1 Corinthians 5 - Introduction

Butler's Comments

Chapter Five
THE PROBLEM OF CHURCH DISCIPLINE

(1 Corinthians 5:1-13)

IDEAS TO INVESTIGATE:

1.

What was the immorality being practiced in this instance in the Corinthian church?

2.

How could Christians be arrogant about that?

3.

Wasn-'t Paul's instruction too severe to do any good for the sinners?

4.

Does all sin in the church act like leaven?

5.

What should the Christian's relationship be to immoral people outside the church?

APPLICATIONS:

1.

Church membership and association with Christian people does not necessarily guarantee immunity from the grossest and most perverted forms of sin.

2.

There are sins so destructive of social fibre that even the heathen are appalled at them.

3.

What is even more appalling is that the church may take an attitude of sophisticated arrogance or indifference toward the sins which heathens abhor!

4.

The proper attitude of church members toward flagrant and perverted sin by one of its members is not arrogance, indifference, gossip, titillation or self-righteous apathy, but mournful discipline.

5.

The spiritual authority of the apostolic revelation to guide the church in matters of discipline is as equally viable in the New Testament epistles as it would be if the apostles were present in the body.

6.

God may allow Satan to hurt those whom the church excommunicates in order to motivate them, if possible, to repent (destroy the flesh).

7.

Impenitent sin is like yeast. It permeates and influences the whole community of the redeemed unless it is purged out of the church.

8.

The whole Christian life is symbolized by the holy-days and feasts of the Mosaic covenantespecially by the Passover. The church could learn a great deal about its call to holiness and sanctification by studying these great Israelite festivals.

9.

The Christian community cannot celebrate the Christian life in a manner pleasing to God if it allows flagrant, impenitent sinners to continue in its fellowship.

10.

God's demand for sanctification and holiness by church members does not mean they are to withdraw completely from the world into monasteries and convents. Christians must have contact with the world but not conformity to it.

11.

But toward those who are called brothers in Christ, if they continue in immorality, Christians are not even to have contactsocially or religiously!

12.

While the church is not responsible to judge and punish the immoral or criminal people outside the church, it is clearly commanded by apostolic order to judge and discipline the immoral within the church.

13.

The drastic measures ordered by the apostles concerning Christian discipline are designed first for the reclamation of the sinner; second for the integrity of Christ's holy church.

14.

Paul was as harsh with the Corinthian church for its arrogance and apathy, as he was with the perverted immorality of the sinning man. For the church to do nothing about persistent immorality is as sinful as to do the immoral act!

APPREHENSIONS:

1.

Why are sexual relationships between immediate members of a family wrong?

2.

Is Paul correct in saying that incest was not even found among pagans?

3.

What does Paul mean by saying the Corinthian Christians were arrogant?

4.

What would Paul expect the church to do if they followed his instructions and removed the one who had done this sin among them?

5.

How could Paul be absent from Corinth in the body but present with them in spirit to the extent that he would be judging the man?

6.

Why did Paul equate excommunication with delivering someone to Satan?

7.

What did Paul expect to be the result of delivering this man to Satan?

8.

What is destruction of the flesh?

9.

Why does Paul liken the Christian life to the Passover feast?

10.

What is sincerity?

11.

Why would Paul say it was all right for Christians to associate with the immoral men of this world and not all right to associate with immoral people who bear the name of brethren?

12.

Is sexual sin the only sin demanding non-association when found in one bearing the name of a brother? What others? Does the church follow this apostolic doctrine?

13.

How do you reconcile Paul's command here for Christians to judge one another, and Jesus-' command (Matthew 7:1 ff.) not to judge one another?

A SPECIAL BRIEF ON CHURCH DISCIPLINE

For if the message declared by angels (the Old Testament law) was valid and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? Hebrews 2:2-3

A.

Causes for discipline in the New Testament.

1.

Refusal to repent of a wrongdoing to a brother, Matthew 18:15 ff.

2.

Being the instigator of dissensions and difficulties in the church, Romans 16:17; Titus 3:10-11

3.

Laziness in personal life, 2 Thessalonians 3:6

4.

Preaching false doctrine, Romans 16:17-18; 2 John 1:9-11

5.

Immorality in a member, 1 Corinthians 5:1-7

6.

Anyone who is greedy, an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or thief, 1 Corinthians 5:11 (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).

B.

Purpose of discipline

1.

To save the sinning member, 1 Corinthians 5:5; 2 Corinthians 2:1-11; Galatians 6:1-10; Matthew 18:15; James 5:19-20; Jude 1:22

2.

To maintain the honor and authority of Jesus Christ

3.

To preserve the purity and reputation of the church before the world (not absolute, for that is impossible in this world). When the church is compared to the world, it must be different! The church must not tolerate flagrant, impenitent sinfulness in any member.

C.

Method of discipline

1.

By expression (teaching) and repression (disfellowshiping)

2.

First, go to the brother in personal counsel (Galatians 6:1; Romans 15:1; Matthew 18:15). It is divisive and schismatic to go to anyone else first.

3.

This failing, take with you one or two elders so that evidence of sin and impenitence may be established by witnesses (cf. 2 Corinthians 13:1).

4.

This failing, a meeting of the church should meditate the problem and make a decision as a congregation. If the offender refuses to comply with the congregational decision, he should be disfellowshiped, excommunicated, driven out, not even socialized with, having nothing to do with him (1 Corinthians 5:2; 1 Corinthians 5:13; 2 Thessalonians 3:6; 2 Thessalonians 3:14; Titus 3:10-11; 2 John 1:10-11).

D.

Manner of discipline

1.

Gentleness and humility must always characterize administration of any discipline (Galatians 6:1 ff.; Colossians 3:12-13; 1 Timothy 5:22, etc.)

2.

According to the guidelines of scripture

3.

Firmly, faithfully, without partiality, steadily and constantly

4.

With wisdom and sound judgment; with clear thinking controlling one's emotions.

Applebury's Comments

CHAPTER FIVE

Analysis

A.

Paul now considers the dereliction of the church in the matter of moral discipline (1 Corinthians 5:1-8).

1.

He expresses amazement at the shocking condition that was allowed to go unrebuked in the church (1 Corinthians 5:1-2).

a)

He presents the details of the case.

(1)

Fornication was actually heard and generally known to be present among them.

(2) The existing immorality was of such a nature that even the pagans around them would not tolerate it.
(3) The shameful conduct was this: A certain onePaul did not name him, but they surely knew who he washad his father's wife, living with her as his own.

b)

He shows his attitude toward their failure to act.

(1)

They were puffed uptheir pride prevented them from being aware of their duty to deal with this situation.

(2)

They did not mourn, but that is what they should have done in such shameful situations.

(3)

They had failed to see that the one who had done such a thing was taken away from among them.

2.

He gives the inspired directive for dealing with this thing which they had neglected to handle (3-5).

a)

He shows just how he had arrived at the decision.

(1)

Although he was absent in body, he was present in spirit, that is, he was actually taking part in the case.

(2) His judgment on the guilty party.

(a)

He had already passed sentence on the guilty one just as if he were present.

(b)

He did this in the name of the Lord Jesus, that is, by the Lord's authority exercised through the inspired apostle.

(c)

He was present in spirit when they gathered together to hear this verdict.

b)

He points out the effective power and purpose of this action.

(1)

The power to execute the sentence was the power of the Lord Jesus.

(2)

The sentence was to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh.

(3)

The purpose of the decision was in the hope that the spirit of the one judged may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

3.

He rebukes them for their pride which caused them to fail to take action in this situation (1 Corinthians 5:6-8).

a)

Their boasting was not good, that is, their pride in position of leadership was not good for it had caused them to neglect their duty in this case.

b)

He asks them a revealing question: Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? The whole church was in danger of being corrupted because of the immoral conduct of one man which they had neglected to correct.

c)

He indicates the course of action they were to take.

(1)

They were to purge out the old leaven, that is, they were to remove the sinful condition from their midst.

(2)

The purpose of this action was that they might become what they were designed to be, a new lump, that is, a body of clean-living Christians.

(3)

The reason for this is seen in the fact that Christ, our passover lamb, has already been sacrificed.

(4)

They were therefore to keep the whole Christian life free from malice and wickedness by filling it with sincerity and truth.

B.

Paul explains the instructions he has given for handling cases such as the one that existed in their midst (1 Corinthians 5:9-13).

1.

He wrote in his epistle that they were to have no company with fornicators (1 Corinthians 5:9).

2.

He explains what he meant by this remark (1 Corinthians 5:10-11).

a)

It did not refer to the people of the world who were fornicators, covetous persons, and idolators.

b)

This would require them to go out of the world, an evident impossibility.

c)

But he did write to them that they were not to keep company with a brother in Christ if that one was a fornicator, or a covetous person, or a drunkard, or an extortioner.

d)

They were not to eat with such a personno social functions that implied approval of sinners in the church.

3.

The reason for this standard of conduct (1 Corinthians 5:12-13 a).

a)

He had nothing to do with judging those who are outside of the church.

b)

But they did have a responsibility to act in such matters where brethren were concerned.

c)

They were reminded that God will judge the outsiders.

4.

As a final statement about the action they were to take, he said: Put away the wicked man from among yourselves (1 Corinthians 5:13 b).

Questions

1.

How had Paul learned about the sinful situation in the church?

2.

In what way was the whole church guilty?

3.

What was the nature of the sin?

4.

In what other sins that tended to discredit the church before the pagan community had they failed to take proper action?

5.

What was Paul's attitude toward the failure of the church to act in these cases?

6.

What kind of a reputation did Corinth have in regard to moral standards?

7.

What was their attitude toward this sin?

8.

Explain how this one could have his father's wife.

9.

What did this sin which was allowed to go unreproved by the church do to their effectiveness in preaching Christ and Him crucified?

10.

What was the church puffed up about?

11.

What should have been their reaction to this situation?

12.

Why didn-'t Paul name the one who had done this thing?

13.

What should the attitude of the church be toward a member who repents of his sin and desires to change his way of living?

14.

What order did the apostle give the church in the case of the brother who was living in sin?

15.

Is it better to remove a diseased member of the body than to let the whole body die?

16.

What, in all probability, will become of the sinner if the church condones his sin?

17.

What will become of the whole church that fails to rebuke those of its members who habitually practice conduct unbecoming to a Christian?

18.

Why was the physical presence of Paul unnecessary in order for the church to act in this case?

19.

How was his presence represented?

20.

What was implied by the fact that Paul had already decided the case against the wicked man?

21.

By what authority did he make the decision?

22.

What was the sentence of the Lord's inspired apostle?

23.

What is meant by taking this action in the name of our Lord Jesus?

24.

How could the apostles be trusted to act in His name?

25.

What of Paul's authority in relation to that of the other apostles?

26.

Where was the apostolic decree against the guilty man to be made known?

27.

When the church assembled on this occasion what were they to remember about the absence of Paul?

28.

Why was the church not to hold a trial in this case?

29.

What are some of the examples of physical punishment visited on outstanding sinners?

30.

How can the church have just as great effect on the unsaved sinner as the demonstrations of such physical punishment?

31.

Who was to deliver the sinner to Satan?

32.

What was the part of the church in carrying out the sentence?

33.

What are the various expressions that show exactly how this was to be done?

34.

Should a condemned brother such as the one at Corinth be allowed to attend church?

35.

What should a church refuse to do until he repents?

36.

What should they do when he repents?

37.

What was the purpose of the sentence against the wicked one?

38.

What was the church glorying about?

39.

Why did Paul say that it was not good?

40.

Why did Paul say that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

41.

What are the facts of the passover feast as presented in Exodus?

42.

What bearing did this have on the situation at Corinth?

43.

In what ways is the Christian life completely new?

44.

What did Paul imply by the remark, even as ye are unleavened?

45.

In what way is Christ our passover lamb?

46.

What is the relation of the passover feast to the whole Christian life?

47.

What does the old leaven represent?

48.

What was to be done with it?

49.

How does this apply to the case of the immoral man in the Corinthian church?

50.

What does the unleavened bread stand for?

51.

What are the two ways to understand Paul's statement: I wrote to you in my epistle?

52.

If there should be a lost epistle of Paul to the Corinthians, what bearing would it have on our understanding of First Corinthians?

53.

What is the literal meaning of the expression, no company with fornicators?

54.

What limit did Paul place on the church in regard to social contacts?

55.

What did Jesus say about the relation of His disciples to the world?

56.

Why did Paul say, then ye must needs go out of the world?

57.

To whom did Paul's directive apply?

58.

How does Jesus-' statement about the apostles in relation to the world illustrate that of the church?

59.

What other sins besides immorality did Paul include in this decision?

60.

What is said about judging the world?

For Discussion

1.

How can the church have an effective voice in upholding the Christian standards of morality in our society?

2.

What do you think about sermons on hell and the judgment?