1 Corinthians 5

Paul is going to rebuke the Corinthian church for their lack of discipline within the church. He uses the example of a Christian man who was sleeping with his stepmother. Old Testament law (Leviticus 18:8, Deuteronomy 22:22) prohibited such acts but so did the Gentile law. The church in Corinth was so messed up that they were not mourning this sin but were puffed up about their own gifts, talents, etc. What is interesting about Paul’s statement is that he says that the man should be removed from among the believers. He didn’t ignore the issue or act in a passive manner. He told the church to excommunicate this man who was living in sin. Paul goes so far as to say that he is passing judgment on this man. Wait… judging another? I thought Jesus said we weren’t supposed to judge? Paul helps explain more in verses 9-13. Paul tells those believers in the Corinth church to stop worrying about the unbelievers in the world as God will judge them. They need to worry about those who “bear the name of brother" (v12-13).

This has some pretty big implications for the church that I think we get wrong constantly:

BELIEVERS SHOULD NOT JUDGE NON-BELIEVERS

Christians need to realize that we are not on this earth to walk around and judge those who do not call Jesus their Lord and Savior. 1 Corinthians 13 gives us the instructions we need for how we look and treat others in this world. We love them. We don’t pass judgment on their lifestyle. We don’t pass judgment on their choices or the decisions they are making (smoking, drinking, cursing, dressing inappropriately, etc.) We love them. Jesus told His disciples that the world would known them but their love (not the crosses they wore around their neck or their t-shirts that called Jesus their home boy, etc.) It is all about love. If you follow Jesus’ example, He was constantly loving on the unbelievers. He wasn’t judging them. In fact, He was defending them against the self-righteous and the legalistic religiosity of the time. Love them. Love them like Jesus loved them.

BELIEVERS SHOULD JUDGE BELIEVERS

Now some of you aren’t going to like this idea, will disagree with me or think I am going to far. I am perfectly fine with you challenging the thought based on Scripture and putting my theology in check here. Bottom line — Paul makes is clear in this bit of Scripture that we are to look at the sin in our brothers and sisters lives and bring it before them. A clear sign of a believer is someone who rejects their sin and wants to avoid it (repentance). As believers, we have accountability to help with this exact issue. In Matthew 15:15-20, Jesus gives us clear instructions on how to deal with sins with our brothers. Paul is simply echoing what Jesus stated in Matthew 15. How are we supposed to do this though? What about the sin in my own life? How can I judge someone else when I am so jacked up? Luckily, I think Paul gave us the answer to this in 1 Corinthians 13. We love them. Yeah. I am repeating myself here, but I think it is critical that we really let this sink in. How do we bring sin before our brothers and help them to recognize what they are doing? We do it in love. If we jump into judgmental mode with our brothers and sisters, they may try to reject what we say, get defensive and even flee the relationship. However, if we go to them in love and rebuke them with a spirit of gentleness and kindness, we have shown them an unfathomable love.

Church discipline, as laid out by Paul here, is not easy. It can hurt. It can be painful. If we are living life with these people and something like this happens, it pains those around that are impacted. No church is immune to this sort of thing. Every church must be prepared to deal with this sort of thing. We are told by Paul to deliver this sinful man over to Satan so that his flesh made be destroyed with the ultimate goal of being saved.

Remember, we all need Jesus. Whether a believer or unbeliever. Everyone needs Jesus. Our actions, our response, our obligation to our brothers and sisters in Christ is to love them and hold them accountable for their sins. If we loving and gently rebuke other believers so that they may remember who they are in Christ Jesus, we have done the work of our Lord. He tells us to make disciples, which includes teaching, rebuking, loving and guiding.

PRAYER

Lord, this is heavy stuff that makes my heart ache. I am reminded of my friends who professed to be believers and yet lived in sin without demonstrating any level of sorrow or regret for their sin. Lord, thank you for surrounding me with a group of men who do not take this lightly and are willing to act upon this sin. Lord, I thank you for my accountability relationships where there are men who I know will look me in the eye and tell me what I am messing up. Thank you for your Word which gives us instruction on how to deal with this. Paul was bold in his teaching here but it is essential that everyone remember his words and not be passive in our actions with other believers. Lord, I pray that I would love those around me — believers and unbelievers — that I would show them the love of Jesus Christ. Jesus told us clearly that the world around us would know us by our love. Help me to be known by my love because of the love that you extended to me. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

  JASON WORTHEN | Elder

Jason and Larissa were part of the founding members of Hutto Bible Church in 2007. Previously, they attended Hill County Bible Church Pflugerville for nearly six years. They have been married for 16 years and have three daughters: Elisabeth, Sarah and Rebekah. Jason is employed by General Motors and Larissa is a stay-at-home mom who works three times as hard. Jason put his trust in Christ in 2003 when he was attending Bible Study Fellowship in Austin. Both Jason and Larissa have served in Children’s Ministry, Student Ministry and in an elder capacity.