1. The Epistle of First Corinthians

2. Outline of 1 Corinthians
SECTION ONE: Dealing with reported problems (1:1—6:20)
A. Unity based on God’s wisdom (1:10—4:21)
Greeting, thanksgiving, and exhortation to unity (1:1-17)
God’s wisdom & power vs. human pride (1:18-31)
Paul’s Example – relying on God’s wisdom and power (2:1-16)
God’s foundation and building (3:1-23)
The quality of Paul’s apostleship (4:1-21)
B. Dealing with sin in the church (5-6)
Dealing with the immoral (5:1-13)
Dealing with those filing lawsuits (6:1-11)
Flee Sexual Immorality (6:12-20)

3. Outline of 1 Corinthians
SECTION TWO: Dealing with questions and concerns of the Corinthians (7:1--16:9)
C. Their Concerns (7-9)
Marriage problems & issues for singles (7:1-16)
Live as you are called (7:17-40)
Things offered to idols (8:1-13)
The rights and responsibilities of preachers (9:1-27)
D. Common Concerns (10-11)
Old Testament warnings about temptation (10:1-13)
Flee idolatry (10:14-33)
Respecting headship when praying or prophesying (11:1-16)
The Lord’s Supper (11:17-34)

4. Outline of 1 Corinthians
SECTION TWO: Dealing with questions and concerns of the Corinthians (7:1--16:9)
E. Spiritual Gifts (12-14)
Gifts of Spirit (12:1-31)
The superiority of love (13:1-13)
Keeping tongues in perspective (14:1-22)
Order and decorum in the assembly (14:23-40)
F. The Gospel of the Resurrection (15)
The Gospel and the FACT of the resurrection (15:1-20)
The Character of Resurrection (15:21-58)
G. Closing Words (16)
Concerning the collection and Paul’s future plans (16:1-24)

5. Dealing with the Immoral (5:1-13)
The Problem: Pridefully Tolerating Immorality (5:1-5)
It was “commonly” reported that gross sexual immorality (fornication) was being tolerated at Corinth (5:1)
Marriage to a step-mother was not typically accepted even among Gentiles, let alone Jews (Lev. 18:8)
The Corinthians were pridefully tolerant of this sin! (5:2)
Human pride had been the root of the divisions mentioned earlier (3:21; 4:17-18)
They should have been sorrowfully intolerant!!!
Cicero says of the offence, expressly, that “it was an incredible and unheard of crime.”
Leviticus 18:8  The nakedness of your father's wife you shall not uncover; it is your father's nakedness.

6. Dealing with the Immoral (5:1-13)
The Problem: Pridefully Tolerating Immorality (5:1-5)
Paul had already judged the one committing the sin!
Judging another to be in sin is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY for withdrawal to occur (or rebuke or correction)
The apostle prescribes a course of action to follow in “the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”(5:3-5; 2 Thess. 3:6)
The action should be taken in a church assembly
The sinner is to be delivered to Satan (1 Tim 1:18-20; Col. 1:13-14)
The purpose of this action is the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved (Gal. 5:24; Luke 15:11-32; 2 Cor. 2:7)
2 Thessalonians 3:6  But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us.
1 Timothy 1:18-20  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.
Colossians 1:13-14  He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,  14  in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.
Galatians 5:24  And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
2 Corinthians 2:6-7  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.

7. Dealing with the Immoral (5:1-13)
Removing the Leavening Influence of Sin (5:6-8)
Pride in tolerating sin ignores it’s leavening influence! (5:6; Gal. 5:6-9; Matt. 16:16)
The sinful influence must be removed to assure that we may partake of Christ in sincerity & truth.
The Israelites were to remove all leaven from their houses to eat the Passover lamb (Exodus 12)
Christ is our Passover Lamb, sacrificed for our deliverance; we are to partake of Him in “sincerity” (purity, lit. “judged by sunlight”)
Galatians 5:6-9  For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.  7  You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?  8  This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you.  9  A little leaven leavens the whole lump.
Matthew 16:6  Then Jesus said to them, "Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.“
Proverbs 22:24-25  Make no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go,  25  Lest you learn his ways And set a snare for your soul.

8. Dealing with the Immoral (5:1-13)
Do not Keep Company with Immoral Brethren (5:9-11)
Paul had previously instructed the Corinthians not to keep company with the sexually immoral (5:9-10)
He did not mean to say that they must avoid contact with those in the world who are sexually immoral, covetous, extortioners or idolaters.
Such are unavoidable in this world!
Paul now instructs the Corinthians to avoid keeping company with or even eating with “anyone named a brother” who is sexually immoral, covetous, an idolater, a reviler, a drunkard, or an extortioner”(5:11; 2 Thess. 3:14-15; Matt. 18:15-17; Rom. 16:17-18; Titus 3:10-11)
2 Thessalonians 3:14-15  And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed.  15  Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
Matthew 18:15-17  "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.
Romans 16:17-18  Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them.  18  For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.
Titus 3:10-11  Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition,  11  knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned. NOTE: Reject here means to “shun” or “avoid”

9. Dealing with the Immoral (5:1-13)
The Church is to Judge those within it (5:12-13)
Neither Paul nor the Corinthians had any reason to make ongoing judgments on the various sinful activities of worldly people – God will judge them!
NOTE: The fact that those in the world are committing a variety of sins is an obvious given.
But both Paul and the Corinthians had an absolute responsibility to “put away” (remove) a wicked person from their midst – and that required judgment!
1 Peter 4:14-15  If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.  15  But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people's matters.

10. Dealing with the Immoral (5:1-13)
Review of the Reasons for the Practice of Withdrawing
Sin sullies the reputation of God’s people (5:1; 1 Peter 4:14)
Sin among us is a grief (5:2)
We are commanded to do so in the name of Christ (5:4; 2 Thess. 3:6)
To bring about the destruction of the flesh (5:5a)
To save the soul of the sinner (5:5b)
To prevent the sin from spreading among God’s people (5:6-7)
1 Peter 4:14-15  If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.  15  But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people's matters.
2 Thessalonians 3:6  But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us.

11. Lesson Schedule for our study of First Corinthians Eastside Auditorium Fall Quarter 2017