Cleaning House
1 Corinthians 5
1. It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.
Fornication is sexual relations outside of the bonds of legal marriage. We all understand what that means. It is sin and should not be allowed among believers.
The man in question in this passage has carried it even further - he is in an incestuous relationship with his father's wife. (We assume that his father had remarried and has now probably passed away.)
It is a reproach on the church that this thing has happened and even a greater reproach that nothing has been done about it.
2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.
3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,
4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
This is strong medicine - deliver them over to Satan. That is, remove this person from the protective covering of the church. Consider them as unsaved. Certainly no real believer can live in such a sinful state. Their very behavior denies their proclaimed faith. You cannot live in willful, blatant sin and be a true believer in Christ.
Ga 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
But why such strong actions against such a person?
First, we must balance this with the attitude of Jesus who was a friend of sinners. He ate with publicans and sinners. He touched untouchables. He extended mercy and forgiveness to those the religious leaders rejected.
But these were people outside of the church. These were those who knew they were in the wrong.
9. I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.
11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
To the religious crowd Jesus was harsh in judgment. He rebuked those who professed religion but were no better than the sinners they condemned. He expected more out of the church crowd. We must also.
Here is the key issue:
6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
7. Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
If we allow sin to go unconfronted in the church, then we give the impression that it is okay. Then, others will assume if one can do it, so can they. And so the sin spreads and the whole church is contaminated.
12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
Now, I believe the key to a sermon is the application. The application to this one is harsh, but necessary.
There are at least two couple in this body living in a sinful state - unmarried but living together. There may be others living in other sins, but these are very obvious.
I will not call their names. Most of you know who they are. They may get angry with me. That's okay. They may be embarrassed. They should be.
They have been turned down for membership and other benefits because of their sin. They are as welcome to come to this church as much as any other sinner needed Jesus.
But here is the thing - these people are not one of us. They are sinners who need to be saved. They may profess Jesus. They may sincerely believe. They may claim him as Savior. But they are bringing open shame to Christ by their lifestyles. They need to repent and change their living conditions in order to get right with God.
I do not believe we will see these people in heaven because they proclaim Jesus with their mouths but deny him with their deeds.
How should you treat these people? You should love them. Jesus loved sinners. But he hated their sin. You should condemn their sin. You should treat them as one who needs to repent and be saved. You should approach them about their sin and plead with them to make it right.
Now keep this in mind:
Ga 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
Ga 6:2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
The purpose of confrontation is restoration - not condemnation. If need be, shame them into repentance. But remember you purpose - to restore them to a right relation with Jesus.
Conclusion:
As I said, there may be others who are living in blatant sin. We've addressed fornication. There may be ones living in adultery - cheating on your spouses. There may be other sins - a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner - all of these were named, that we should not fellowship with brethren who practice these. If you are guilty, repent!
These altars are open. But I don't want any false repentance. If you are sorry for your sin, you will change it! You will cease your sinful activity and change your life - now!
And I forbid anybody to sit back and judge those who come to this altar. God calls for mercy to those who truly repent. Love them back to Christ.