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1Corinthians 5

Thursday Evening Bible Study

July 17, 2014

Introduction

In Paul's day, Corinth was the capitol of the province of Achaia (southern Greece), and was the most important city in Greece.

Corinth was quite the cosmopolitan city. All merchant traffic flowing north and south, as well as east and west, flowed through Corinth.

Corinth was also the center of the world’s greatest immorality.

The Temple of Aphrodite stood on the hill overlooking the city, and every night 1,000 male and female prostitutes would come down into the city and encourage the citizens to “worship” the goddess of love.

Paul had established the church in Corinth in AD 51 on his second missionary journey. He had spent 18 months teaching and building the church before moving on.

It is now AD 56, and Paul is across the Aegean Sea in the city of Ephesus. He’s received a letter telling about the problems and questions in Corinth, and now he’s writing back.

The first issue raised was about the divisions in the church.

(1 Corinthians 1:11 NKJV) For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you.

Now in chapter five, we move on to the second issue.

5:1-13 Immorality

: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!

:1 sexual immorality – porneia – illicit sexual intercourse; adultery, fornication, homosexuality, lesbianism, intercourse with animals etc.

A simpler definition would be, “sex outside of marriage”, and marriage is between one man and one woman.

:1 not even named among the Gentiles

Even the pagan people of Corinth wouldn’t be doing this.

:1 a man has his father’s wife

This could mean he’s having sex with his mother, but more likely that he’s having sex with his stepmother.

: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.

:2 you are puffed up – phusioo – to inflate, blow up, to cause to swell up; to puff up, make proud

The word is in the “perfect tense”, meaning that it’s something that has happened in the past, and it continues on into the present.

The Corinthians were quite proud of themselves that one of their church members was sleeping with his stepmom.

It could be that they thought they were being “gracious”, and they were proud of that.

It is a little like some of the liberal denominations that have not only declared homosexuality to be okay, but have even ordained homosexual persons as pastors.

And these denominations make quite the point of how “open” and “progressive” they are.

:2 taken away – exairo – to lift up or take away out of a place; to remove

: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.

:3 have already judged … him

judged – krino – to judge; to pronounce an opinion concerning right and wrong

The verb is also in a “perfect tense”, meaning that Paul has already done this in the past, and the results continue on into the present.

Paul is speaking with the authority of a judge of the court, and he has given his judgment, and in a sense the judgment is now to be carried out.

Some people like to quote what Jesus said,

(Matthew 7:1–5 NKJV) —1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. 3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

People like to quote the first verse, but neglect to read the rest.

There is a place to “judge” others, but it always starts by examining our own hearts first.

Too often, the reason we “judge” or criticize others is simply because they are doing the same thing we are. That’s when judgment needs to start with us first.

Yet when it comes to the church, Paul is showing us that it is very appropriate at times to make “judgments”.

: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.

:5 deliver such a one to Satan

Paul is asking that the next time they are together, they are to pronounce the sentence on this immoral fellow.

I believe this is talking about a kind of removal of God’s protection from Satan.

This man would be thrown to the lion to be tossed around and beaten up in order that he might wake up and turn to Jesus.

I found what happens when you turn things over to lions…

This isn’t the only time Paul would do this. Later on he would write,

(1 Timothy 1:18–20 NKJV) —18 This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, 19 having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck, 20 of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.

This is what church “discipline” is about. It’s to teach people to do the right thing.

Lesson

Tough love

Sometimes we have the mistaken notion that if we “love” someone, then we let them do whatever they want, and we have to just put up with it.

Jesus said,

(Matthew 18:15–20 NKJV) —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. 18 “Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 19 “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”

Binding and loosing (vs. 18) sounds a bit like delivering someone to Satan.

Jesus talked about two or more “gathered together”, just like Paul has mentioned the church being “gathered”.

When a church “disfellowships” someone, there is a sense in which the protection of being part of God’s flock is removed.

Paul calls the goal the “destruction of the flesh”.

He might be talking about a person’s earthly body, but he could also be talking about a person’s sin nature.

There is a time and place for setting boundaries and limits.

This is at the heart of the struggle of the co-dependent person, the one who lives with an addict.

We may not want our loved one drinking or abusing drugs, but sometimes our actions only make things worse when we don’t allow consequences of actions to take place.

:5 that his spirit may be saved

Lesson

Goal: Restoration

The goal in any kind of disciplinary action is not to punish or destroy another person, but to see some kind of good result, such as the person turning from their sin or ultimately to be saved.

Did Paul’s actions do any good?

It appears that the man was eventually restored.

(2 Corinthians 2:4–8 NKJV) —4 For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have so abundantly for you. 5 But if anyone has caused grief, he has not grieved me, but all of you to some extent—not to be too severe. 6 This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man, 7 so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. 8 Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him.

Paul didn’t urge the Corinthians to accept the man back because the man was sad. Paul encouraged them to accept the man because he had turned around.

(2 Corinthians 7:8–11 NLT) —8 I am not sorry that I sent that severe letter to you, though I was sorry at first, for I know it was painful to you for a little while. 9 Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to repent and change your ways. It was the kind of sorrow God wants his people to have, so you were not harmed by us in any way. 10 For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death. 11 Just see what this godly sorrow produced in you! Such earnestness, such concern to clear yourselves, such indignation, such alarm, such longing to see me, such zeal, and such a readiness to punish wrong. You showed that you have done everything necessary to make things right.

The goal is always restoration –

(Galatians 6:1 NKJV) Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.

Does discipline always result in a person turning around?

No it doesn’t. But when a person doesn’t respond to kindness and grace, they may need a jolt to wake up and come to their senses instead of us just continuing to tolerate their sin.

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

:6 a little leaven leavens the whole lump

Lesson

Contagious sin

Sin is often compared to “leaven”.

If you put a pinch of yeast in a lump of dough, the dough will rise as eventually the entire lump will be saturated with the yeast.

There is a sense that when one person is in open sin, and we don’t confront the situation, that it will eventually affect all of us.

Illustration

When Israel was conquering the land, they faced a tiny enemy at Ai and was defeated. God allowed their defeat because there was a man named Achan who had brought forbidden things into his tent and hidden them.

(Joshua 7:10–13 NKJV) —10 So the Lord said to Joshua: “Get up! Why do you lie thus on your face? 11 Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. For they have even taken some of the accursed things, and have both stolen and deceived; and they have also put it among their own stuff. 12 Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they have become doomed to destruction. Neither will I be with you anymore, unless you destroy the accursed from among you. 13 Get up, sanctify the people, and say, ‘Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, because thus says the Lord God of Israel: “There is an accursed thing in your midst, O Israel; you cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the accursed thing from among you.”

We need to be gracious and balanced here. The truth is, we all have sin. We all bring a sense of pollution into the church.

If we were to eliminate everyone in the church who has “sin”, then this place would be empty.

I think the real issue is for those times when a person is not dealing with their sin and they not only don’t struggle with their own sin, but we allow them to just go on and continue with it.

The lines get blurred as to what is right and wrong. Eventually it will affect us.

: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.

:7 purge out the old leaven

The feast of Unleavened Bread was celebrated for seven days after the Passover and often they are considered to be the same “feast”.

Part of the Feast of Unleavened Bread (and Passover) involved searching the house and eliminating every trace of leaven.

Paul is using this as a picture of the church needing to remove this unrepentant man.

:7 purge out – eκκαθαίρω – to cleanse out, clean thoroughly, to cleanse

:7 you truly are unleavened

There is a sense in which the church has already had its “leaven” removed, because Jesus paid the price for our sin.

But that doesn’t mean that there is no longer a need for us to deal with sin.

Video: The Gospel of John – Washing Disciples Feet (John 13:1-17)

Jesus made a point that Peter didn’t need to be completely washed because he had already had a “bath”. He only needed to have his feet washed.

Jesus told His disciples they needed to wash each other’s feet.

In a sense there is a picture here that when we have put our faith in Jesus, we are “bathed”.

But there are times in life when we all still sin and get our feet “dirty”.

We can help wash each other’s feet.

There is something like this going on in Corinth. They needed to wash feet, help challenge each other to stop sinning.

:7 Christ, our Passover

Jesus was the fulfillment of the Passover picture. He was the lamb slain for the sins of the world.

When you put your faith in Jesus, your sins are paid for.

: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.

:8 let us keep the feast

:8 malice

:8 wickedness – poneria – depravity, iniquity, wickedness

:8 the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth

You celebrate the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread with unleavened bread.

Paul is defining what “unleavened bread” looks like in the church.

Lesson

Transparency

The two words here are a definition of how the church (and we as individuals) can be “without leaven”, or “without sin”

sincerity – eilikrineia (“sun” + “judge”) – purity, sincerity, ingenuousness

It seems the idea is that of holding something up in the sunlight to see what it made of.

We get our English word “sincerity” from the Romans, and it means literally “without wax”.

Some pottery merchants would sell their customers pottery that was cracked, but the customer couldn’t see the cracks because the cracks were covered up with wax.

If you started boiling water in a pot that was held together with wax, you are going to have a mess.

When you bought a piece of pottery, you wanted one that was “without wax”, one that was exactly like it seemed to be, genuine, not a fake.

truth – aletheia (“not” + “hidden”) – truth

The word means literally “not hidden”

We run into trouble in our lives when we start to cover things up.

Video: Guilty Dog

We might think that we don’t look that “guilty”, but we do.

We might tell ourselves that we think we can handle a particular sin, and we have it all under control.

I think there are going to be some sins in our lives that we can indeed take care of on our own.

But there are going to be some sins that have burrowed themselves so deep into our lives that we are unable to do it on our own.

That’s where we need others in our lives.

(James 5:16 NKJV) Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

: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.

:10 then you would need to go out of the world

Paul had written an earlier letter to the Corinthians apparently telling them not to associate with sexually immoral people.

He is clarifying here that he WASN’T talking about immoral people who are not believers.

If that’s what he meant, then all believers would have to cut off contact from every unbeliever they know.

Lesson

Friends with sinners

To be honest, it’s pretty easy when you’ve been a believer for a while to slowly lose contact with unbelievers.

But that’s never been God’s desire.

God wants His people rubbing up against unbelievers.

How else will they hear the gospel?

Jesus was constantly criticized because this is exactly how He lived.

(Matthew 9:10–13 NKJV) —10 Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

Over the next couple of months we are going to try and provide you with tools to help you reach out to those around you who don’t know Jesus.

Friday through Sunday, August 15-17 is the Harvest Crusade.

There is no easier thing than to invite your friend to Angel’s Stadium for great music and to hear Greg Laurie.

Thursday September 4 – “God’s Not Dead”

We’ve gotten a license to show the movie at church.

Sunday night October 5 – Harvest America

We’re going to live stream Greg Laurie’s nationwide outreach, broadcast from Dallas Texas this year.

: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.

:11 keep company

:11 sexually immoral – sex outside of marriage

We’ve already talked about this term.

:11 covetous – pleonektes – one eager to have more, esp. what belongs to others; greedy of gain, covetous

It’s not just immorality that we ought to be concerned about.

I think that sometimes believers can make too much of subjects like homosexuality.

Homosexuality is a serious sin. But so are these other things as well. It is one among many.

:11 idolater – eidololatres – a worshipper of false gods

:11 a reviler – loidoros – a railer, reviler

Someone who yells at people.

:11 a drunkard – methusos – drunken, intoxicated

:11 an extortioner – harpax – an extortioner, a robber

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

:12 judging those also who are outside

I think we need to be careful how we comment on those who are not believers and the way the way they live.

If we’re going to be critical of anyone or judge anyone, we need to start with what goes on inside the church.

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

:11 not even to eat with such a person

Not to eat with so called “brothers” who continue in sins.

What does this look like in the church?

To be honest, I know that there are people in our church who struggle with some of the sins that are listed in verse 11.

And we don’t kick them out of our church.

When we are aware of a problem, we do confront it. I don’t think we’re “puffed up” because we have people caught in sin. But we will continue to confront and nudge people towards repentance.

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Introduction

Do people see Jesus? Is the gospel preached? Does it address the person who is: Empty, lonely, guilty, or afraid to die? Does it speak to the broken hearted? Does it build up the church? Milk – Meat – Manna Preach for a decision Is the church loved? Target 4400 words / 3500 words

In Paul's day, Corinth was the capitol of the province of Achaia (southern Greece), and was the most important city in Greece.

Corinth was quite the cosmopolitan city. All merchant traffic flowing north and south, as well as east and west, flowed through Corinth.

Corinth was also the center of the world’s greatest immorality.

The Temple of Aphrodite stood on the hill overlooking the city, and every night 1,000 male and female prostitutes would come down into the city and encourage the citizens to “worship” the goddess of love.

Paul had established the church in Corinth in AD 51 on his second missionary journey. He had spent 18 months teaching and building the church before moving on.

It is now AD 56, and Paul is across the Aegean Sea in the city of Ephesus. He’s received a letter telling about the problems and questions in Corinth, and now he’s writing back.

The first issue raised was about the divisions in the church.

(1 Corinthians 1:11 NKJV) For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you.

Now in chapter five, we move on to the second issue.

5:1-13 Immorality

: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!

:1 sexual immorality – porneia – illicit sexual intercourse; adultery, fornication, homosexuality, lesbianism, intercourse with animals etc.

A simpler definition would be, “sex outside of marriage”, and marriage is between one man and one woman.

:1 not even named among the Gentiles

Even the pagan people of Corinth wouldn’t be doing this.

:1 a man has his father’s wife

This could mean he’s having sex with his mother, but more likely that he’s having sex with his stepmother.

: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.

:2 you are puffed up – phusioo – to inflate, blow up, to cause to swell up; to puff up, make proud

The word is in the “perfect tense”, meaning that it’s something that has happened in the past, and it continues on into the present.

The Corinthians were quite proud of themselves that one of their church members was sleeping with his stepmom.

It could be that they thought they were being “gracious”, and they were proud of that.

It is a little like some of the liberal denominations that have not only declared homosexuality to be okay, but have even ordained homosexual persons as pastors.

And these denominations make quite the point of how “open” and “progressive” they are.

:2 taken away – exairo – to lift up or take away out of a place; to remove

: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.

:3 have already judged … him

judged – krino – to judge; to pronounce an opinion concerning right and wrong

The verb is also in a “perfect tense”, meaning that Paul has already done this in the past, and the results continue on into the present.

Paul is speaking with the authority of a judge of the court, and he has given his judgment, and in a sense the judgment is now to be carried out.

Some people like to quote what Jesus said,

People like to quote the first verse, but neglect to read the rest.

There is a place to “judge” others, but it always starts by examining our own hearts first.

Too often, the reason we “judge” or criticize others is simply because they are doing the same thing we are. That’s when judgment needs to start with us first.

Yet when it comes to the church, Paul is showing us that it is very appropriate at times to make “judgments”.

: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.

:5 deliver such a one to Satan

Paul is asking that the next time they are together, they are to pronounce the sentence on this immoral fellow.

I believe this is talking about a kind of removal of God’s protection from Satan.

This man would be thrown to the lion to be tossed around and beaten up in order that he might wake up and turn to Jesus.

I found what happens when you turn things over to lions…

Video: Lions and Jeans

This isn’t the only time Paul would do this. Later on he would write,

This is what church “discipline” is about. It’s to teach people to do the right thing.

Lesson

Tough love

Sometimes we have the mistaken notion that if we “love” someone, then we let them do whatever they want, and we have to just put up with it.

Jesus said,

Binding and loosing (vs. 18) sounds a bit like delivering someone to Satan.

Jesus talked about two or more “gathered together”, just like Paul has mentioned the church being “gathered”.

When a church “disfellowships” someone, there is a sense in which the protection of being part of God’s flock is removed.

Paul calls the goal the “destruction of the flesh”.

There is a time and place for setting boundaries and limits.

This is at the heart of the struggle of the co-dependent person, the one who lives with an addict.

We may not want our loved one drinking or abusing drugs, but sometimes our actions only make things worse when we don’t allow consequences of actions to take place.

:5 that his spirit may be saved

Lesson

Goal: Restoration

The goal in any kind of disciplinary action is not to punish or destroy another person, but to see some kind of good result, such as the person turning from their sin or ultimately to be saved.

Did Paul’s actions do any good?

It appears that the man was eventually restored.

Paul didn’t urge the Corinthians to accept the man back because the man was sad. Paul encouraged them to accept the man because he had turned around.

The goal is always restoration –

(Galatians 6:1 NKJV) Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.

Does discipline always result in a person turning around?

No it doesn’t. But when a person doesn’t respond to kindness and grace, they may need a jolt to wake up and come to their senses instead of us just continuing to tolerate their sin.

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

:6 a little leaven leavens the whole lump

Lesson

Contagious sin

Sin is often compared to “leaven”.

If you put a pinch of yeast in a lump of dough, the dough will rise as eventually the entire lump will be saturated with the yeast.

There is a sense that when one person is in open sin, and we don’t confront the situation, that it will eventually affect all of us.

Illustration

When Israel was conquering the land, they faced a tiny enemy at Ai and was defeated. God allowed their defeat because there was a man named Achan who had brought forbidden things into his tent and hidden them.

We need to be gracious and balanced here. The truth is, we all have sin. We all bring a sense of pollution into the church.

:8 let us keep the feast

:8 malice

:11 keep company