Sin Accomodating Churches-7 Series

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

Attention:

Real Help—*To ‘dance around’ rather than approaching an object.

Jim Gardner goes to see his supervisor in the front office.

"Boss," he says, “We're doing some heavy house-cleaning at home tomorrow, & my wife needs me to help with the attic & the garage, moving & hauling stuff.”

“We're short-handed, Gardner,” the boss replies. “You know I can't give you the day off.”

“Thanks boss,” says Jim, “I knew I could count on you!”

—There are ways to handle difficult situations, But there are difficult situations that must to be handled!—

Many thousands(millions?) of people die every day. Many if not most of these die without Jesus. How many of them die in Franklin County without Jesus? How many of them die in Carrabelle without Jesus?

Have we made sure that they have heard the truth?...that truth is not muddled by the rank sin of the world & by our apathy, inattention, distractions?

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...

Such a conglomeration of people 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 ‘genuine article’...

Such a conglomeration can also invite a label of ‘hypocrisy’ upon the Church from insiders, who impose limiting religion upon the Church in order to ‘weed out’ sympathizers from the ‘genuine article’!

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.

We will ask the question, “When or Why does a church accommodate sin?”

& thru that are better able to determine...How the true church can effectively act against sin in their midst.

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. AVAILABLE ARSENAL/Weaponry(:4)

5. CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY(:5)—See #10 :13

6. DAMAGE POTENTIAL(:6)

7. RE-CREATION(:7-8)

8. INSTRUCTION(:9)

9. FELLOWSHIP(:10-11)

10—Sin Accommodating churches skirt/deny...

The CHURCH’s SINGULARITY(:12-13)

Explanation:(12-13)Distinctiveness/Separateness/Uniqueness/Necessity to God’s purpose

:12—“For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside?

Paul here “contrasts the judgment of “insiders” & “outsiders.””—NAC

The Church is neither intended nor responsible for making determinations of one’s standing before God among those unassociated with the Church. We must witness to them but we cannot rightly, formally, or officially take disciplinary action against them for their misbehavior(as it is accomplished without Christ). Such things lie outside of the scope of the Church’s purpose.

Seeing that God Himself deals with those “outside” the church(“outside” & unaccepting of His saving grace), not expecting the Church to “judge” them, then obviously any servant of God in Christ(such as Paul or any church member) will honor the same prerogatives, leaving them to God Himself, but never forsaking their witness to the lost.

The Church’s priority regarding purity encompasses those in open association with herself....Those who openly associate as believers(“inside”). The manner in which the Church presents herself to a lost world(& even a saved world) is telling & is thereby of great importance.

Thus Doctrine is of true/real value...Membership is of true/real value...Attitude is of true/real value...Behavior is of true/real value regarding the true Church.

Thereby “judgment” by the Church & within the Church is a very close(1Cor. 1:10; 2Cor. 13:11; Php. 2:1-2; 1Pet. 3:8-9) & continual process. Such affirmative action is a recipe for hurt feelings but it also makes a bold statement regarding the distinctiveness, decisiveness, & sanctity of the true Church of God in Christ.

“What”(See :11—“Anyone”)—tiv—Pronoun—probably emphatic of tiv; 1) Who, which, what. Strong—an interrogative pronoun--Who, which or what(in direct or indirect questions).

ti gar moi—“For what is it to me (dative)”—RWP

“Judging”2X(See :13)—krinw—Present Active Infinitive—1) To separate, put asunder, to pick out, select, choose; 2) To approve, esteem, to prefer; 3) To be of opinion, deem, think, to be of opinion; 4) To determine, resolve, decree; 5) To judge; 6) To rule, govern; 7) To contend together, of warriors & combatants. Strong—properly--To distinguish, i.e. Decide(mentally or judicially); by implication--To try, condemn, punish.

“Outside”(See :13)—exw—Adverb—1) Without, out of doors. Strong—Out(-side, of doors), literally or figuratively.

“Inside”—esw—Adverb—1) To within, into; 2) Within—2a) The internal inner man, 2b) The soul, conscience. Strong—Inside(as preposition or adjective). Used 8X.

:13—“But those who are outside God judges. Therefore “put away from yourselves the evil person.””

God will sort out the lost—those “outside” or who have separated themselves from His Church. The lost are God’s business & He will deal with them decisively, holding them accountable in their lack of faith.