“1 Corinthians 5”

Sunday, March 05, 2017

Chapter Five begins the next section of the letter and it deals with the issue of sexual immorality. Many churches since the first century have struggled with problems of immorality among the people of God.

The first century world was highly immoral, just like our current time. Temptation was everywhere and, in Corinth, one of the disciples had taken up with his stepmother. (The Greek word for mother is not in the context, so it was not his mother, but his father’s current wife.) The church was not dealing with the sin and others were in danger of being influenced by the ungodly leaven.

Paul instructs the church to purge out the old leaven of ungodliness by delivering this man “to Satan,” a reference to church discipline. This would purify the church so that others would not be tempted to commit the same sin. Known sin in the church must not be tolerated.

Notice in verse 5, that one of the reasons for church discipline is “the destruction of the flesh,” that is, the destruction of fleshly desires. That was the problem here; the man was being controlled by physical, fleshly lusts and could only be rescued if something destroyed those evil passions. Perhaps the reality of being withdrawn from (2 Thessalonians 3:6) by his brothers and sisters in Christ would shock him into repentance.

Paul makes a clear distinction between the people of the world (those who are outside) and those who are Christians (those who are inside). He tells them not to associate with ungodly people, but he explains to them that he is not referring to non-Christians by pointing out that to totally avoid ungodly people you would have to leave the planet. We must simply not allow ourselves to be influenced in a negative way by Christians who are not living right.

He goes so far as to say that we must not even “eat with such a person.” Eating a meal together had much significance in the first century. It showed not only friendship and a close relationship with another, it indicated approval of the other as well. He does not want them to engage in any behavior, with a common meal together as just one example, that would lead the other person to believe that you approve of his or her behavior. It might seem extreme, but this is a critical situation that requires serious action.

His conclusion, then, is simple. “Therefore, put away from among yourselves that wicked person.”

--Roger Hillis

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