1 Corinthians 5:1-13, Ignorance is not bliss

 I also received a report of scandalous sex within your church family, a kind that wouldn’t be tolerated even outside the church: One of your men is sleeping with his stepmother. And you’re so above it all that it doesn’t even faze you! Shouldn’t this break your hearts? Shouldn’t it bring you to your knees in tears? Shouldn’t this person and his conduct be confronted and dealt with?

 I’ll tell you what I would do. Even though I’m not there in person, consider me right there with you, because I can fully see what’s going on. 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. – The Message -

Of course, wouldn’t it be nice if the biggest problems we had were disagreements? Unfortunately, we encounter problems that nobody wants to touch…with a ten foot pole.

What should we do?

1.      Don’t look the other way! “Bad news doesn’t get better with age”.
2.      Bring it out in the open and deal with it…in the authority of Christ.
3.      Give the principle parties an opportunity to speak.
4.      If their defense is insufficient (don’t forget “pistos”) remove them from the church.
5.      Trust your faithful leadership will result in true repentance.

Paul gives us a couple of important reminders. We bring these concerns to our common Father and we evaluate the situation using leadership principles (reliability and accurate [Biblical] knowledge). Sometimes the issues get so contentious and emotional that we want to depend on “how we feel” or “what’s least embarrassing” or “what seems less judgmental”. We can’t let that happen. Our sole source and authority is God’s Word.

He cautions, in verse 10, I didn’t mean that you should have nothing at all to do with outsiders of that sort…you’d have to leave the world entirely to do that! But I am saying that you shouldn’t act as if everything is just fine when a friend who claims to be a Christian is promiscuous or crooked”. That’s all the excuse we need to do nothing. Most people hate conflict. It’s human nature. Devout believers will say “it’s no big deal”. Paul says this is so unbelievably arrogant that he’s embarrassed with them, more than the guilty party. I understand we all just want to get along but…not at the expense of truth.

 I need to ask this: Is there anything going on in our congregations that God simply would not tolerate? Well, why do we?

Live boldly out there today…