church discipline

Good morning friends,
Today's reading is a challenging one, so bear with me (and Paul). Paul raises a situation he has heard about in the Corinthian church: a man living with his father's wife. He has also heard that the church is "arrogant" about this; maybe that means they talk about how Christ has saved them and live too loosely as a result. Paul says the church should mourn because their community is made impure by immorality like this. He argues that they are responsible to put the man out of the community until he repents of his sin. By keeping him in the community it sends the message that his behavior is OK and risks "leavening the whole batch" or corrupting the whole church. The church is made holy by Christ's sacrifice, so we are called to keep it that way.

Paul's point is that the church needs to support each other in doing the right thing and call each other out with love when they do the wrong thing. That way everyone is built up in their faith and their faithful living. Notice too that he doesn't want the church to shun outsiders who are immoral. Those of us in the church are held to a higher standard because of God's transforming love. We reach out to those outside with love, not judgment. We build up our sisters and brothers by helping each other see where we might be going wrong. We do all this with great humility because we are all sinners and we never see the whole truth. I'd love to hear your thoughts and questions by email or (even better) on the blog.

God bless,
Sam

1 Corinthians 5:1-13



It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not found even among pagans; for a man is living with his father’s wife. 2And you are arrogant! Should you not rather have mourned, so that he who has done this would have been removed from among you? 3For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present I have already pronounced judgment 4in the name of the Lord Jesus on the man who has done such a thing. When you are assembled, and my spirit is present with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5you are to hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.



6Your boasting is not a good thing. Do you not know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough? 7Clean out the old yeast so that you may be a new batch, as you really are unleavened. For our paschal lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed. 8Therefore, let us celebrate the festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.


9I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral persons— 10not at all meaning the immoral of this world, or the greedy and robbers, or idolaters, since you would then need to go out of the world. 11But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother or sister who is sexually immoral or greedy, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or robber. Do not even eat with such a one. 12For what have I to do with judging those outside? Is it not those who are inside that you are to judge? 13God will judge those outside. “Drive out the wicked person from among you.”