1 Corinthians 5:1-13

(1 Corinthians 5:1-13)

 

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. And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.  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,  In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 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.  Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? 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: 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. I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: 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.  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.  For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?  But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

This is a wicked thing that is seldom found even for the Corinthians who are known for their sexual depravity. It is absurd that this serious moral deviation is in the church. Surprisingly, however, the Corinthians seem to take it insignificant. Paul had made clear his position on this situation earlier. “Put out this fornicator.” Just as little leaven swells the whole dough, so old leaven must be thrown away even for the sake of holiness and purity of the church community. It was Paul's words to expel this fornicator from within the church community. However, the Corinthians did not listen to Paul's counsel. Rather than throwing out the fornicator, it was only filled with proud pride and arrogant bluff. This is because the fornicator is a powerful person. It is because they become uncomfortable with each other if they say the right sound. The Corinthians, who clearly know their bad behavior, but stick to their power and desire profit, are more ugly.