1 Co 5 & 6 "Live Life Through the Lens of the Gospel."

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A little bit of review...

Last week in our message we took some time and recognized that Paul had made multiple trip back to the Corinthians.
At the time, the Corinthians were all “puffed up.” Paul the Apostle to the Gentiles, the one who was called by Jesus himself to be an Apostle was not only here once but twice and a third time.
We must be very special...
1 Corinthians 4:6–7 ESV
6 I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another. 7 For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?
We have “puffy” Christians in our world...
Turn on the TV on Sunday mornings and there are some
Live in a community that is racially, ethnically and economically divided… with one brand of Christianity who might just be a bit to big for their britches.
Anyone who thinks they are a special, unique, exclusive hearer and interpreter of God’s word that is in error and does not follow the orthodox faith… Is PUFFED up!!!
Beginning here in V.7 Paul is on the warpath… He asks rhetorically. Who? What? and Why?
“Who” - Makes you different from anyone else?
“What” - Do you have that you did not receive?
“Why” - Why do you boast as though you did not [receive it?]
What makes you group of Christians in Corinth any better or any worse..?
What makes you group of Christians in Sunnyside any better or worse..?
What makes you Baptist, Lutheran, Presbyterian any better than the rest.
1 Corinthians 4:18–21 ESV
18 Some are arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. 19 But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people but their power. 20 For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power. 21 What do you wish? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love in a spirit of gentleness?
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It’s your choice church… whip, as in punishment or in love and gentleness
It should be obvious to them… but its not. Paul made all of the visits, all of the speeches, all of the one-on-ones, all of the people over to his home, all of the Sunday Schools, all of the #City Wide events to try and straighten them out and their “way” of doing church.
I’m not sure that it caught because some of those core issues still exist in the church today.
Those ideas that your church is “better than” so and so. Or that your church is has a corner on the Christian market is not only a bad bet it is boasting and being “puffed up.”
Here is our BIG QUESTION: How do we reconcile Paul’s instructions from the first century to the 21st century?
Let’s get to our scripture for today
1 Cor 5 & 6
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1 Corinthians 5 & 6
We are going to be looking at these two chapters today because they are linked in many ways...
First is Chapter 5
The statements and ideas in these chapters are very sensitive. I’m not sure what was going on in the culture of the first century but in our culture of the 21st century the issues addressed are way more than difficult.
Incest - “Mother and son” A man has his father’s wife IN THE CHURCH
Adultery - “Two consenting adults” - in the church
THE CULTURE OF THE FIRST CENTURY WAS VERY SEXUAL-IZED.
Temple prostitutes
Sex in the streets, sex for sale
Worship of false gods that encouraged sexual looseness
THE CULTURE OF THE 21ST CENTURY IS OVER SEXUAL-IZED
Sex is everywhere...
Television
Internet
Magazines
Comics
Sex in the schools… yes in the schools here in Sunnyside. Regardless of the affiliation of the school.
Everywhere we turn in 2021…Sex is there and there and there.
Let’s get to the scripture
1 Corinthians 5:1–3 NIV84
1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that does not occur even among pagans: A man has his father’s wife. 2 And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have been filled with grief and have put out of your fellowship the man who did this? 3 Even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. And I have already passed judgment on the one who did this, just as if I were present.
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The context and word choices are interesting here.
In V.1 - a man having sex with his father’s wife… not necessarily his mother. This example was not the only “incest” that was happening. Men and women with children.
In V.2 - Church listen up...“And you are proud! You should be horrified, you should be in grief. The man should be expelled!
In V.3 - Paul says even though I’m not there this is horrible! I am revolted! Even not knowing who it was I’ve already passed judgement.
Paul’s further instruction… V.5
1 Corinthians 5:5 NIV84
5 hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord.
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What possible question could the church have about this...
They questioned that the boasting of the church and the sexual immorality talked about should be left to Christian freedom.
Romans 6:1–2 ESV
1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?
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The church was so “puffed up” and so stuck on themselves that they didn’t recognize what was right in front of them.
What Paul hoped was that this man could be restored… by his faith “in the day of the Lord” …
Another way to say that is this.
Paul still held out eternal hope for the man but as far as any fellowship with the church here in Corinth it was done.
I’m not sure if you want to hear the next part but here goes
Over the last 5 years, 13 major evangelical pastor’s and their ministries, rocked by sexual scandal
This is horrible thing has also come to Sunnyside with a church that was just getting its footing her in the lower valley
I’ll say it again… These men, leaders of hundreds and thousands of people turned their back to the Gospel and to God for their own pleasure, or pocket book. I’ll leave it hang there!!!
I’m not going to judge. I’m going to create accountabilities, I’m going to create safeguards in my own life, I’m going to make sure that my Elder’s know what that I am doing. I’m going to be accountable.
Romans 6:23 NIV84
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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The churches of Corinth in similar circumstances to our churches today… Simply didn’t or couldn’t stop the madness that was going on!
Paul suggested a way back for the church...
1 Corinthians 5:7–8 NIV84
7 Get 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. 8 Therefore 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.
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Old yeast is equated with the Pharisees and the Sadducees.
Matthew 16:12 ESV
12 Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
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CHURCH: Paul does not want us to return the days the Old Testament rules. Where rules abound and Grace is hard to find.
Here is a summary statement for this whole chapter
1 Corinthians 5:11 NIV
11 But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people.
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This comment extends as far as the church doors and no further...
The world and those who are still apart of this world… Deserve the Grace and Mercy that we received while we were far from God. As a way of “winning” us to Christ.
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Let’s move to Chapter 6
A similar set of circumstances
Lawsuits were being lodged against other believers inside the church. They were bringing each other to court for “ungodly” administration of justice.
1 Corinthians 6:1–3 ESV
1 When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints? 2 Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? 3 Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life!
Paul has just stacked every reason to stay within the church in these “trivial cases.”
Paul is NOT telling us to excommunicate, show the door to, or dis-fellowship those with trivial cases.
He is clearly calling for the church to decide this matters. Fairly and equitably.
This is truth in dealing with Brother’s and Sisters. Fellow believers.
Paul is in a very “feisty” mood with what he is seeing around him in Chapter 5, justifiably and here in chapter it rings a bit differently
The CRIME here is bringing the suit when it could be settled better in the church
Listen as I read V.6, 7, 8
1 Corinthians 6:6–8 ESV
6 but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers? 7 To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? 8 But you yourselves wrong and defraud—even your own brothers!
In your “decisions” you even defraud your own brother and sisters… In your cheating you seem to really do this harshly with your brothers and sisters.
THIS IS WICKED!
1 Corinthians 6:9–10 NIV84
9 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
Before we get to Verse 11… Let me remind you of somethings
Romans 3:23 NIV84
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Paul was clear as a new pair of glasses in Chapter 5. There is certain sin that inside the church was not to be accepted in any way, shape or form.
Paul was also very clear that disputes, really trivial disputes among brothers and sisters are to be handled within the church.
So how do we reconcile these two...
There is some sin that is so horrible, that is so out of line that immediate and complete dis-fellowship is the only remedy.
There is other sin, between two people over a proverbial bale of hay. In house, Christian mediation is the only scriptural option.
Let’s also revisit our BIG QUESTION: How do we reconcile Paul’s instructions from the first century to the 21st century?
When you are the person wronged… follow your good, God-given common sense. Talk it over with me, your Pastor or a trusted friend.
In regards to any of the sexual sins that we talked about… immediately call 911 and involve the police.
In the matter of the proverbial “bale of hay” seek wise council, pray the matter through.
What is it that you have to win?
Are the potential losses worth the collateral damage?
I’m not sure if you keep track of these things but I do...
I left one verse “hanging” didn’t give it to you. So let’s resolve it
1 Corinthians 6:11 NIV84
11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
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We were all in some degree or another thieves, greedy, drunkards, slanderers or swindlers.
Deserving of judgement, deserving of death, deserving of eternal separation from God....
But we were washed, sanctified, justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
Praise God for Grace, for his Mercy for dealing with us not by what we are due but what Christ has done for us in taking EVERY SINGLE SIN AND WASHING IT AWAY WITH HIS BLOOD!
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