1 Coribthians 5:11 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.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.
As Paul closes this chapter we see that he again warns against associating with sinners to the degree that it could lure you into it. He does not mean to totally shun them, just do not condone what they are doing in sin, but we should be ready to help them find their way out of sin. Paul is hoping to keep those that are believers from falling away. He knows that it is a challenge to try to change the world so he has to to keep his converts on the right path. Last he tells us that for those that will not yield to God’s calling they will be judged by God one day. If someone is determined to live in sin like the world, put them out there in the world with the rest of the sinners. Those who are determined to sin should not be left with the Christians to contaminate them.
1 Corinthians 5:9 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 again here address fellow shipping with sinners. This time it is referencing all types of sexual sins including unnatural acts in sexual relations which includes homosexuals and adultery between male and female. One thing we must note in this, it is alright to go and witness to the lost, this is just speaking of not getting caught up in their sin. In Eph. 5:10 it tells us “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.” He goes on to tell us here that because we live in this world where this sin continues to abound we are not to be a part of it. We are a holy people set aside for the purposes of God but we are not own holy in our own right, but are righteousness because Jesus provided for us when He washed us in His precious blood. The purpose of us staying in this world is to win these others that are sinning out of their sin to the living God.
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:
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.
Paul starts here and warns us that if we have sin in our church it needs to be removed or else it will spread. He goes on to say get the sin out of the church. The church needs to be cleansed thoroughly and not leave anything that is associated with it. Just as unleavened bread symbolized being free so the church is to be unleavened, since it has been separated from the dominion of sin and death by the perfect Passover Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ. Last he tells us worship not with the old leaven or sin our in our life but with a continual remembrance of the great sacrifice that Jesus made for us. Sin should not be present in our lives as Christians and we should have no desire to sin in our hearts. We should constantly be sincere with the Lord and truth should be our standard.
1 Corinthians 5:3 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.
We see in these verse that Paul knew of this mans sin, even though he was not there, and knew what needed to be done about it. The church should have handled this person in the proper way and let them know what they were accused of. Then the ultimate goal of this process is restoration and if you are successful you have gained a brother or sister.In the last verse it is saying if you have to put this person out and basically turn them over to their sin and Satan it could cause them to face judgments that could cause them find their way back to Christ. When you are living in the world you are subject to whatever Satan cares to throw at you and a lot times this could cause a person to repent. If they repent their spirit will be saved even though the body man be ravaged by the sin they committed. It is the will of the Lord that all be saved and none be lost.
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.
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.
Paul begins this chapter with addressing a particular sin and that being fornication which could involve harlotry, incest ,or just plan pornography. This sin in the old testament was punishable by death. The church here was minimizing this and Paul had already addressed this issue before. In the next verse we see that the people of the church are upset because they are being reprimanded and have not done anything about it. Is this not like some of our churches today that say it is OK to sin in some ways if you have been baptized or even letting known sinners hold positions in a church. In Eph. 5:11 it says “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.” You can also read Matthew 18:15-17 and see how this is to be handled. We are to merely punish someone who willfully commits sin but rather remove them from as someone who would have influence over the fellowship of the church and and regard them as an evangelistic prospect rather than as a brother.
19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power.
20 For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.
21 What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?
Paul is ending this chapter saying he plans to come to see them if the Lord will allow him to. We can never say for sure we are going to do something because we are not promised another day. He knew the people were falling away from his teaching and when he comes back it would be in the power of God. The power Paul refers to here is Holy Spirit where the real power comes from. He ask if he should come with a rod of correction or in meekness an love. He cared enough about them to correct them if he need to but he had rather teach them by example through his meekness to turn them back to God. We all have people we have seen slip away from God that we would love to see come back and sometimes we feel we need to be firm with them but it would be better if we could do it with love through the power of the Holy Spirit. Attend church today and let God fill you with what you need to live more like Him each day.
1 Corinthians 4:17 For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.
18 Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you.
Paul now shows us if you teach people in the right way they can be used to instruct people in the way that is right. Timothy had been an understudy of Paul and was able to perfectly represent him and be an extension of Paul. Paul could not be in all the churches at once that he had started. We see in this next verse though that some got puffed up or angry cause Paul could not come thinking he did not want to come. We should learn from this that we should not depend on just one person to know the truth of God’s word to teach it. Also as we teach make sure we teach it in a way others can carry on by teaching the truth of God’s word. To add to or take away from the word has its consequences so we need to be sure to follow the true Word of God.
1 Corinthians 4: 14 I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.
15 For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.
Paul did not want his followers to think he was complaining about his suffering but rather that they might have to face some of the same suffering. He wanted these people to understand he had trained a lot of people and they might be good teachers but he was the one who cared for them the most. He counted himself as their father and therefore felt responsible for them. Paul was saying here that he had tried to live before them the Christian life, and if he would follow the pattern he had set they would be fine. He was not asking them to worship him. Spiritual leaders today should be bold in setting a Christlike example for us to follow today but not worship them.
1 Corinthians 4:11 Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;
12 And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:
13 Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.
In this first verse Paul lets us see that the lifestyle they lived was not always the best. They never knew what they might be paid or if they might have food to eat or even decent cloths to wear and they never knew if would have a place to stay. Paul had learned to be content when he had much and when he had little and could we only do the same. He goes on to let us know he did not mind working at a job for what he had or for being persecuted for spreading the Gospel. He considered it a privilege to persecuted for the Gospel. He was never popular with the Jews just like good christian people are not popular with the high society of today. They were actually considered the scum of the earth but not in God’s sight. Today we really need to understand that if we do our best to spread the word of God in our society today we will face some of the same challenges Paul faced.
1 Corinthians 4:8 Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.
9 For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.
10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.
Paul here is somewhat reprimanding the Corinthians here because they are making it seem that they are better than anyone else. He goes on to say that those who help spread the word of God seem to be put at the bottom of the totem pole because they are ridiculed, spit on, beaten and imprisoned for preaching the Gospel. Finally Paul is saying we should be willing to be fools if it gives us a chance to spread the word of God. Just as in today people know it is the right thing to do to come to Christ but they still look down on most of the people who really want to make them understand what
Christ has for them.
"For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one." I John 5:7
