¹ It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father’s wife. ² And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.

³ For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing. ⁴ When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, ⁵ you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.

⁶ Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? ⁷ Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. ⁸ Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

⁹ I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— ¹⁰ not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. ¹¹ But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one.¹² For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? ¹³ God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”

REFLECTION

1. In chapters 1—4 Paul dealt with divisions in the church. Now he begins to focus on serious moral problems in Corinth. Incest and drunkenness during Communion are hardly what we hope to find in church. But we must remember that growing churches are not always filled with hand-picked Christians, but rather with a mixed collection of sinners being saved.
2. The Word of God is relentless.  It insists that we face up to our sin whether that sin is indolence, idolatry, or immorality. For if that diseased part of the body is not dealt with, it 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.
3. Why do you think so few churches today practice discipline of those who commit an immorality?
4. When you wanted to point out inappropriate behaviours of someone in the church or cell group, ask the Holy Spirit to remind you to examine your own behaviour and thought life first.  Then, give you a deep mourning for them and their sins.
5. What will happen to your attitude when you 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.

If you have a prayer journal, as you listen to God, write down a few thoughts, questions, words, names, drawings, or anything that has come to your mind during this time.

Proverbs for Today 17:19-21

¹⁹ Whoever loves transgression loves strife;
    he who makes his door high seeks destruction.
²⁰ A man of crooked heart does not discover good,
    and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity.
²¹ He who sires a fool gets himself sorrow,
    and the father of a fool has no joy.