Journey Through The Bible
     Old Testament Reading: Ezekiel 33-36
     New Testament Reading: 1 Corinthians 5

It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and the kind of sexual immorality that is not even tolerated among the Gentiles—a man is sleeping with his father’s wife. And you are arrogant! Shouldn’t you be filled with grief and remove from your congregation the one who did this? (1 Corinthians 5:1-2).

The church at Corinth was not only divided, but it was also a disgraced church. There was sin in the assembly. Unfortunately, everyone knew about it, yet nobody seemed to want to do anything about it. No church is perfect, but human imperfections must never be an excuse for blatant sin to continue in the body of Christ.

Instead of mourning over a Believer who stumbled and lost his way, the Corinthians felt proud that they could tolerate such a shocking sin. Perhaps they congratulated themselves that their love could overlook the type of behavior that ordinarily brought condemnation. However, their tolerance of sin allowed the church to remain defiled. Not only was it ruining their influence in the community, but it was also dividing the fellowship and confusing new believers.

Blatant and persistent sin by believers can have serious consequences, not only for those in the church, but also for those who do not believe in Christ. If His followers do not differ from the world, why should the world believe in Him?

Church discipline is not to be seen as a group of pious policemen out to catch a criminal. Instead, it is a group of broken-hearted brothers and sisters seeking to restore an erring member of the family. Church discipline is to be done not simply by the authority of the local church, but by the authority of Jesus Christ. The Word of God is to be used for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness (2 Tim 3:16).

My brothers and sisters, if any among you strays from the truth, and someone turns him back, let that person know that whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and cover a multitude of sins (James 5:19-20).

Church discipline is difficult and unpopular, but it is important. If done properly, God can use it to convict and restore an erring Believer. Indications are that this man repented and restored to the fellowship. This punishment by the majority is sufficient for that person. As a result, you should instead forgive and comfort him. Otherwise, he may be overwhelmed by excessive grief. Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him (2 Cor. 2:6-8).

Paul closed the chapter by correcting another related issue. Evidently, the church had misinterpreted the advice that Paul had given in a previous letter and had stopped having contact with the unsaved in the world. (See 1 Cor. 5:9-13)Yet they continued to tolerate the sin of those in the church, which was even more dangerous to the fellowship.

God did not call us to clean the fishbowl but to fish for men! The church must set its own house in order; those on the outside are for God to judge and believers to evangelize. The ease with which the present-day church often passes judgment on the moral and ethical misconduct of the outside community is matched only by its reluctance to take action to remedy the ethical conduct of its own members. We have reversed Paul’s order of things.