IMMORALITY & THE CHURCH 1 Corinthians 4:17-6:8

1 Corinthians 4: This is why I have sent Timothy to you. He is my dearly loved and faithful son in the Lord. He will remind you about my ways in Christ Jesus, just as I teach everywhere in every church. 18 Now some are inflated with pride, as though I were not coming to you. 19 But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will know not the talk but the power of those who are inflated with pride. 20 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. 21 What do you want? Should I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?

1 Corinthians 5:1 It is widely reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and the kind of sexual immorality that is not even tolerated among the Gentiles—a man is living with his father’s wife.

How should they be dealing with this issue? 1 Cor. 5:2  And you are inflated with pride, instead of filled with grief so that he who has committed this act might be removed from your congregation.  “He needs love!”  “He needs acceptance!”  “He needs grace!”  “He needs therapy!”  “This is what is wrong with the church…always getting into people’s private business…too much force-feeding of morality…”

How were they dealing with it & what did that reveal about them? 1 Cor. 5:2  And you are inflated with pride, instead of filled with grief…  “This is not an issue because we are under grace, not under law.”  License  “We are a model fellowship because of all our amazing gifts & ecstatic spiritual experiences.”  Entertainment  “We are spiritual people, and don’t need to fret over what happens with these sinful, dirty, degraded bodies.”  Dualism

How were they dealing with it & what did that reveal about them? 1 Cor. 5:6-8  6 Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast permeates the whole batch of dough? 7 Clean out the old yeast so that you may be a new batch. You are indeed unleavened, for Christ our Passover has been sacrificed. 8 Therefore, let us observe the feast, not with old yeast or with the yeast of malice and evil but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

How were they dealing with it & what did that reveal about them? 1 Cor. 5:6-8  6 Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast permeates the whole batch of dough? 7 Clean out the old yeast so that you may be a new batch. You are indeed unleavened, for Christ our Passover has been sacrificed. 8 Therefore, let us observe the feast, not with old yeast or with the yeast of malice and evil but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. What is with the yeast thing?

How were they dealing with it & what did that reveal about them? 1 Cor. 5:6-8  6 Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast permeates the whole batch of dough? 7 Clean out the old yeast so that you may be a new batch. You are indeed unleavened, for Christ our Passover has been sacrificed. 8 Therefore, let us observe the feast, not with old yeast or with the yeast of malice and evil but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. They failed to understand that they were members of one another.

How were they dealing with it & what did that reveal about them? 1 Cor. 5:9-10  9 I wrote to you in a letter not to associate with sexually immoral people. 10 I did not mean the immoral people of this world or the greedy and swindlers or idolaters; otherwise you would have to leave the world.

How were they dealing with it & what did that reveal about them? 1 Cor. 5:9-10  9 I wrote to you in a letter not to associate with sexually immoral people. 10 I did not mean the immoral people of this world or the greedy and swindlers or idolaters; otherwise you would have to leave the world. They failed to understand their proper relationship to the non-believing world.

How were they dealing with it & what did that reveal about them? 1 Cor. 5:9-10  9 I wrote to you in a letter not to associate with sexually immoral people. 10 I did not mean the immoral people of this world or the greedy and swindlers or idolaters; otherwise you would have to leave the world. Classic Fortress Mentality:  “We are to be different from the world, so we need to stay out of the world or else it will corrupt us.”  Eliminates real relationships with real non-believers  Reduces evangelism to hit and run operations  Creates confusion about what authentic Christianity really is

How were they dealing with it & what did that reveal about them? 1 Cor. 5:9-10  9 I wrote to you in a letter not to associate with sexually immoral people. 10 I did not mean the immoral people of this world or the greedy and swindlers or idolaters; otherwise you would have to leave the world. Classic Fortress Mentality:  “We are to be different from the world, so we need to stay out of the world or else it will corrupt us.”  Eliminates real relationships with real non-believers  Reduces evangelism to hit and run operations  Creates confusion about what authentic Christianity really is John 17:14-19  14 I have given them Your word. The world hated them because they are not of the world, as I am not of the world. 15 I am not praying that You take them out of the world but that You protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth. 18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19 I sanctify Myself for them, so they also may be sanctified by the truth.

How were they dealing with it & what did that reveal about them? 1 Cor. 5:9-10  9 I wrote to you in a letter not to associate with sexually immoral people. 10 I did not mean the immoral people of this world or the greedy and swindlers or idolaters; otherwise you would have to leave the world. Classic Fortress Mentality:  “We are to be different from the world, so we need to stay out of the world or else it will corrupt us.”  Eliminates real relationships with real non-believers  Reduces evangelism to hit and run operations  Creates confusion about what authentic Christianity really is Separating themselves from the world was just as serious of an issue as the sexual immorality in their midst!

How were they dealing with it & what did that reveal about them? 1 Cor. 6:1-8  If any of you has a legal dispute against another, do you dare go to court before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? 2 Or don’t you know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest cases? 3 Don’t you know that we will judge angels—not to mention ordinary matters? 4 So if you have cases pertaining to this life, do you select those who have no standing in the church to judge? 5 I say this to your shame! Can it be that there is not one wise person among you who is able to arbitrate between his brothers? 6 Instead, believer goes to court against believer, and that before unbelievers! 7 Therefore, to have legal disputes against one another is already a moral failure for you. Why not rather put up with injustice? Why not rather be cheated? 8 Instead, you act unjustly and cheat—and you do this to believers!

How were they dealing with it & what did that reveal about them? 1 Cor. 6:1-8  If any of you has a legal dispute against another, do you dare go to court before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? 2 Or don’t you know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest cases? 3 Don’t you know that we will judge angels—not to mention ordinary matters? 4 So if you have cases pertaining to this life, do you select those who have no standing in the church to judge? 5 I say this to your shame! Can it be that there is not one wise person among you who is able to arbitrate between his brothers? 6 Instead, believer goes to court against believer, and that before unbelievers! 7 Therefore, to have legal disputes against one another is already a moral failure for you. Why not rather put up with injustice? Why not rather be cheated? 8 Instead, you act unjustly and cheat—and you do this to believers! They were trying to avoid dealing with these types of difficult issues

How were they dealing with it & what did that reveal about them? 1 Cor. 6:1-8  If any of you has a legal dispute against another, do you dare go to court before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? 2 Or don’t you know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest cases? 3 Don’t you know that we will judge angels—not to mention ordinary matters? 4 So if you have cases pertaining to this life, do you select those who have no standing in the church to judge? 5 I say this to your shame! Can it be that there is not one wise person among you who is able to arbitrate between his brothers? 6 Instead, believer goes to court against believer, and that before unbelievers! 7 Therefore, to have legal disputes against one another is already a moral failure for you. Why not rather put up with injustice? Why not rather be cheated? 8 Instead, you act unjustly and cheat—and you do this to believers! “Paul is asking the congregation to take responsibility for its own life. He is also astutely avoiding a trap. Some in the congregation are at least contemplating (and perhaps urging) leaving this mess for Paul to sort out when he arrives. That way the congregation can avoid the painful and distasteful task of making a decision. Furthermore, whatever Paul decides, they can then blame him. ‘He said this,’ ‘He failed to do that,’ ‘If only he had...’ The discussion can last for months and the damage for years. Regardless of what he says or does, some will blame him. Paul is too intelligent to be caught in such a bind.” (Bailey in Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes)

How were they dealing with it & what did that reveal about them? 1 Cor. 6:1-8  If any of you has a legal dispute against another, do you dare go to court before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? 2 Or don’t you know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest cases? 3 Don’t you know that we will judge angels—not to mention ordinary matters? 4 So if you have cases pertaining to this life, do you select those who have no standing in the church to judge? 5 I say this to your shame! Can it be that there is not one wise person among you who is able to arbitrate between his brothers? 6 Instead, believer goes to court against believer, and that before unbelievers! 7 Therefore, to have legal disputes against one another is already a moral failure for you. Why not rather put up with injustice? Why not rather be cheated? 8 Instead, you act unjustly and cheat—and you do this to believers! 1 Cor. 5:1  It is widely reported (or “everyone has reported”) that there is sexual immorality among you…

How were they dealing with it & what did that reveal about them? 1 Cor. 6:1-8  If any of you has a legal dispute against another, do you dare go to court before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? 2 Or don’t you know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest cases? 3 Don’t you know that we will judge angels—not to mention ordinary matters? 4 So if you have cases pertaining to this life, do you select those who have no standing in the church to judge? 5 I say this to your shame! Can it be that there is not one wise person among you who is able to arbitrate between his brothers? 6 Instead, believer goes to court against believer, and that before unbelievers! 7 Therefore, to have legal disputes against one another is already a moral failure for you. Why not rather put up with injustice? Why not rather be cheated? 8 Instead, you act unjustly and cheat—and you do this to believers! 1 Cor. 5:1  It is widely reported (or “everyone has reported”) that there is sexual immorality among you… Privacy & confidentiality were not inviolable for Paul.

How should they have dealt with this issue? 1 Cor. 5:2-5  2 And you are inflated with pride, instead of filled with grief so that he who has committed this act might be removed from your congregation. 3 For though I am absent in body but present in spirit, I have already decided about the one who has done this thing as though I were present. 4 When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus with my spirit and with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 turn that one over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the Day of the Lord.

How should they have dealt with this issue? 1 Cor. 5:2-5  2 And you are inflated with pride, instead of filled with grief so that he who has committed this act might be removed from your congregation. 3 For though I am absent in body but present in spirit, I have already decided about the one who has done this thing as though I were present. 4 When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus with my spirit and with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 turn that one over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the Day of the Lord.

How should they have dealt with this issue? 1 Cor. 5:2-5  2 And you are inflated with pride, instead of filled with grief so that he who has committed this act might be removed from your congregation. 3 For though I am absent in body but present in spirit, I have already decided about the one who has done this thing as though I were present. 4 When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus with my spirit and with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 turn that one over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the Day of the Lord.

How should they have dealt with this issue? 1 Cor. 5:2-5  2 And you are inflated with pride, instead of filled with grief so that he who has committed this act might be removed from your congregation. 3 For though I am absent in body but present in spirit, I have already decided about the one who has done this thing as though I were present. 4 When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus with my spirit and with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 turn that one over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the Day of the Lord.

How should they have dealt with this issue? 1 Cor. 5:2-5  2 And you are inflated with pride, instead of filled with grief so that he who has committed this act might be removed from your congregation. 3 For though I am absent in body but present in spirit, I have already decided about the one who has done this thing as though I were present. 4 When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus with my spirit and with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 turn that one over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the Day of the Lord.

How should they have dealt with this issue? 1 Cor. 5:2-5  2 And you are inflated with pride, instead of filled with grief so that he who has committed this act might be removed from your congregation. 3 For though I am absent in body but present in spirit, I have already decided about the one who has done this thing as though I were present. 4 When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus with my spirit and with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 turn that one over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the Day of the Lord.

How should they have dealt with this issue? 1 Cor. 5:11-13  11 But now I am writing you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer who is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or verbally abusive, a drunkard or a swindler. Do not even eat with such a person. 12 For what business is it of mine to judge outsiders? Don’t you judge those who are inside? 13 But God judges outsiders. Put away the evil person from among yourselves.

How should they have dealt with this issue? 1 Cor. 5:11-13  11 But now I am writing you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer who is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or verbally abusive, a drunkard or a swindler. Do not even eat with such a person. 12 For what business is it of mine to judge outsiders? Don’t you judge those who are inside? 13 But God judges outsiders. Put away the evil person from among yourselves.

How should they have dealt with this issue? 1 Cor. 5:11-13  11 But now I am writing you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer who is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or verbally abusive, a drunkard or a swindler. Do not even eat with such a person. 12 For what business is it of mine to judge outsiders? Don’t you judge those who are inside? 13 But God judges outsiders. Put away the evil person from among yourselves. This action is applicable in cases of unrepentant, habitual, destructive sin issues.

How should they have dealt with this issue? 1 Cor. 5:11-13  11 But now I am writing you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer who is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or verbally abusive, a drunkard or a swindler. Do not even eat with such a person. 12 For what business is it of mine to judge outsiders? Don’t you judge those who are inside? 13 But God judges outsiders. Put away the evil person from among yourselves. This action is applicable in cases of unrepentant, habitual, destructive sin issues.

How should they have dealt with this issue? 1 Cor. 5:11-13  11 But now I am writing you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer who is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or verbally abusive, a drunkard or a swindler. Do not even eat with such a person. 12 For what business is it of mine to judge outsiders? Don’t you judge those who are inside? 13 But God judges outsiders. Put away the evil person from among yourselves. This action is applicable in cases of unrepentant, habitual, destructive sin issues.

How should they have dealt with this issue? 1 Cor. 5:11-13  11 But now I am writing you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer who is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or verbally abusive, a drunkard or a swindler. Do not even eat with such a person. 12 For what business is it of mine to judge outsiders? Don’t you judge those who are inside? 13 But God judges outsiders. Put away the evil person from among yourselves. This action is applicable in cases of unrepentant, habitual, destructive sin issues.

How should they have dealt with this issue? 1 Cor. 5:11-13  11 But now I am writing you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer who is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or verbally abusive, a drunkard or a swindler. Do not even eat with such a person. 12 For what business is it of mine to judge outsiders? Don’t you judge those who are inside? 13 But God judges outsiders. Put away the evil person from among yourselves. This action is applicable in cases of unrepentant, habitual, destructive sin issues.

How should they have dealt with this issue? 1 Cor. 5:11-13  11 But now I am writing you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer who is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or verbally abusive, a drunkard or a swindler. Do not even eat with such a person. 12 For what business is it of mine to judge outsiders? Don’t you judge those who are inside? 13 But God judges outsiders. Put away the evil person from among yourselves. This action is applicable in cases of unrepentant, habitual, destructive sin issues.

How should they have dealt with this issue? 1 Cor. 5:11-13  11 But now I am writing you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer who is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or verbally abusive, a drunkard or a swindler. Do not even eat with such a person. 12 For what business is it of mine to judge outsiders? Don’t you judge those who are inside? 13 But God judges outsiders. Put away the evil person from among yourselves. This action is applicable in cases of unrepentant, habitual, destructive sin issues.

How should they have dealt with this issue? 1 Cor. 5:11-13  11 But now I am writing you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer who is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or verbally abusive, a drunkard or a swindler. Do not even eat with such a person. 12 For what business is it of mine to judge outsiders? Don’t you judge those who are inside? 13 But God judges outsiders. Put away the evil person from among yourselves. Not an exhaustive list… 2 Thess. 3:6 – don’t associate with unruly, lazy Titus 3:10-11 – reject one trying to divide the church & tear down leadership

Discipline is good & what sets us apart from being a country club.  Hebrews 12:7-11 teaches that God disciplines us because He loves us as His children & wants to help us to become more like Him because it is GOOD!  2 Tim. 3:16-17  16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.  Matt. 28:19  “make disciples” (disciple & discipline are connected words)

Jesus expects us to practice this when necessary. Matt. 18:15-17  15 “If your brother sins against you, go and rebuke him in private. If he listens to you, you have won your brother. 16 But if he won’t listen, take one or two more with you, so that by the testimony of two or three witnesses every fact may be established. 17 If he pays no attention to them, tell the church. But if he doesn’t pay attention even to the church, let him be like an unbeliever and a tax collector to you.

This can actually work! 2 Cor. 2:5-8  5 If anyone has caused pain, he has caused pain not so much to me but to some degree—not to exaggerate—to all of you. 6 The punishment inflicted by the majority is sufficient for that person. 7 As a result, you should instead forgive and comfort him. Otherwise, this one may be overwhelmed by excessive grief. 8 Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him.

So why is this not practiced more often? Biblical ignorance  About love  About godly leadership & followership Fear of man  Of reprisal  Of rejection  Of not being successful (nickels & noses measure…not faithfulness) Failure to cultivate transformational fellowships