Sex and Suing - Part 2

This is the fifth lesson in a series on 1 Corinthians. Please read all about it in the Introduction. This is the second part of the lesson on chapters 5-6. Be sure and review the first part here; Sex and Suing Part 1. This week will have the last 2 journal prompts instead of the usual 5. I’ve still linked the Scripture references to biblegateway.com; click the blue font references. And as always, I’d love to hear what you’re learning!

Week 4: Sex and Suing - Part 2 (1 Corinthians 5-6)

Read 1 Corinthians 5:1-8

It’s Not OK

Sooooo, what’s happening in Corinth? Although there is some speculation about the details, we know that one of the leaders in the church in Corinth is having sex with his stepmother. He is using spiritual freedom to condone his sin and the church is looking the other way. The whole situation is scandalous even to the pagan Corinthians in their community; folks for whom “wanton sexuality would have been common.” (ESV Study Bible, 2189).

Seriously, this is a problem.

Here’s what we know after reading this passage:

• Leaders using grace as an excuse to sin is NOT OK (6:12, 8:1, 10:23; Romans 3:8, 6:1-4, 6:15, Jude 4).
• Church looking the other way and allowing their fruitful influence to be lost is NOT OK (6:2, 6:8). They are growing callous to something that should be breaking their hearts. In a misunderstanding of grace they’ve decided that there are no rules. We are not called to a religion of legalism, but grace is never a license to sin. “Walking in the Spirit is always a matter of steering the middle and narrow course between too much license and too many rules and regulations.” (Prior, 95)

These first two Not Oks are clear….it’s figuring out what to do next that becomes very hard. We see phrases like "deliver to Satan" and "destruction of his flesh" and get awfully bent out of shape. How do we obey the teaching of this passage in a way that is redemptive and body-building? Let's look at some foundational teaching Jesus gave us. The basic Biblical tenets of church discipline are found in Jesus’ own words in Matthew18:15-20. It would be a really good idea to take a look at them as we move on; these guidelines should always be at the center of any conflict between believers and is our starting point.

Back in 1 Corinthians 5 there is one more point in the NOT OK list:

• Discipline without God’s Purpose is NOT OK.

Review 1 Corinthians 5:5 and 5:11 and the end of 5:13. The instruction here is to discontinue relationship with this man; “purge him from your midst.” In the next section we will learn more about how to discern if someone in the church fits the criteria for expulsion, but first it’s very important that we see the purpose of the discipline. Read 1 Corinthians 5:5, 2 Thessalonians 3:15, 1 Timothy 1:20. Go ahead and read them. All you have to do is click and read.

Here’s what I found as the purpose for the discipline; that his spirit may be saved, that he may be warned, that he may learn. As you think back to everything we have learned about the church and the importance of the church being unified and whole, can you see how important it is to understand the purpose of discipline? Redemption of the individual and purity of the church is always the purpose. In our modern day churches we have centuries of experience with the Word and with traditions and policies that, although imperfect, do protect us somewhat from false teaching. Remember that these early baby churches didn’t. They had the Old Testament Scriptures and the teachings of itinerant preachers like Paul and Apollos. What we are about to see is that the man mentioned in 5:1 is a very unique threat.

Read 1 Corinthians 5:9-13

Keep it in the Family

There is one very VERY big point in this section. Unbelievers, outside of the church, are to be left out of discipline. Do you see it in verse 10? Protecting ourselves from sinful folks is not the issue. The ONLY way to do that is to die – um, no thanks. Lost people will behave as lost people. If you are applying church discipline Scriptures to the lost people in your culture, stop. If Holiness could be achieved by not being around bad things it wouldn’t be Inside-Out {if this doesn’t make sense to you, go back to the first week and review the definition of sanctification}. God doesn’t ask us to isolate ourselves from sinful people who don’t know Him, He asks us to take great care to protect our CHURCH from leaders who would intentionally turn us away from complete devotion to Jesus as the foundation, sanctification as the process, and redemption as the goal.

In verse 11 and 13 we see two criteria for someone to be declared an evil church member (remember, lost people attending don’t qualify). My ESV says not to “associate,” meaning literally; don’t “keep company” (Zodhiates, 553) with anyone who bears these two marks:

bears the name of brother BUT is an evil person, “evil in a moral or spiritual sense; wicked, malicious, mischievous.” It differs from another word for evil, which means, “being evil in oneself but not necessarily malicious.” In verb form it means “aptness to do shrewd turns, delight in mischief, evil and tragedy, perverseness.” (Zodhiates, 949).

Honestly now, we all mess up. We cause unseen dissension and hurt one another and don’t even realize it or are too self-focused to notice. We struggle with secret sin sometimes for years and fake through church life like nobody’s business {and truly believe that it is nobody’s business.} In real life, church discipline is very hard to do well. As a pastor, my husband is often asked why we don’t we do church discipline. In the modern church, Biblical discipline happens all the time in the context of understanding and loving small group accountability. Thankfully, the need to expel a truly Biblically evil person is rare.

It’s always dangerous to just jump in and take a few verses out of context to justify discipline in church. When I consider all of the emphasis on unity in 1 Corinthians I go back to the Not Ok list. If there is a person in leadership in a church, who is digging their heels in on their sin, refusing progressive gracious efforts to bring him or her to accountability, over-spiritualizing to justify their sin, then they need to be removed. But that actual list is rigorous. Can you discern that the person you are so bent out of shape toward is evil? Not by your own opinion, but by the Bible’s definition? The Bible says that the person you put out of fellowship should clearly be malicious, shrewd, perverted, and intentional in his plans to destroy the church {not in his efforts to vex you}. If you can say yes to that list; can you also say that you agree with God’s tough love purpose that this evil person be saved through discipline?

Journal Prompt: As you prayerfully review today’s text and definitions, what are the criteria for someone to be removed from church? How can we apply this in our modern church?

Read 1 Corinthians 6:1-8

Should Christians Sue each other?

This is our last section of Scripture for the week. The most helpful commentary on this section came from the study notes in my Bible, “Although some have argued that Paul is prohibiting Christians from ever going to court against another Christian, Paul seems in these verses only to be addressing disputes related to property or money (v7) rather than criminal cases which fall under the jurisdiction of the state (See Romans 13:1-5). It is doubtful, therefore, that Paul’s intention is that this specific example should be applied in every situation.... Whatever the circumstances it is clear from Scripture that disputes between believers need to be handled with the utmost care in a wise and godly manner before the watching world, and with the counsel of spiritually mature Christians who have no stake in the matter and who can give objective Biblical advice.” (ESV Study Bible, 2198).

I love studying Scripture from history and introduction through verse by verse to the end. I love having the foundation of our first three weeks of lessons. I love knowing God’s heart for unity to end brokenness. I love the reminder that what God says is wise and right seems foolish and wrong to the world. I love the value God places on our bodies both individually and together as THE body. I find that studying through those verses, chapters, and words helps me understand the issue of lawsuits among Christians much better. While this Scripture most definitely doesn’t teach that we have to be completely uninvolved in criminal or civic affairs, it does affirm that we need to have the right eternal perspective before EVER pursuing such involvement.

As we finish the week I want to go to the very last phrase of the last verse of chapter 6.

“…So glorify God in your body.”

Glorify comes from the Greek word for glory; “doxa.”

“Doxa comes from dokeo – meaning to think, recognize a person or thing for what it is.

Doxa can mean appearance, reputation, glory. It basically refers to the recognition belonging to a person, honor, renown.

Doxa may denote appearance, form, aspect, that appearance of a person or thing which catches the eye or attracts attention, commanding recognition, looking like something thus equivalent to splendor, brilliance, glory attracting the gaze.

Doxa embraces the excellence and perfection of the divine nature, It comprises all that God will appear to be in His final revelation to us.

More specifically doxa means not the outward glorious appearance, attracting attention to the person or thing itself, but that glory shown from within reflecting in the appearance which attracts attention.”(Zodhiates, 907).

Both of these chapters on sexual sin, church discipline, suing one another hinge on this phrase. Glorify God in your body. Recognize and know the truth about God and show it from within, attracting attention, commanding recognition, shining with the brilliance of Inside Out Holiness that attracts the gaze of ALL who see you. It’s quite amazing how the issues of sexuality and civic duties and church discipline and getting along seem to fade into their rightful, lower places when you simply focus on being a glorifier of the Truth of who God is.

Journal Prompt: How do the issues this week (sexual sin, church discipline, lawsuits among Christians) find their solution in each of us choosing to glorify God with our bodies?

Prayer and Blessings for a great week of study, let me know what you’re learning!

Jamy