Chico Alliance Church
Pastor David Welch
“Holy God Healthy Church” 1 Corinthians 5:1-13
Part Two
Review
Opening Address and Introduction 1:1-9
I. Reproof for fleshly behavior 1-6
A. Reproof for a divided church 1-4
B. Reproof for a defiled church 5
Review
In this chapter Paul tackles the churches response to sin within the church.
How should we deal with known sin in the church?
What should the attitude and actions of the church be in the face of sin?
?Paul’s reproof in this chapter unpacks as follows.
• Paul concisely exposed the obvious sin 5:1-2
• Paul clearly explained the godly response 5:3-13
o He severely judged the erring believer
o He soundly admonished the erring church
1. Paul concisely exposed the sin
a) Sin in the church - immorality
It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father's wife. 1 Cor. 5:1
Paul came right to the point
It was an established fact that the whole community knew that there was immorality among them.
He specifically and publicly identified the sin because it was already public.
Basically he said, “I can’t believe the reports of immorality I am hearing.”
b) Sin of the church -- arrogance
Paul confronted the sin of the church as well as the sin of the incestuous member
You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst. 1 Cor. 5:2
Paul came right to the point.
Actually he told them they were continually being arrogant, puffed up.
They prided themselves with their noble tolerance toward sin within the church.
They not only failed to deal with the sin but they failed to even mourn over the situation.
Instead they maintained a spiritual air about themselves.
They were proud of their “spirituality” in spite of the fact that unspeakable sin was happening among them.
Somehow they divorced their theology from actual behavior.
That is why there were divisions and strife.
The fact they were fighting with each other exposed their spiritual immaturity (you are babies) but in their mind they felt spiritually superior perhaps even to the poor apostles.
Rather than proud mediocrity they should have demonstrated humble mourning.
The word used by Paul for mourning is a gut wrenching emotional response to a life-altering event.
Recall some of the pictures after 9/11 that captures the depth of emotion stirred by the event.
?James 4:8-10 called for those sinning to mourn.
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.
This is the reaction the Corinthians should have had toward this unspeakable sin.
This is the reaction we should have regarding any sin that defiles the church of Christ.
How callous we have become to sin.
Because it is surrounded by a laugh track and bouncy music we become unaware of its ture nature.
It is what nailed Jesus to the cross.
It is what destroys lives.
Hollywood sanitizes the consequences.
All they show is the early snapshots.
You have to go to the hospitals and mental wards and cemeteries to get the rest of the picture for all sin destroys and eventually leads to death.
Unfortunately over the years the pendulum seems to swing back and forth in reference to the church’s response to sin.
Truth and love swing out of balance.
Paul spent far less time addressing the sin of the individual than the proud indifference of the church toward sin.
If they had a true perception of God’s holiness they would have lovingly addressed this situation rather than ignore it and continue to assert their great “spirituality”.
They would have mourned over the offense to God, the damage to the temple of God, the damage to the reputation of the church in the community and the spiritual and physical welfare of the ones sinning.
Every action of an individual family member affects the rest of the family.
One member’s actions can through the whole family into turmoil.
Pollution brought into the church by individual body members affects the rest of the body and the head of the Church.
A stab to the body is a stab to the head.
Contamination to the body is contaminating Christ.
Infecting the body with disease infects Christ.
Once we realize the awfulness of undressed sin and its affects on the whole, we can understand better the necessity to deal with it Biblically.
Having exposed the immorality within the church and the arrogance of the church, Paul clearly explained the godly response to the sin.
2. Paul clearly explained a Biblical response to the sinner 3-5
First, Paul severely judged the erring member
Second, Paul clearly admonished the erring church
a) Paul severely judged the erring member
For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present. In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and I with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus,
I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. 1 Cor. 5:3-5
Paul basically said, “I don’t need to even be there to figure this one out.”
You must act. It is a done deal. Such abhorrent conduct demands acute consequences.
There is something spiritually powerful going on in this verse.
Paul asserted his authority in Christ. “In the name of the Lord Jesus”
On the basis of a Paul’s spiritual presence along with the spiritual power of Jesus, Paul issues a spiritual judgment or sentence (perfect tense) which took affect and remained in effect.
This spiritual presence manifested in reading of the inspired letter to the assembly.
Paul’s inspired judgment along with the presence and power of the Spirit of Christ constituted an authoritative pronouncement upon the errant believer when it was read to the assembly just as if Paul were there to pronounce it himself on behalf of Christ the head.
This has a great deal to say about the powerful presence of Christ in the specific application of His word in the assembly of believers.
The power of discipline comes when the body lovingly deals with sin among them by the authority and presence of Christ among them.
Here, Paul purposely handed over this person to Satan (removed the churches protective covering) for the destruction or ruin of his fleshly body that his spirit might experience freedom (be loosed) in the presence of Christ.
The intent of such an action is to restore purity in the church and the one sinning.
The purpose of discipline should always be restoration and purity of the individual.
Excommunication and avoidance are only one means of seeking to restore and protect.
This principle of turning those sinning to bondage is found all through the Scriptures.
When Israel flagrantly ignored God’s law and turned to idols, God allowed and even arranged for them to come under the bondage of a foreign nation in hopes they would cry out to Him and return to serving God and God alone.
This is not the only NT example of such severe discipline.
keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith. Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, so that they will be taught not to blaspheme. 1 Tim. 1:19-20
These guys failed to keep a good conscience before God.
It most likely means that they were living differently than they were talking.
To live differently than we profess is equal to blaspheme.
Ananias and Sapphira suffered such severe discipline when they professed other than they practiced.
Paul will call the Corinthians to the fact that others among them were suffering discipline because they were claim spirituality and unity and love while living division and arrogance and sin thus living a lie.
Since they would still profess their commitment to Christ and His body while living otherwise some were weak, some sick and some had even suffered death.
Paul not only pronounced judgment on this erring member but urged the church to act.
b) Paul soundly admonished the erring church to deal with the sin
There are many side issues presented in his admonition but all of them fit under two basic admonitions.
1. Remove the sinner from inside the church
2. Don’t associate with the sinner outside the church.
(1) Remove the sinner from inside the church 6b-8
• An arrogant attitude is not good
Paul addressed first the arrogant attitude.
Your boasting is not good.
No mincing of words here.
Most sin begins with a thought and then turns to an attitude which turns into words which results in action which becomes a habit which becomes a character that becomes a thought pattern that deepens attitudes.
In fact good habits and character develop the same way.
Your proud attitude is not good (valuable, beautiful, attractive, virtuous)!
Arrogance is not good.
Paul next zeroed in on the faulty thought process which produced the proud attitudes.
• Unaddressed sin breeds more sin
Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough?
Your pride is based on faulty thinking. “Do you not know?” You should have intuitively realized that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough. Nature teaches it. It applies in the spiritual world.
Ask Lowell how the spread and permeation of spores works.
Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals." 1 Cor. 15:33
We must realize that we are all connected.
What affects one affects all.
We must also realize that sin never stands still.
Sin left in the dark incubates and multiplies to uncontrollable proportions.
• Deal with sin in order to demonstrate the righteousness of Christ
Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened.
Paul called them to realize that they were not the same anymore.
Because of Jesus they were now actually “unleavened”, clean before God.
This sanctification was their heritage.
This was their current standing before God.
They must operate on new family values.
On the basis of their sanctified position before God, Paul urged them to reflect their privileged position with apparent practice.
Clean out the leaven so that the church may walk clean before God on the outside just as they already had been cleansed on the inside through of the sacrifice of Jesus.
We think such a discipline might seem severe but that is because we have a very low view of the consequences of sin.
It affects the whole.
We wonder why we don’t see God working.
Perhaps it is because there is a need to deal with sin.
Many remember the story of Achan in Israel’s early attempts to take possession of the Promised Land.
In their arrogance they tried to achieve the victory of God without the purity of God.
They strove for happiness in the land without holiness in the assembly.
Moses was severely judged because he failed to treat God as holy before the people.
because you broke faith with Me in the midst of the sons of Israel at the waters of Meribah-kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin, because you did not treat Me as holy in the midst of the sons of Israel. Deut. 32:51
Achan deliberately violated the clear instructions of God after the astounding victory over Jericho and coveted the riches dedicated to God (stole what belonged to God).
But the sons of Israel acted unfaithfully in regard to the things under the ban, for Achan…took some of the things under the ban, therefore the anger of the LORD burned against the sons of Israel. Joshua 7:1
Because of his violation, the whole nation suffered when they tried to conquer little Ai.
Thirty-six wives lost their husbands that day.
Thirty-six families lost their father and brother because of one man’s low view of sin.
Joshua fell on his face crying out to God and basically blaming Him for the defeat.
So the LORD said to Joshua, "Rise up! Why is it that you have fallen on your face? "Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. And they have even taken some of the things under the ban and have both stolen and deceived. Moreover, they have also put them among their own things. "Therefore the sons of Israel cannot stand before their enemies; they turn their backs before their enemies, for they have become accursed. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy the things under the ban from your midst. Joshua 7:10-12
The consequences of Achan’s sin extended to his whole family and possessions.
He ended up losing the very thing he violated the command of the Lord to possess.
Will we allow the discomfort of surgically removing one cancerous area of the body to stop us from preventing the spread of cancer to the rest of the body?
Some times it is necessary to endure the cut of the knife to enjoy the privilege of health.
• Christ died to make us clean on the inside.
For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed
We are considered “unleavened” sinless because of the sacrifice of Christ.
• Continually celebrate the Lord’s Supper with sincerity and truth not the old sins.
Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 1 Cor. 5:6-8
Stop allowing those whose sin is obvious to all continue to celebrate the Lord’s Supper or perhaps the feast of commitment.
To declare commitment to Christ while rejecting the commands of Christ is to lie to the Holy Spirit and the people around us.
It is a time to examine ourselves and our relationship to God and others with sincerity and honesty according to what we actually practice.
• Remove the sin from the church
Remove the wicked man from among yourselves. 13b
Protect the church.
Remove the unrepentant member from inside the church because his sin affects the rest of the body.
Jesus laid out a procedure for such discipline in Matthew 18.
Not only are we to remove the unrepentant member from within but we are to…
(2) Disassociate with the sinner outside the church.
• ?You can’t avoid associating with unbelieving sinners
I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world.
The word associate means to mix up together with or hang out with as close friends.
It is in the present, continuous tense.
• We must disassociate with those who sin and still claim to be believers.
But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one.
This list contains all the previously mentioned sins of the world and adds two more.
We should be demonstrating a different lifestyle.
Paul does not say that we should disassociate with anyone who has ever done something immoral or coveted or put something else before God or said some mean things or have taken a drink or even perhaps got drunk or cheated someone else.
Paul does say to disassociate with those whose life becomes identified with such behavior.
A drunkard is different than one who drinks.
An idolater is different than one who in a weak moment chose things over God.
Our lives and character are to constantly be changing into the “unleavened” people we are.
In order to do that, believers must understand the gravity of claiming to be believers and living like unbelievers.
The purpose of disassociation from the community of believers has a purpose.
It encourages them to realize the gravity of their sin and its impact in the body.
It illustrates what separation from God is like.
Sinning elders are to be publicly exposed so that others will deal with their sin.
Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also will be fearful of sinning. 1 Tim. 5:20
It is not the only place Paul calls for such a response to erring believers.
But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; ?Avoid such men as these. 2 Tim. 3:1-5
Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. Romans 16:17
For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either. For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies. Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread. But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary of doing good.
If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of that person and ?do not associate with him, so that he will be put to shame. Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. 2 Thes. 3:10-15
But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law, for they are unprofitable and worthless.
Reject a factious man after a first and second warning, knowing that such a man is perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned. Titus 3:9-11
• We must judge those within the church NOT outside.
For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? But those who are outside, God judges. 9-13a
Our responsibility is to call one another to holiness not the world.
But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Hebrews 3:13
Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name.
For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 1 Peter 4:15-17
God calls us to take care of discipline in the church.
We seek to encourage one another to holiness.
God deals with those outside the church.
Just like we get in trouble when we try to discipline someone else’s children.
We should not concern ourselves with trying to make those outside our family live by our family rules.
We seek to win them to the family through the work of Christ in their heart.
Today I want us to think about our attitude toward sin.
Are we sinning in such a way to affect this church family?
Are we ignoring sin among us that affects this church family?
Are we reluctant to get involved in the lives of others?
In our individualistic northwest culture are we reluctant to subject ourselves to the authority of a local church family.
Church has become more like a restaurant.
We go as long as we like the service and food and perhaps the entertainment.
There is little commitment to anyone else eating at the restaurant.
There is little commitment to the actual operation of the restaurant.
We pay our bill, perhaps tip the waiter, complement the cook and leave feeling no obligation to help with the dishes.
The church is a family, a body where everyone is committed to one another.
We join because we are committed to the growth, health and welfare of the family.
We make ourselves accountable to Christ, the head of the family.
Without accountability, there is little incentive to change.
We resist what we call “meddling”.
“It is no one’s business what I do!”
I hate confrontation.
Yet without speaking the truth in love to one another there is no building up of the body in love.
The body becomes weak and unhealthy.
The body no longer has the spiritual energy to fulfill their calling in the community.
When we have members burdened with loads of sin and ignore their wounds and inability to function, the body eventually ceases to function well.
We must be involved in the healing process.
The entire body will cease moving forward until those disabled are nursed back to health.
Hebrews calls us to such attention to healing.
Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.
Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled; that there be no immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. For you know that even afterwards, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears. Hebrews 12:12-17
That includes loving discipline with the intent to RESTORE and HEAL.
That includes forgiveness.
That includes forbearance.
We must pray for a deeper perception of the holiness of God.
Then we will have a greater sensitively to personal and corporate sin.
Then we will find ourselves mourning and crying out to God for purity.
When we become pure, we will become productive.
Every significant revival contained two basic elements; a greater realization of God’s holiness and a mourning over our sinfulness.
Perhaps this is the block that stands in the way of Chico.
?For I am afraid that perhaps when I come I may find you to be not what I wish and may be found by you to be not what you wish; that perhaps there will be strife, jealousy, angry tempers, disputes, slanders, gossip, arrogance, disturbances; I am afraid that when I come again my God may humiliate me before you, and I may mourn over many of those who have sinned in the past and not repented of the impurity, immorality and sensuality which they have practiced. 2 Cor. 12:20-21
How about us?
Strife, jealousy, angry tempers, disputes, slanders, gossip, arrogance, disturbances, impurity, immorality, sensuality, malice, idolatry, covetousness, drunkenness (self medication), cheating others of their resources.
Lessons to Learn and Live By
We must not become callous to sin in our own life but continually repent.
Both privately and publicly.
Sin against the whole calls for confession to the whole.
Sin affecting a few calls for confession to the few.
Sin against God calls for confession to God.
We must not ignore open sin among us but mourn over it and deal with it.
The Scripture suggests other ways to respond to sinning members of the family.
We will touch on those next week along with some of your questions.
Blessing
May we become those who mourn over sin.
May we be drawn into deeper perception of the Holiness of God.
May the God who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all you ask or think touch your life, heal your sickness, cleanse your life, fill your emptiness, lift your spirits, strengthen your relationships, guard your heart, empower your ministry, make your witness fruitful, purify your motives, correct your thinking, balance your emotions and make you whole again.
Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass. 1 Thes. 5:23-24
