.

4)Our hearts can deceive us so that we think we are doing God service when in fact we are undermining the Kingdom(Jer. 17:9-10; Jn. 16:2-3)!

Such a hodge-podge can invite a label of ‘hypocrisy’ upon the Church among outsiders, who lump all so-called ‘Christians’ together, assuming everyone who claims the name ‘Christian’ is the ‘real-deal’...

Such a hodge-podge can also invite a label of ‘hypocrisy’ upon the Church from insiders, who impose legalism upon the Church in order to ‘weed out’ sympathizers from the ‘real deal’!

Paul admonished(called out) the Corinthian church because they had allowed/accommodated heinous sin in their midst.

The church must not accommodate sin in their midst.

*How can the true church effectively act against sin in their midst?

When does a church accommodate sin?

10 deficiencies of sin accommodating churches.

We had previously visited the fact that,

Sin Accommodating Churches skirt/deny...

1. BASELINES(:1)

2. BROKENNESS(:2)

3. God’s PRESENCE(:3)

4—Sin Accommodating churches skirt/deny...

AVAILABLE ARSENAL/Weaponry(:4)

Explanation:(:4)Evident/Provisioned power

:4—“In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,”

By “the name of” the Church’s & Paul’s “Lord Jesus Christ” there must be action taken(:5). When the Church is “gathered together,” it is openly recognized as the representation of Christ’s body on earth. They are also “gathered together” “along with” Paul’s “spirit(his judgment/determination(:3)), as well as “with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Thus the Corinthian church is to enter an action concisely described in :5. It is the righteous compulsion of the Church to do so.

“& meeting in the name of our Lord Jesus”...“if taken with "gathered together"(sunacyentwn) Paul assumes less apostolic prerogative to himself. But he did have such power & used it against Elymas (Ac 13:8ff) as Peter did against Ananias & Sapphira (Ac 5:1ff).”—RWP

“Name”(See :1—onomazw)—onoma—1) Name: universally of proper names; 2) The name is used for everything which the name covers, everything the thought or feeling of which is aroused in the mind by mentioning, hearing, remembering, the name, i.e. for one's rank, authority, interests, pleasure, command, excellences, deeds etc.; 3) Persons reckoned up by name; 4) The cause or reason named: on this account, because he suffers as a Christian, for this reason. Strong—A “name”(literally or figuratively) (authority, character).

“Lord”2X—kuriov—

“Jesus”2X—Ihsouv—

“Christ”2X(TR & Byz.)—Cristov—

“Gathered together”—sunagw—1) To gather together, to gather; 2) To bring together, assemble, collect; 3) To lead with one's self. Strong—To lead together, i.e. Collect or convene; specifically--To entertain(hospitably).

“Along with”—umwn kai—= ‘y’all &’—umwn—Pronoun—1) Of yours. Strong—Of(from or concerning) you.

“Spirit”(See :3, 5)—pneuma—

“With”—sun—Preposition—

“Power”—dunamiv—1) Strength power, ability—1a) Inherent power, power residing in a thing by virtue of its nature, or which a person or thing exerts & puts forth, 1b) Power for performing miracles, 1c) Moral power & excellence of soul, 1d) The power & influence which belong to riches & wealth, 1e) Power & resources arising from numbers, 1f) Power consisting in or resting upon armies, forces, hosts. Dunamiv is power, natural ability, general & inherent. Strong—Force(literally or figuratively); specially--Miraculous power(usually by implication, a miracle itself).

Argumentation:

**2Cor. 10:1-13—“Now I, Paul, myself am pleading with you by the meekness & gentleness of Christ--who in presence am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you. But I beg you that when I am present I may not be bold with that confidence by which I intend to be bold against some, who think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments & every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, & being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. Do you look at things according to the outward appearance? If anyone is convinced in himself that he is Christ’s, let him again consider this in himself, that just as he is Christ’s, even so we are Christ’s. For even if I should boast somewhat more about our authority, which the Lord gave us for edification & not for your destruction, I shall not be ashamed-- lest I seem to terrify you by letters. “For his letters,” they say, “are weighty & powerful, but his bodily presence is weak, & his speech contemptible.” Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when we are absent, such we will also be in deed when we are present. For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, & comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. We, however, will not boast beyond measure, but within the limits of the sphere which God appointed us--a sphere which especially includes you.”