The Problem Of Immoral Church Members Series

October 25, 2012

Commentary on First Corinthians

By: Tom Lowe

Topic #2: The Problem of Immoral Church Members, 1 Corinthians 5.1-5.13

Lesson 3.0: The Problem With Immoral Church Members

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 5.1-5.13

1 Cor 5.1-13 (KJV)

Section 3.0-A: The incestuous person among them (vv. 1-6)

1 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.

2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.

3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,

4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,

5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

Section 3.0-B: The Christian church must be purged of the contamination of sinners, and separated from pagan influences (vv.7-13)

Part 1: Celebration

7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Part 2: Isolation

9 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:

10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.

11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.

12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?

13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

Introduction

This chapter is divided into two sections, 3.0-A and 3.0-B, and section 3.0-B is split into two parts; Celebration and Isolation.

Section 3.0-A

Separation (1–6). The background of the chapter is the Passover Feast (Exod. 12). The presence of the immoral man should have turned the feast into a funeral (v. 2), but the church was boasting about the sinner instead of weeping over him. Tolerating known sin in the church is like putting leaven into the Passover Feast: it does not belong.

Section 3.0-B

Celebration (7 & 8). Paul saw the Christian life as “keeping the feast” (v. 8), that is, feeding on Christ, and being sure we are not defiled by sin (leaven, yeast). The Lamb has set us free, and we are on our way to our promised inheritance!

Isolation (9–13). Sin in the life of the believer is far worse than sin in the life of an unbeliever. We cannot isolate ourselves from the world, but we can separate ourselves from disobedient believers so that God can discipline them.

Commentary

Section 3.0-A: The incestuous person among them (vv. 1-6)

1 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.

It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you

The apostle had taken them to task over the divisions within the Church due to the members aligning themselves with certain ministers, and now he proceeds to accuse them of immoral acts within the ranks of the membership; one of these was notorious, since the offender was not just a hearer, but was a member of the Church. What made it so aggravating to the apostle was that the people talked about the affair, but they did not do anything about it—it was still going on. Now it was a full blown scandal, people outside the church were aware of the goings on, and it was damaging the reputation of the Church.

“It is reported commonly…” or, “It is actually reported.” This particular sin that existed in the church seemed to be known by everyone; and is “commonly reported”—that is, several people reported it to him. The Greek wording suggests that it was not only reported to Paul, but that the whole assembly was buzzing with the story, particularly those who loved to gossip. At any rate, it was well known that fornication by one of the members was taking place in the church at Corinth, and it was the subject of conversation among the believers. This type of activity should not be allowed in the Church. “But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints” (Eph 5:3; KJV). Not only fornication but everything of the same nature, or whatever leads to it, should be avoided—and not only avoided, but it should not even be mentioned by believers. These types of sins, in fact, all sins, are inconsistent with the character of Christians, who as saints, people selected out of the world and consecrated to God, should forbid the very mention of them in Christian society.