Toleration of Sin in the Church

1 Corinthians 5:1-5, 9-12 ERV  (1)  I don't want to believe what I am hearing--that there is sexual sin among you. And it is such a bad kind of sexual sin that even those who have never known God don't allow it. People say that a man there has his father's wife.  (2)  And still you are proud of yourselves! You should have been filled with sadness. And the man who committed that sin should be put out of your group.  (3)  I cannot be there with you in person, but I am with you in spirit. And I have already judged the man who did this. I judged him the same as I would if I were really there.  (4)  Come together in the name of our Lord Jesus. I will be with you in spirit, and you will have the power of our Lord Jesus with you.  (5)  Then turn this man over to Satan. His sinful self has to be destroyed so that his spirit will be saved on the day when the Lord comes again (9)  I wrote to you in my letter that you should not associate with people who sin sexually.  (10)  But I did not mean the people of this world. You would have to leave the world to get away from all the people who sin sexually, or who are greedy and cheat each other, or who worship idols.  (11)  I meant you must not associate with people who claim to be believers but continue to live in sin. Don't even eat with a brother or sister who sins sexually, is greedy, worships idols, abuses others with insults, gets drunk, or cheats people.  (12)  It is not my business to judge those who are not part of the group of believers. God will judge them, but you must judge those who are part of your group. The Scriptures say, "Make the evil person leave your group."

Matthew Henry Commentary: The apostle notices a flagrant abuse, winked at by the Corinthians. Party spirit, and a false notion of Christian liberty, seem to have saved the offender from censure. Grievous indeed is it that crimes should sometimes be committed by professors of the gospel, of which even heathens would be ashamed. Spiritual pride and false doctrines tend to bring in, and to spread such scandals. The devil reigns where Christ does not. The bad example of a man of influence is very mischievous; it spreads far and wide. Corrupt principles and examples, if not corrected, would hurt the whole church. Believers must have new hearts, and lead new lives. Their common conversation and religious deeds must be holyWithout holiness we can neither live by faith in him, nor join in his ordinances with comfort and profit.

On this occasion he tells them that if any man called a brother, any one professing Christianity, and being a member of a Christian church, were a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, that they should not keep company with him, nor so much as eat with such a one. They were to avoid all familiarity with him; they were to have no commerce with him; they were to have no commerce with him: but, that they might shame him, and bring him to repentance, must disclaim and shun him. Note, Christians are to avoid the familiar conversation of fellow-christians that are notoriously wicked, and under just censure for their flagitious practices. Such disgrace the Christian name. They may call themselves brethren in Christ, but they are not Christian brethren. They are only fit companions for the brethren in iniquity; and to such company they should be left, till they mend their ways and doings.

He does not forbid the Christians the like commerce with scandalously wicked heathens. He does not forbid their eating nor conversing with the fornicators of this world, etc. They know no better. They profess no better. The gods they serve, and the worship they render to many of them, countenance such wickedness. “You must needs go out of the world if you will have no conversation with such men. Your Gentile neighbours are generally vicious and profane; and it is impossible, as long as you are in the world, and have any worldly business to do, but you must fall into their company. This cannot be wholly avoided.” But, besides, heathens were such as Christians had nothing to do to judge and censure, and avoid upon a censure passed; for they are without (1Co_5:12), and must be left to God's judgment, 1Co_5:13. But, as to members of the church, they are within, are professedly bound by the laws and rules of Christianity, and not only liable to the judgment of God, but to the censures of those who are set over them, and the fellow-members of the same body, when they transgress those rules. Every Christian is bound to judge them unfit for communion and familiar converse. They are to be punished, by having this mark of disgrace put upon them, that they may be shamed, and, if possible, reclaimed thereby: and the more because the sins of such much more dishonour God than the sins of the openly wicked and profane can do. The church therefore is obliged to clear herself from all confederacy with them, or connivance at them, and to bear testimony against their wicked practices. Note, Though the church has nothing to do with those without, it must endeavour to keep clear of the guilt and reproach of those within. End

Have we as Christians become so desensitized to sin, that we are longer bothered by it. Paul is addressing an issue that is far too common in today's churches. He was outraged that a professed Christian's sin was one that even the sinners were not known to be doing? The report had spread not only in the churches, but even among the sinners, to the great shame of God. When a report obtains such a circulation, it is certainly time to investigate it, and to correct the evil. And yet, there was not one cry of indignation from any of the church members. Instead, the church went about business as usual, praising God as if under His anointing, having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof, 2Tim. 3:5. Why do we get upset when the community begin to talk about our adulterer pastor, our fornicating deacons, our club going choir members and our homosexual choir directors. When the rumor is true, the church is obligated to deal with it, not cover it up. Then to have our leaders lie on God, saying" I am waiting for God to tell me how to deal with this". God's word already tells us how to deal with it, stop making excuses. Instead of sitting the person down from their position or denying fellowship, we lift them up before the people and honor them. It doesn't take long to realize when someone who has walked into your home, has outside, mistakenly stepped into dog feces. We immediately begin to look for the source of this intrusion. When we find it, we quickly remove the source, clean up the mess and breathe a sigh of relief. Our reaction to the smell of dog feces in our home is the same reaction Christians should have when sin enters the church. It is supposed that this offence that was tolerated in the church at Corinth gave rise to the scandals that were circulated among the sinner respecting the early Christians, that they allowed of licentious contact among the members of their churches. This reproach was circulated extensively among the sinner, and the primitive Christians were at much pains to refute it. How effective can our witness be when we allow fornication, adultery, heresy, homosexuality and others to reign in our churches. Our christian leadership has become weak and ineffective and to compensate for their lack of godly values, they substitute true worship with feel good worship. The purpose of this type of worship is to keep the church focus on how they feel, rather than pleasing God. We must remember that the Holy Spirit will not dwell in an unclean place. Remove that which makes the church unclean and he will return.

Suggested Reading: 1Co_5:2, 1Co_5:7; Psa_1:1-2; Pro_9:6; 2Co_6:14, 2Co_6:17; Eph_5:11; 2Th_3:14

Suggested Listening: The Man of Sin-G. Craig Lewis; Toleration of Sin in the Church-Tim Williams

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