February 15, 2015
Morning Service

I Cor. 5

 

In chapter four the Apostle addresses his position on being called of God to preach, to suffer for the Gospel’s sake and addresses again division.  He tells them how important it is to be faithful.  He tells us not to judge anything before the day of judgment.  How that the Apostle’s live a life of being less than the rest of the people.  He speaks of Corinth as having many teachers, but one father, as it was he who established the original message.  Paul closes this chapter with this thought, 1Co 4:21  What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?

 

This morning we are ready for chapter 5, let’s begin:

 

1Co 5:1-13  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. 

·         This sin problem (fornication) is spoken of commonly, and openly.

·         This sin is being done by church people, and even the Gentiles don’t do this.

·         The sin, that one should have his father’s wife.  More than likely a step-mother.

·         And if we recall this is one of the four things that the church people were to abstain from, any type of fornication.  Acts 15.

(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. 

·         This is the reaction that Paul expected of them.  That they should morn, and put this person out of their fellowship.

(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. 

·         Excommunication, and separation from the Altar of God, meaning the Communion Service.  This is what it will eventually be called, excommunication.

·         The idea of turning one over to satan is not that they will be eternally lost, but that they will see their error and return to the Lord.

·         James said this:  Jas 5:19-20  Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;  (20)  Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

BUT NOTICE THEIR ATTITUDE ON THIS MATTER:

(6)  Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? 

·         Leven here represents sin.  The Apostle says that the whole body, the church, is tainted by this sin.

(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: 

·         Cast out those who are openly sinning, and be made clean in the eyes of God.

·         Christ our Passover, is referring to the communion service, in which the early church called the Eucharist, which means the giving of thanks.  Paul calls it the feast.

(8)  Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 

·         Jesus Christ fulfilled the feast of unleavened bread, and we celebrate this risen Christ with the only act, that He commissioned, when He said “this do in remembrance of me.”  Our celebrating His death, burial, and resurrection, in our communion service.

·         Not to keep the feast with old leaven, or old sins, or even with continued sins, such as, malice, and wickedness in our lives.  But we are to keep this feast with the unleavened bread of sincerity, and truth.  Meaning we should not be partaking of the blood and body of Jesus Christ if we are practicing sin.  It’s one thing to be a sinner, and another to be continually practicing sin.  Such as practicing fornication, or thievery, or envy, or malice, or backbiting, etc.

 (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. 

·         Paul is saying, “I know that you rub shoulders with sinners every day, this is unavoidable.”

(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. 

·         This is very explanatory, and I believe that most Christians adhere to this. 

·         What would probably come to our minds would be all the corruption that is in the political world, and the wrong doings that go on there.  Christians are not to be a part of this type of lifestyle, or even associate with those that do.

(12)  For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? 

·         Paul says, I have no authority over them; and can exercise no jurisdiction over them. All my rules, therefore, must have reference only to those who are within the church.

(13)  But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

·         It is not my place to judge those that are not Christians, that is God’s responsibility.  It is not my calling to judge anyone, Paul however, is speaking of discipline in the church.  It is the leaderships responsibility to exercise this authority, to cause someone to repent, and to save their soul.  This is why someone like this is excommunicated.

·         However, one of the problems that exists in the church realm today is that if one is kicked out of one fellowship, they can readily go to another, and be accepted.  This was not true when there was only the one Catholic church.

·         The action, of excommunication, is a real part of the church function.  However, the reason must be scriptural, and done in love, with the hope of the one being punished will return with a  repentant heart, and be faithful till death.

 

ALMIGHTY GOD, PLEASE HELP US TO LIVE A LIFE FREE FROM THE THREAT OF EXCOMMUNICATION FROM YOUR CHURCH.  HELP US TO BE THAT GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT TO THE DAY YOU CALL US HOME.  AMEN.