DEALING WITH IMMORALITY IN THE CHURCH
I CORINTHIANS 5:1-13
INTRODUCTION: Needless to say we live in a sexually saturated society. As far back as April 15, 1993 USA Today reported that the average American man under age 40 has had seven sexual partners in his life.
Paul has already dealt with divisions in the church. Now he has to deal with the issue of immorality. Many were being seduced by “the spirit of the age”.
Note what Paul has to say. It is still a timely word for us today.
I. The Problem of Perversion (v.1)
Look at this shameful situation.
A. The Sin: “Sexual Immorality” = porneia (Greek). Fornication.
B. The Specifics: A type of incest condemned in the O.T. (Lev. 18). A man was having an affair with his stepmother! The assumptions are: 1) The father was dead; 2) The man was a professing Christian; 3) They were living together permanently.
C. The Spread: It was not the gossip of a few but the talk of the town.
II. The Presence of Pride (v.2)
There was indifference.
A. The Attitude: “Puffed-up” = pride. No shame.
B. The Action: See v.6. They were boasting because they were so “broadminded”, “open” and “tolerant”. Not much has changed!
C. The Allowance: They should have been grieving instead they were allowing it to go on.
III. The Prescription of Paul (v.26, 5, 9-11)
Paul gave instructions. Church discipline had to be administered (see 4:18-21). Their testimony was being ruined and paralyzed.
Some thoughts about discipline.
1. It is never to be placed in the hands on one person or even a group of people, but the “whole” church.
2. It is to be done in the attitude of love. It’s not done for destruction but for deliverance (Gal.6:1).
What did Paul tell them? Note his instructions to the:
A. Church (v.2, 13): He brought it in, you put him out! Church membership is not to be taken lightly or treated carelessly.
If he won’t discipline himself, then you do it for him. The whole fellowship was being affected. See his illustration in v.6-8. He was contaminating the whole church, he had to be removed.
B. Culprit (v.5): “Satan” = ruler of this world. “Destruction of the flesh” = not the destruction of the body but the sinful nature. Hand him over to Satan. Cut him off from Christian fellowship. Let him go his own way. Hopefully, he will realize his sin, come to his senses, repent and return. His old nature will be destroyed and his new nature strengthened.
C. Contact (Company) (v.9-13): “Associate” = keep company. Don’t get mixed up with him. Don’t have intimate fellowship with those who practice sexual immorality. He’s talking about people in the church. He didn’t want to pull the church out of the world but the world out of the church. To allow the immoral to remain is to drain her energy, defeat her purpose, and destroy her witness.
The immoral are not the only ones to hurt her witness, so do the greedy, idolaters, slanderers, drunkards and cheats.
Judge those within and leave those outside to the judgment of God. With an immoral, unethical brother, don’t even eat!
CONCLUSION: Deal lovingly yet firmly. Why? Because immorality and Christianity don’t mix!
