I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. - Revelation 3:15-16
As we have read over the past few weeks, Paul began his letter to the Corinthians by dealing broadly with the issue of division plaguing their church. He identified numerous factors that were contributing to their unrest and gave godly counsel for resolving them. Paul urged the Corinthians to be united in the name of Christ.
In today’s message, we will move on to another point of concern. I have titled the sermon, “Immorality and Indifference”. Open your Bibles to 1 Corinthians, chapter 5…
I. THE PROBLEM (1 Corinthians 5:1-2)
Paul had received news of a specific and quite troubling problem within the Corinthian church. There was a member of the congregation who was involved in an incestuous sexual relationship with his father’s wife. It is widely held that he was either married to or having an affair with his step mother. This was a blatant act of sexual immorality and, though the old covenant had been fulfilled by Christ, it was a glaring violation of Jewish Law (Leviticus 20:11). This conduct was so reprehensible that even the non-believing Gentiles did not engage in such behavior.
Besides the brazen act of sexual immorality itself, the Corinthian church didn’t seem overly concerned by it. Rather than mourning the damage being caused by this horrible sin to both the guilty persons and the church itself, instead they were arrogant and boasting about it. They had not taken any steps to deal with this man’s immoral behavior or made any attempts to remove him from the church. On the contrary, they seemed quite content with the status quo. Their complacency was just as troubling as the individual’s sexual immorality.
This situation provides us with a good opportunity to talk about the ongoing value of the Old Testament Law. We as Christians are not legalistically bound to the Law, but rather are under grace. We have salvation through the blood of Jesus. Nevertheless, though not constrained by it, we would be foolish to ignore or disregard the moral stipulations of the Law. They provide us with principles and guidelines which were given by God to help His people live more righteously. While the Jewish civil and ceremonial laws may be largely obsolete, the moral laws can serve as an essential aide to those who love the LORD and seek to keep His commandments.
II. THE PRECEDENT (1 Corinthians 5:3-5)
Without reservation, Paul told the Corinthians plainly what he would do - in fact, what he had already done. Though he was not physically there, Paul told them that he had already judged the offender. He had decided, by the authority of the Lord Jesus, to turn the sexually immoral man over to Satan. This euphemism simply meant that Paul had determined to expel this person from the church, leaving them to dwell again among the lost world.
This act of church discipline, and the sin for which it would be enacted, would certainly have an impact on the physical body. It would be a severe, but temporal punishment. The goal, however, would be restorative. Perhaps “the destruction of the flesh” might lead to repentance. If, in fact, this man was a believer, perhaps he would turn from his immoral ways back to God and his soul would be saved. The primary purpose of godly discipline is to bring about repentance and restoration. It is an act of love.
III. THE PRINCIPLE (1 Corinthians 5:6-8)
Paul rebuked the Corinthians for accepting and even boasting about this immoral church member. He reminded them about the principle of leaven. Leaven is a substance used to make bread rise when baked - typically yeast. When just a small amount is kneaded into dough it will affect the entire lump. In the Bible, leaven is most often used figuratively to represent the powerful and pervasive influence of sinful behaviors and/or teachings.
This metaphor also has a historic connotation. At the beginning of the exodus, on the night of the Passover, the Children of Israel were instructed to make unleavened bread (without yeast) because their hasty departure from Egypt would not allow time for the bread to rise. In subsequent celebrations of the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread which followed, the Jews would remove all leaven from their homes. This represented the cleansing of sin. The Christian application is that we, in the wake of Jesus’s crucifixion (our Passover Lamb), should purge ourselves of our old sinful practices, and instead live unleavened lives characterized by purity and righteousness.
Paul used this metaphor to describe the perilous consequences of permitting the sexually immoral man to remain as a part of the church. His singular presence was negatively impacting the entire congregation. This principle is demonstrated elsewhere throughout Scripture, notably in the story of Achin (Joshua 7:10-26).
IV. THE PRESCRIPTION (1 Corinthians 5:9-13)
Paul wrote that, in a previous letter, he had instructed them not to associate with immoral people. The earlier letter he mentioned here has never been found. Thus, the letter we are currently studying called 1 Corinthians is not actually Paul’s first letter to Corinth, rather it is the first of those included in the Bible. Nevertheless, it seems that the Corinthians had misunderstood Paul’s meaning.
The Corinthian Christians were not associating with the immoral people of the world, i.e. those outside of the church. However, Paul’s instruction was not to associate with any so-called believer who practiced immorality, i.e. those within the church. Paul explained that God would judge sinful outsiders. Christians should concern themselves with the church and those who are members of it. It is no surprise for a lost person to act immorally, but when a professing Christian does so it is a disgrace. Paul commanded the Corinthians to dismiss the sexually immoral man from the church.
CONCLUSION
Christians should not tolerate the presence of blatantly sinful teachings and practices within the church. Such wickedness damages the church by destroying its witness to the world, harming its members, and bringing shame to the name of Christ. When the church turns a blind eye to the sin in its midst, controversy and scandal soon follow. Just as a loving father disciplines his young children for their own good and for that of the family, so also we must lovingly employ church discipline as necessary for the edification of the wayward member and that of the congregation as a whole.
In closing, we should flee from sexual immorality. This includes any type of sexual expression outside the confines of Biblical marriage. All such behaviors are sin. Paul will elaborate on this more extensively in the coming chapter.
When the wickedness of the world is glaringly evident within the church itself, you have a “Messed Up Church”. Beloved, have you read the news or been paying attention? This is us. May the LORD help us to get our house - that is, His house - in order.
As we have read over the past few weeks, Paul began his letter to the Corinthians by dealing broadly with the issue of division plaguing their church. He identified numerous factors that were contributing to their unrest and gave godly counsel for resolving them. Paul urged the Corinthians to be united in the name of Christ.
In today’s message, we will move on to another point of concern. I have titled the sermon, “Immorality and Indifference”. Open your Bibles to 1 Corinthians, chapter 5…
I. THE PROBLEM (1 Corinthians 5:1-2)
Paul had received news of a specific and quite troubling problem within the Corinthian church. There was a member of the congregation who was involved in an incestuous sexual relationship with his father’s wife. It is widely held that he was either married to or having an affair with his step mother. This was a blatant act of sexual immorality and, though the old covenant had been fulfilled by Christ, it was a glaring violation of Jewish Law (Leviticus 20:11). This conduct was so reprehensible that even the non-believing Gentiles did not engage in such behavior.
Besides the brazen act of sexual immorality itself, the Corinthian church didn’t seem overly concerned by it. Rather than mourning the damage being caused by this horrible sin to both the guilty persons and the church itself, instead they were arrogant and boasting about it. They had not taken any steps to deal with this man’s immoral behavior or made any attempts to remove him from the church. On the contrary, they seemed quite content with the status quo. Their complacency was just as troubling as the individual’s sexual immorality.
This situation provides us with a good opportunity to talk about the ongoing value of the Old Testament Law. We as Christians are not legalistically bound to the Law, but rather are under grace. We have salvation through the blood of Jesus. Nevertheless, though not constrained by it, we would be foolish to ignore or disregard the moral stipulations of the Law. They provide us with principles and guidelines which were given by God to help His people live more righteously. While the Jewish civil and ceremonial laws may be largely obsolete, the moral laws can serve as an essential aide to those who love the LORD and seek to keep His commandments.
II. THE PRECEDENT (1 Corinthians 5:3-5)
Without reservation, Paul told the Corinthians plainly what he would do - in fact, what he had already done. Though he was not physically there, Paul told them that he had already judged the offender. He had decided, by the authority of the Lord Jesus, to turn the sexually immoral man over to Satan. This euphemism simply meant that Paul had determined to expel this person from the church, leaving them to dwell again among the lost world.
This act of church discipline, and the sin for which it would be enacted, would certainly have an impact on the physical body. It would be a severe, but temporal punishment. The goal, however, would be restorative. Perhaps “the destruction of the flesh” might lead to repentance. If, in fact, this man was a believer, perhaps he would turn from his immoral ways back to God and his soul would be saved. The primary purpose of godly discipline is to bring about repentance and restoration. It is an act of love.
III. THE PRINCIPLE (1 Corinthians 5:6-8)
Paul rebuked the Corinthians for accepting and even boasting about this immoral church member. He reminded them about the principle of leaven. Leaven is a substance used to make bread rise when baked - typically yeast. When just a small amount is kneaded into dough it will affect the entire lump. In the Bible, leaven is most often used figuratively to represent the powerful and pervasive influence of sinful behaviors and/or teachings.
This metaphor also has a historic connotation. At the beginning of the exodus, on the night of the Passover, the Children of Israel were instructed to make unleavened bread (without yeast) because their hasty departure from Egypt would not allow time for the bread to rise. In subsequent celebrations of the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread which followed, the Jews would remove all leaven from their homes. This represented the cleansing of sin. The Christian application is that we, in the wake of Jesus’s crucifixion (our Passover Lamb), should purge ourselves of our old sinful practices, and instead live unleavened lives characterized by purity and righteousness.
Paul used this metaphor to describe the perilous consequences of permitting the sexually immoral man to remain as a part of the church. His singular presence was negatively impacting the entire congregation. This principle is demonstrated elsewhere throughout Scripture, notably in the story of Achin (Joshua 7:10-26).
IV. THE PRESCRIPTION (1 Corinthians 5:9-13)
Paul wrote that, in a previous letter, he had instructed them not to associate with immoral people. The earlier letter he mentioned here has never been found. Thus, the letter we are currently studying called 1 Corinthians is not actually Paul’s first letter to Corinth, rather it is the first of those included in the Bible. Nevertheless, it seems that the Corinthians had misunderstood Paul’s meaning.
The Corinthian Christians were not associating with the immoral people of the world, i.e. those outside of the church. However, Paul’s instruction was not to associate with any so-called believer who practiced immorality, i.e. those within the church. Paul explained that God would judge sinful outsiders. Christians should concern themselves with the church and those who are members of it. It is no surprise for a lost person to act immorally, but when a professing Christian does so it is a disgrace. Paul commanded the Corinthians to dismiss the sexually immoral man from the church.
CONCLUSION
Christians should not tolerate the presence of blatantly sinful teachings and practices within the church. Such wickedness damages the church by destroying its witness to the world, harming its members, and bringing shame to the name of Christ. When the church turns a blind eye to the sin in its midst, controversy and scandal soon follow. Just as a loving father disciplines his young children for their own good and for that of the family, so also we must lovingly employ church discipline as necessary for the edification of the wayward member and that of the congregation as a whole.
In closing, we should flee from sexual immorality. This includes any type of sexual expression outside the confines of Biblical marriage. All such behaviors are sin. Paul will elaborate on this more extensively in the coming chapter.
When the wickedness of the world is glaringly evident within the church itself, you have a “Messed Up Church”. Beloved, have you read the news or been paying attention? This is us. May the LORD help us to get our house - that is, His house - in order.