FIRST CORINTHIANSFIRST CORINTHIANS

How to Live in a How to Live in a Pagan WorldPagan World

11stst Corinthians 5:1-13 Corinthians 5:1-13

1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles——that a man has his father’s wife!

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

3 For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed.

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

5 deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

6 Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?

7 Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.

8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

9 I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people.

10 Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world.

11 But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person.

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

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

(New King James Version)

Two Mega-ThemesTwo Mega-ThemesIn 1In 1stst Corinthians Corinthians

• Living as Christians in a Living as Christians in a pagan world.pagan world.

• Being the Church in a Being the Church in a pagan world.pagan world.

Two Mega-ThemesTwo Mega-ThemesIn 1In 1stst Corinthians Corinthians

• Living as Christians in a pagan world.

• Being the Church in a Being the Church in a pagan world.pagan world.

Being the Church in a Pagan WorldBeing the Church in a Pagan WorldNine Issues:Nine Issues:

1.1. IdentityIdentity 1:1-91:1-92.2. UnityUnity 1:10-171:10-173.3. MaturityMaturity 3:1-173:1-174.4. AuthorityAuthority 3:18-4:213:18-4:215.5. PurityPurity 556.6. OrderlyOrderly 11117.7. MinistryMinistry 12-1412-148.8. GenerosityGenerosity 16:1-416:1-49.9. DutyDuty 16:5-2416:5-24

Being the Church in a Pagan WorldBeing the Church in a Pagan WorldNine Issues:Nine Issues:

1.1. IdentityIdentity 1:1-91:1-92.2. UnityUnity 1:10-171:10-173.3. MaturityMaturity 3:1-173:1-174.4. AuthorityAuthority 3:18-4:213:18-4:21 5.5. PurityPurity 556.6. OrderlyOrderly 11117.7. MinistryMinistry 12-1412-148.8. GenerosityGenerosity 16:1-416:1-49.9. DutyDuty 16:5-2416:5-24

Maintaining Purity in the ChurchMaintaining Purity in the Church

A Case StudyA Case Study

• The immediate issue• 5:1 It is actually reported

that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles — that a man has his father’s wife!

Maintaining Purity in the ChurchMaintaining Purity in the Church

The Right AttitudeThe Right Attitude

• Grief and mourning over sin• Vs. 2 And you are puffed up, and

have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you.

• HCS “And you are inflated with pride, instead of filled with grief”

• Phillips “Are you still proud of your church? Shouldn't you be overwhelmed with sorrow and shame?”

Maintaining Purity in the ChurchMaintaining Purity in the Church

The Wrong AttitudeThe Wrong Attitude

• Being proud of our openness• Vs. 6 “Your glorying is not

good…”• Weymouth “It is no good

thing—this which you make the ground of your boasting…”

Maintaining Purity in the ChurchMaintaining Purity in the Church

The Big DangerThe Big Danger

• That the sin would spread through the church

• Vs. 6-7 …Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.

• Weymouth “Do you not know that a little yeast corrupts the whole of the dough?”

Maintaining Purity in the ChurchMaintaining Purity in the Church

The Right ResponseThe Right Response

• Expelling the Unrepentant Expelling the Unrepentant BrotherBrother

• Vs. 5 deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

Maintaining Purity in the ChurchMaintaining Purity in the Church

What Does, “For the What Does, “For the Destruction of the flesh Destruction of the flesh mean”?mean”?• NLT “Then you must cast this man

out of the church and into Satan’s hands, so that his sinful nature will that his sinful nature will be destroyedbe destroyed and he himself will be saved when the Lord returns.”

• Weymouth “I have handed over such a man to Satan for the for the destruction of his bodydestruction of his body, that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord Jesus.”

Maintaining Purity in the ChurchMaintaining Purity in the ChurchGeneral Principles of Church General Principles of Church DisciplineDiscipline

1. It is for church members1. It is for church members• Vs. 9 I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep

company with sexually immoral people.• Vs. 10 Yet I certainly did not mean with the

sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world.

• Vs. 11 But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person.

General Principles of Church DisciplineGeneral Principles of Church Discipline

Those outside the church who Those outside the church who misbehave are God’s responsibilitymisbehave are God’s responsibility

• Vs. 12 For what have I to do Vs. 12 For what have I to do with judging those also who with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside?those who are inside?

• Vs. 13 But those who are Vs. 13 But those who are outside God judges. Therefore outside God judges. Therefore "put away from yourselves the "put away from yourselves the evil person."evil person."

Maintaining Purity in the ChurchMaintaining Purity in the ChurchAdditional Principles of Church Additional Principles of Church DisciplineDiscipline

• Galatians 6:1• 2nd Thessalonians 3:6

Maintaining Purity in the ChurchMaintaining Purity in the ChurchAdditional Principles of Church Additional Principles of Church DisciplineDiscipline

• Matthew 18:15-17• 15 "Moreover if your brother sins

against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.

• 16 "But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’

• 17 "And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.