Does Spiritual Pride prevent christians who come to church on Sunday from offering more than a cup of coffee (very light with lots of froth) to Corinthians (or Cincinnatians) seeking the Lord Jesus?
Previously in this first letter to his beloved believers in Corinth the Apostle has suggested:
For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power.
1 Corinthians 4:20 NLT
True evangelism of Christ through all Scripture becomes a personal challenge to us.
Pride in Preaching!
WE love our church — don’t we?
Our Pastor is more passionate about US than other preachers of competing gatherings on Sunday. (Or so WE tell some in evangelizing a consumer-friendly gospel of our loving Jesus.)
The Apostle has challenged such thinking among divided christians within the Corinthian church — some who doubt his distant authority in the Lord.
Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline, or shall I come in love and with a gentle spirit?
1 Corinthians 4:21b – NIV
NOW the Apostle REBUKES (judges) a specific evil known publically in the community of worshipers in Corinth.
It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you..
1 Corinthians 5:1a
As is often the case, it's not necessarily the preacher who is the problem (Paul, Apollos or Peter).
The offenders are generally overlooked witness of fellow christians (with whom you sip coffee and break bread), men and women identified with YOUR CHURCH gathering with their continuing sin evident to all.
THE LIFE THIS Corinthian christian leads, Paul suggests, is NOT so unlike the pagans WE hope to convert.
“.. and sexual immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, namely, that someone has his father’s wife.
It may be some other porneia [fornication] sexual sin, SOCIALLY ACCEPTED SINS generally known, perhaps prevalent in OUR church;
i.e. pre-marital sex, unmarried mothers, absent fathers, abortions, extra-marital affairs, divorces…
In Corinth (or Cincinnati, Chongqing or Chicago) our pride flaunts evidence of OUR indiscretions.
Yet sexual sin unconfronted as grace condones a witness of christian culture where unrepentance persists.
Our Common Era flood of destruction flows from the sins of the church.
The world sees christian sin witnessed as worship.
The Apostle calls on leaders of the Church to judge and remove the offender of Christ.
5:2 “And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you. – NKJV
“And you are proud! – NIV “
And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you. – ESV
PRIDE in PREACHING or IN THE PRAISE BAND or OUR CHOIR or OUR FESTIVALS; PRIDE in our COMMUNION or BAPTISM or LITURGY or CULTURAL INCLUSION or MISSIONS or PROGRAMS or SCHOOL or other 'church' identities WE CLAIM!
ALL distract US from the humility of serving Christ Jesus as our Lord in OUR HOMETOWN "Church."
Such pride divided the Corinthian Church (as it continues to do in this Common Era).
Judgment between Christ and Satan
Several BIBLICAL HEADINGS added to 1 Corinthians 5 reflect the seriousness of the Apostle’s judgment.
Immorality Rebuked – KJV
Sin in the Church – NLV
Wickedness in the Church – International Children’s Bible
Deviant Behavior – New Catholic Bible
Immorality Defiles the Church – NKJV
Sexual Immorality Defiles the Church- ESV
Throw Out the Evil Person! – NIRV
Paul Condemns Spiritual Pride – New Living Translation
Sexual Immorality Rebuked – NASB
- And also from the NKJV a Sub-HEADING to 1 Corinthians 5:9-13
Immorality Must Be Judged
PAUL’S WRITTEN EPISTLE DOES NOT CONDEMN from afar, but informs.
Even though I am not with you in person, I am with you in the Spirit. And as though I were there, I have already passed judgment on this man
The APOSTLE makes a personal connection to the church in Corinth and by the HOLY SPIRIT casts his authoritative judgment against a certain man who is part of their Corinthian church.
So when you are assembled and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.
the Apostle Paul’s first Epistle to the Corinthians 5:4-5 NIV
By the Authority of the Spirit the Apostle commands the leaders of this CHURCH to SHOW the Corinthian ‘christian‘ his choice between this SIN of the flesh and saving his spirit.
In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, .. with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 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.
1 Corinthians 5:4-5 excerpt NKJV
Σατανᾶς – Satan
As we frequently fail to enlist the power of the Advocate (the Holy Spirit), so too we dismiss the danger and deception of the Adversary, that is: Satan.
The Deceiver is an enemy of Christ and enemy of the Church.
Σατανᾶς – Of Aramaic origin corresponding to Σατάν (G4566)
The KJV translates Strong’s G4567 in the following manner: Satan (36x).
adversary (one who opposes another in purpose or act), the name given to
Σατανᾶς – Lexicon :: Strong’s G4567 – satanas
the prince of evil spirits, the inveterate adversary of God and Christ
he incites apostasy from God and to sin
- What does Paul mean by ‘turning this sinner over to Satan for DESTRUCTION of his FLESH?
- And how can this sinner’s ‘spirit be saved in the day of the Lord’ by his church turning him over to Satan?
- As a matter of practice (church practice, if you like) HOW can he be saved?
the power of our Lord Jesus is present
Take Action, Church! Don’t overlook this.
The issue is communion, purity of worship.
Paul illustrates from the Hebrew Law of God concerning leaven and then applies it to worship of the saints in Corinth.
6 Your boasting is not good.
Do you not know that a little leaven works through the whole batch of dough?
7 Get rid of the old leaven, that you may be a new unleavened batch, as you really are.
- Are you truly transformed in Christ?
- Do you count yourself in Christ as part of His body?
- (Some may recognize this quote of scripture from the traditional church liturgy of Holy Communion.)
For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.
8Therefore let us keep the feast..
not with the old bread, leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and of truth.
1 Corinthians 5:7b-8 BSB
Note the importance of the contrast Paul presents for communion of the saints of this new group of believers, the Corinthian Church (as they will be identified by the world).
When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit.. 1Cor5:4
Judging Outsiders
For what have I to do with judging outsiders?
1 Corinthians 5:12a LSB
PAUL rhetorically asks a MYOB question Christians hear frequently.
YET we know (and easily neglect) the Apostle’s point of his related question here FOR THE CHURCH.
I wrote you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people;
10 I did not at all mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the greedy and swindlers, or with idolaters,
for then you would have to go out of the world.
I meant that you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin,
or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people.
Don’t even eat with such people.
1 Corinthians 5:11:20 New Living Translation
Do you not judge those who are inside?
1 Corinthians 5:12b – NKJV
Translations vary, but the Apostle’s pointed QUESTION for the Corinthians is no different than the Spirit commands of us:
Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge?
1 Corinthians 5:12b – ESV
13 God will judge those outside.
“Expel the wicked man from among you.”
Seems so simple. Endure such dissentions or face a fellow saint in order to save their soul?
NEXT: Judging Problems Among Christians – 1 Corinthians 6
HEADING: International Children’s Bible
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