第五章

6 你們這樣自誇是不好的。你們不知道一點麵酵能使全團麵發起來嗎？ 7 你們既是無酵的麵，就應當把舊酵除淨，好讓你們成為新的麵團；因為我們逾越節的羊羔基督已經被殺獻祭了。 8 所以我們守這節，不可用舊酵，也不可用又邪又惡的酵，而是要用純潔真實的無酵餅。 9 我以前寫信告訴你們，不可與淫亂的人來往。 10 這話當然不是指這世上行淫亂的、貪心的、勒索的，或拜偶像的人；如果是這樣，你們就非脫離這世界不可。 11 但現在我寫信告訴你們，如果有稱為弟兄，卻是行淫亂、貪心、拜偶像、辱罵人、醉酒或勒索的，這樣的人，不可和他來往，連和他吃飯都不可。

 

默想

1. 神的話是毫不妥協的，有罪必須要面對，無論是什麼罪，都要認真的面對，並果斷的處理。若肢體中有病的部分不去求醫，不單那部分的肢體有可能逐漸壞死，更可能讓整個身體都受到威脅危險（麵酵的效果）。保羅命令哥林多教會的信徒，與教會中那些犯罪的人（11節）斷絕來往，目的主要是要保護教會，不陷入同樣罪的陷阱中。
2. 在我想要指出我認為教會或小組中的弟兄姊姊不恰當的行為時, 求主讓我先反省自己的行為與心態，並心存深切“哀痛”（2節）地為他們禱告。
3. 當為他們的罪哀痛禱告時，我心中對他們及其他弟兄姐妹會產生怎樣的態度？這對防止罪的“麵酵效應”有什麼作用？

 

禱告與筆錄：

繼續安靜在神面前，與神對話，並聆聽祂對我說的話。將心中的思想（心得），或是與神的禱告，記錄在“靈程筆記”簿上面。

 

CHAPTER 5

⁶Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough? ⁷Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. ⁸Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth.

⁹I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— ¹⁰not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. ¹¹But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.

 

MEDITATION

1. The Word of God is relentless.  It insists that we face up to our sin.  Whether that sin is indolence, idolatry, or immorality, we must face it squarely and deal with it decisively.  For if that diseased part of the body is not dealt with, not only is the individual member of the body at risk of dying, but it also puts the entire body at risk.  Paul urged them to sever all relationships with those sinning people.  His purpose is for the protection of the church lest they be led into the same sinful trap.
2. When I wanted to point out inappropriate behaviours of someone in the church or cell group, Lord God, please remind me to examine my own behaviour and thought life first.  Then, give me a deep mourning for them and their sins.
3. What will happen to my attitude when I mourn for them and others?  How would this affect the prevention of sin’s “yeast effect”?

 

Prayer & Journaling:

Stay with God for a little longer.  Continue to converse with God and listen to what he wants to tell me.  Then write down any thought and/or prayer in the 2011 “Spiritual Journal” book.