6/20/10 Be wise....

I Corinthians 5 – 6
BE WISE ABOUT CHURCH DISCIPLINE
NOTE: no division between 4:21 and 5:1. Paul continues with the problems of the Corinthian church…he had heard the report of a shameful sin in their midst. “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 the direct grammatical continuation of the words “I have judged.” Paul was not asking the church to judge but simply to carry out what he himself, an inspired apostle, had judged. Paul had the authority of an apostle … we cannot do what Paul did; yet, the incident shows what our ATTITUDE ought to be toward such sin among believers. Paul is addressing what had been reported to him. Before Paul can answer questions for the Corinthians, he must rebuke their frictions and shameful lapses. These 2 chapters belong with the first four that we have addresses the first two weeks. They were meant to show how deeply ridiculous – as well as unspiritual – all partisan boastings were while domestic immorality, [James 4:9] business defrauding, and social unchastity disfigured the fellowship. Paul’s letter is emphasizing that the Gospel tolerates absolutely no compromise with what is immoral or unworthy. Corinth was not an easy place in which to learn such lessons.

Remember that the Cor. converts had been born and bred in surroundings which were about as vile and vicious as could be imagined. The city had an infamous notoriety. Vice was raised into a religion and the idolators were set between fornicators and adulterers. In all the Bible there is not a more awful description of human sin and degradation than the 1st chp. Of Romans – and Paul wrote it from Corinth.

Remember the upbringing and environment of these Cor. converts. They had been truly won for Christ, and formed into a local church. They had broken from their idolatries, to worship the living and true God. But they could not break free in 10 minutes from all that was ingrained IN them or from the social conditions and seductions AROUND them. Missionaries tell of the same problem among Christian converts in heathen areas today. Yet they must learn right away that the Gospel will not tolerate compromise…there must be a clean break. The Holy Spirit is grieved and thwarted in the assembly where sin is allowed a footing.

The church at Corinth was not only a divided church, but it was also a disgraced church. There was sin in the assembly and sad to say, everybody knew about it. But the church was slow to DO anything about it. Human imperfection must never be an excuse for sin. Just as parents must discipline their children in love, so local churches must exercise discipline over the members of the assembly. It is not a group of “pious policemen” out to catch a criminal. Rather, it is a group of brokenhearted brothers and sisters seeking to restore an erring member of the family.

Us, today Christians, may think that we are far removed from those early brethren, yet again and again, just below the surface of our churches, goings-on equally grieving to the Holy Spirit and should be to the spiritual mature in the church. There is instead spiritual impotency and deadness. The world is not MOVED by the local church!!! WE ARE ANEMIC!!!!

Paul presented 3 important considerations:
“What will sin do to the church? is certainly an important consideration. Born again believers are SAINTS! And this means that our LIVING is to match WHO we are!!! Our response to sin in our midst should be:
MOURN OVER THE SIN. Deep and painful personal sorrow… instead of mourning, the people of Cor. were puffed up. They were boasting of the fact that their church was Open minded/that even fornicators could be members in good standing.
Paul does not address the woman…only the man. Most likely she was not a member of the assembly and probably not even a Christian. This sin was condemned by the O.T. Law Lev. 18:6-8 as well as by the laws of the Gentile nations. Paul shamed the church by saying, “Even the unsaved Gentiles don’t practice this kind of sin.”
Whenever a Christian brother or sister sins, it is time for the family to mourn and to seek to help the fallen believer. Gal 6:1-2.
JUDGE THE SIN. While we are not to judge one another’s motives Matt.7:1-5 or ministries I Cor. 4:5, we are certainly expected to be honest about each others’ conduct. Church discipline is commanded in the Scriptures, we must obey God and set personal feelings aside. Public sin must be publicly judged and condemned. Matt. 18:15-20. The sin is not to be swept under the rug…it was known far and wide even among the unsaved who were outside the church.
Paul did not suggest that they handle the offender gently. We MIGHT ASSUME that the leaders of the church sought to restore the man personally. (the instructions for such dealing with sin is given to the church in other Scriptures.) The putting out of the man was not to be done in the authority of the local church, but in the authority of Jesus Christ.
“unto Satan”…not deprive of salvation. When a Christian is out of fellowship with God and committing sin, he is open game for the enemy. The goal is repentance and a return to the Lord.
PURGE THE SIN v. 6-13 Leaven is a picture of sin. It is small but powerful…it works secretly; it “puffs up” the dough…it spreads! The sinner in the church is like a piece of yeast…defiles the entire loaf of bread…the congregation. The church and the individual Christian must purge itself of “old leaven”—the things that belong to the “old life” before we trusted Christ. Getting rid of malice and wickedness – hard feelings between members of the church and replace them with sincerity and truth. As a loaf of bread, the local church must be as pure as possible. (10:17)
PURPOSE of discipline: RESTORATION!
We are NOT to judge and condemn those who are OUSIDE the faith. That is a future judgment and only God is to do it. Christians are not to be isolated, but be separated. We cannot avoid contact with sinners, but we can and must avoid participation in their sin.
If a PROFESSED CHRISTIAN is guilty of the sins named, the church must deal with him/her. Individual members are not to “company” with him/her. 5:9 Not to eat = private hospitality or public observance of the Lord’s Supper. I Cor. 11:23-34
Church discipline is not easy or popular, but it is important. If done properly, God can use it to convict and restore an erring believer. (Later this man repent and was restored to fellowship II Cor. 2:1-11)

Consider the lost: 6:1-8 The church was rapidly losing its testimony. Paul was concerned about the church’s reputation and the impact such sympathetic rather than shameful response would do to its’ witness. The outsiders knew about the immorality in their midst and also the lawsuits involving members…sins of the flesh and sins of the spirit (II Cor. 7:1)
The U.S. is rapidly getting a reputation of being a country of lawyers and lawsuits! A few years ago there was a record of 12 M suits filed in the state courts…no telling what that number is today!
Consequences of such:
*the believers were presenting a poor testimony to the lost. *the congregation had failed to live up to its full position in Christ. [difference in friendly suits and “at each other’s throats.”] *the members suing each other had already lost. Better to lose money or possessions than to lose a brother and lose your testimony as well. Nobody really wins—except the devil! The one going to court was disgracing the name of the Lord and the church just as much as the man who was guilty of incest and they needed discipline.
CONSIDER THE LORD: 6:9-20 The Lord created sex and he tells us how to use it. The Bible is the “owner’s manual” and it must be obeyed.
CONSIDER God the FATHER: 12-14 Because of the fact that our bodies have a wonderful origin, and an even more wonderful future, how can we use them for such evil purposes?
The Corinthians – much like in today’s world, had 2 arguments… (1)”All things are lawful unto me v. 12 … false view of Christian freedom. We have not been set free so that we can enter into a new kind of bondage! Ask the questions: “Will this enslave me? Is this activity really profitable for my spiritual life?” (2) “Meats for the …” v.13 They treated sex as an appetite to be satisfied and not as a gift to be cherished and used carefully. TAUGHT IN OUR SCHOOLS AND IN EVERY SECULAR MAGAZINE THAT IS POPULAR WITH “COOL” YOUNG PEOPLE! Sensuality is to sex what gluttony is to eating…both are sinful and both bring disastrous consequences. Just because we have certain normal desires, given by God does not mean that we must give in to them and always satisfy them. Sex outside of marriage is destructive while sex in marriage can be creative and beautiful.
CONSIDER GOD THE SON: v.15-18 The believer’s body is a member of Christ. How can we be joined to Christ and joined to sin at the same time? Such a thought astounds us. Many saw then and some see now and believe that no harm is caused by visiting the temple prostitutes and committing fornication or adultery.
Jesus bought us with a price 6:20..and therefore our bodies belong to Him. We are one spirit with the Lord and we must yield our bodies to Him as living sacrifices.
When a man and woman join their bodies, the entire personality is involved. … a oneness that brings with it deep and lasting consequences. Paul warned that sexual sin is the most serious sin a person can commit against his body for it involves the whole person. He is not suggesting that being joined to a harlot is the equivalent of marriage, for marriage also involves commitment. Marriage protects sex and enables the couple to grow in this wonderful experience.
CONSIDER GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT 19-20 God the Father created our bodies; God the Son redeemed them and made them part of His body; and God the Spirit indwells our bodies and makes them the very temple of God. How can we defile God’s temple by using our bodies for immorality?
Whether speaking of the body as an individual or the body of believers collectively, the lesson is clear: “Glorify God in your body!” Our special relationship to the Holy Spirit brings with it a special responsibility.
Sexual sins affect the entire personality…can get a hold of a person and defile his entire life, enslaving him to habits that destroy…How sad it is to live with the consequences of FORGIVEN sin.
The grace of God can change the sinner’s life. 6:11…a new creation II Cor. 5:17, 21 It is important that we live like those who are a part of God’s new creation. We are not our own. We belong to the Father who made us, the Son who redeemed us, and the Spirit who indwells us. We also belong to the people of God, the church, and our sins can weaken the testimony and infect the fellowship.
“Be ye holy, for I am holy.” I Peter 1:16