There is something wrong with my dishwasher. It cleans the dishes, sort of, but only after I've mostly washed them by hand. A repairman said I only need a rinse aid product. I have my doubts. I am not a huge fan of cleaning house; every modern convenience is treasured.
1 Corinthians 5 presents a shift in Paul's emphasis. He moves on to spiritual "house cleaning", addressing another concern observed among this fellowship of believers. It had apparently been reported to Paul that sexual immorality was occurring in the local church. He uses this example to emphasize that ongoing, sinful practices in the lives of professing believers should not be tolerated. Frankly, this is not a pleasant chapter to study, because the topic is difficult.
First of all, Christians do not want to admit to their own sin, habitual or occasional. Pride comes into play here, although there is also the genuine element of not wanting to tarnish Jesus' name. Yet, when "one of our own" is committing sin repeatedly, and especially in a very public way, something should be done to address it, whether we are comfortable doing so or not. I remember, several years ago, in another church far away, a church member (also a prominent member of the community) was committing adultery; everyone knew about it. The spouse was still attending the church. The pastor and deacons visited their fellow deacon and urged him to repent, to reconcile with his wife. Well, the man refused. So, he was told that his membership was going to be rescinded until he changed his ways. During a church conference, this was prayerfully handled. It was not fun at all, Y'all. It was downright awful, in fact.
The Corinthian church did not want to confront their "situation". Remember, they were "pretty new at all this"; so, one could guess that they were perplexed as to what to do. However, in verse 6, Paul calls them "flippant" and "arrogant" about it. They did not see that to allow this type of continual sin to go on would soon contaminate the entire congregation.
Your flip and callous arrogance in these things bothers me. You pass it off as a small thing, but it’s anything but that. Yeast, too, is a “small thing,” but it works its way through a whole batch of bread dough pretty fast. So get rid of this “yeast.”
1 Cor. 5:6 (MSG)
Today, there is wholesale cowardice, rampant "looking the other way" going on in many churches. Pastors, leaders and people in the pews are often unwilling to take a stand for righteousness in a godless society. Taking such a stand often comes at a steep price, one that many are not willing to pay. Today, for instance, I was reading that a so-called Baptist church in an adjacent state is planning to ordain as ministers those who live a sexually immoral lifestyle, by biblical standards. This is heartbreaking to me, because it tarnishes the name of all Baptists (in a way similar to those Westboro Baptist Church folks do). Obviously, not all who call themselves Baptists believe anything close to the same thing.
In chapter 5, Paul was not preaching condemnation to the man living in sin. He was condemning the man's sin. There was always room for the man to repent and to be restored to the fellowship. This is clear in verse 5.
I’m telling you that this is wrong. You must not simply look the other way and hope it goes away on its own. Bring it out in the open and deal with it in the authority of Jesus our Master. Assemble the community—I’ll be present in spirit with you and our Master Jesus will be present in power. Hold this man’s conduct up to public scrutiny. Let him defend it if he can! But if he can’t, then out with him! It will be totally devastating to him, of course, and embarrassing to you. But better devastation and embarrassment than damnation. You want him on his feet and forgiven before the Master on the Day of Judgment.
1 Cor. 5:3-5 (MSG)
Paul's earnest desire (and Christ's) was for the man to repent of his sinful practices and be restored to God and to the community of faith. The whole point of the censure was the sinner's restoration. God's grace is greater than all our sin. It still is, today.
The other big reason that Christians shy away from confronting sin in the community of faith is because they individually are not walking in holiness. And, in fact, Jesus railed against this hypocrisy in Matthew 7:1-5 (MSG). (also recorded in Luke 6.)
7 1-5 “Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It’s easy to see a smudge on your neighbor’s face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, ‘Let me wash your face for you,’ when your own face is distorted by contempt? It’s this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor.
Dishwasher or not, "cleaning house" had better start at home, yes? Hebrews 12:14-17 tells us that when we harbor sins that have not been confessed to God, a bitter spirit (spiritual weeds) can take root in our souls. We are wise to be very vigilant about our own shortcomings, our own "failures to hit the target", which is the Greek origin of the word "sin". Swallow a big old "pride loogie"; confess (to God and to others as needed); repent (turn away from the sin and leave it in the dust); be restored (by the Holy Spirit) - - - the path to holiness, to Christ-likeness.
Remember this important point. Paul was talking to Christians here about their behavior. He was not preaching to the non-Christian folk outside the Corinthian fellowship of believers (5:13).
I’m not responsible for what the outsiders do, but don’t we have some responsibility for those within our community of believers? God decides on the outsiders, but we need to decide when our brothers and sisters are out of line and, if necessary, clean house.
It is a distortion of the enemy to portray all Christians who stand on biblical truth as hateful or unloving. Now, granted, some are, ranging from the hate that Westboro spews to implicit condescension or to casual disregard. However, nothing is more unloving that leaving a person enslaved to sin or on the highway to Hell. Love isn't wimpy; love must be tough. Speaking the truth in humility and love is exactly what Jesus did. It is exactly what we must do.
Father, you know that I did not want to study or blog about 1 Corinthians 5. Examining my life is not my favorite pastime. It's so much easier and more fun to just...."la-la-la-la-LA" down life's path, looking the other way. Save us from this "counterfeit discipleship", Lord. Give us the courage, the power, through Your Holy Spirit, to be honest about our own sins and to help our brothers/sisters who are floundering in a mud pit. Such is love. In Jesus' name, amen.
