I Corinthians 5:1-5: "Avoid Contamination"

Starting in chapter 5, Paul now moves to immorality in the church. Although Paul has harsh words for those committing the acts, he has even more harsh words for the church that is allowing the immoral to remain among them. Paul begins, "It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father's wife". Paul wanted the Corinthians to be aware of the dangerous nature of what they were allowing in their church. Apparently, it had become well known that there was gross sin going on in the church, as it had been reported to Paul. Paul was shocked to know this, however, was more shocked that nothing was being done about it. Paul was saying that not only was this sin shocking for a Christian, but the heathen Gentiles didn't even take part in such actions. The specific sin was incest in which a son was sleeping with his mother. MacArthur writes, "The term father's wife indicates that the woman was not his natural mother but had married his father after his mother had died or been divorced. That God considers such a relationship incestuous is clear from the Old Testament. Sexual relations between a man and his stepmother was in the same category as relations between him and his natural mother. . . From Cicero and others we know that such incest was also strictly forbidden under Roman law. As Paul observes, it did not exist even among the Gentiles. A church member in Corinth was guilty of a sin that even his pagan neighbors did not practice or tolerate". What a scorching indictment on the church at Corinth. What a horrible testimony for the church as it had been common knowledge that this was going on. Even worse, that nothing was being done about it.

Paul, so angered by their failure to deal with such sin writes, "you have become arrogant, and have not mourned instead". MacArthur explains, "They were so self-satisfied and self-confident that they excused or rationalized the most wicked behavior within the congregation". The members of this congregation, somehow rationalized this wicked behavior and allowed it to dwell among them. Paul convicts them of their arrogance and pride, for not reacting in the same horror and disgust as him. The proper response would have been to mourn. MacArthur writes, "A church that does not mourn over sin, especially sin within its own fellowship, is on the edge of spiritual disaster. When we cease to be shocked by sin we lose a strong defense against it". Apparently the members at Corinth had become so immersed in their culture and had become so desensitized to sin, that they did not act in mourning and shock over such a heinous act. This seemed to be the pattern of the Corinthian church. They were so wrapped up in their own feelings and convictions that they neglected God's Word and rationalized their own sin. Paul explains that the proper response to such sin is to have "mourned instead, in order that the one who had done this deed might be removed from your midst". Paul was clear that this type of sin should not be tolerated, and as a way of identifying that you want to remain pure as Christ's bride, remove this sin from your midst. This man apparently refused to repent and remained in his sin, and for this reason, must be sent out from the church. Just as God cannot be around sin, the church should not tolerate unrepentant sin within their body either.

Paul continues, "For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present". Paul is explaining his serious concern for what is going on and he is not even present. He wants the Corinthian church to join him in his concern, and take the necessary action to remove this man from the church. MacArthur writes, "He is saying that he had in his inner spirit passed judgment on the sinning person and had affirmed the mandatory consequences". To remind them again of their spiritual calling Paul exclaims, "In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and I with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ". To give them a spiritual slap in the face, Paul is saying, "remember that you are bound together by the Lord Jesus Christ, remember all He has done for you, and all he asks of you in His Word. Take aggressive action, for Christ's sake, against the sin you have allowed into your presence".

As Paul has thought through the consequences of such actions, he continues to exhort the Corinthian church by explaining what he would do if he were there, and what he has already done to this man in his spirit, "I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh". Paul here is not talking about actually giving this man's soul to the devil. Rather, Paul here, is describing the process of excommunicating this individual from the church. He is talking about releasing this man out into the world away from the church. MacArthur writes, "Satan is the ruler of this world, and turning a believer over to Satan, therefore, thrusts the believer back into the world on his own, apart from the care and support of Christian fellowship. That person has forfeited his right to participation in the church of Jesus Christ, which He intends to keep pure at all costs". Paul had passed this sentence on the individuals involved in this debauchery. Paul wanted the congregation to understand that sin is serious and should be dealt with seriously. The result of this disciplinary action, Paul writes, "for the destruction of his flesh". MacArthur writes, "Destruction (olethros) may refer even to death. It is used frequently in connection with divine judgment on sin". We know that once we are saved, Satan no longer has control over our souls and we belong to Christ. However, here on earth, we can suffer much harm when we are not under the protection of the church and its accountability and fellowship with other believers. So that he would not inflict more insult onto the church and cause more to stumble, Paul would rather that he die than continue in his sin, and if he were a believer "his spirit would be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus Christ". MacArthur continues, "The destruction of the flesh indicates that the incestuous man in Corinth would eventually die unless he repented of his sin. We are not told of the specific affliction, disease, or circumstances, but his body was on the way to destruction in a special disciplinary way. . . . To protect His church, the Lord would have to take him early".