Chico Alliance Church
Pastor David Welch
“Holy God Healthy Church” Part Three
1 Corinthians 5:1-13
Review
I. Reproof for fleshly behavior 1-6
A. Reproof for a divided church 1-4
B. Reproof for a defiled church 5
1. Paul concisely exposed the sin
a) Sin in the church - immorality
b) Sin of the church -- arrogance
2. Paul clearly explained a Biblical response to the sinner 3-5
a) Paul severely judged the erring member
b) Soundly admonished the erring church to deal with the sin
(1) Remove the sinner from inside the church 6b-8
• An arrogant attitude is not good
• Unaddressed sin breeds more sin
• Deal with sin in order to demonstrate the righteousness of Christ
• Christ died to make us clean on the inside.
• Continually celebrate the Lord’s Supper with sincerity and truth not the old sins.
• Remove the sin from the church
(2) Disassociate with the sinner outside the church.
• You can’t avoid associating with unbelieving sinners
I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world.
The word associate means to mix up together with or hang out with as close friends.
It is in the present, continuous tense.
• We must disassociate with those who continually sin and still claim to be believers.
But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one.
This list contains all the previously mentioned sins of the world and adds two more.
We should be demonstrating a different lifestyle. Paul does not say that we should disassociate with anyone who has ever done something immoral or coveted or put something else before God or said some mean things or have taken a drink or even perhaps got drunk or cheated someone else. Paul does say to disassociate with those whose life becomes identified with such behavior. A drunkard is different than one who drinks. An idolater is different than one who in a weak moment chose things over God.
Our lives and character are to constantly be changing into the “unleavened” people we are. In order to do that, believers must understand the gravity of claiming to be believers and living like unbelievers. The disassociation from the community of believers has a purpose.
It reinforces the gravity of their sin and its impact in the body.
It illustrates what separation from God feels like.
Sinning elders are to be publicly exposed so that others will deal with their sin.
Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also will be fearful of sinning. 1 Tim. 5:20
It is not the only place Paul calls for such a response to erring believers.
But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these. 2 Tim. 3:1-5
Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. Romans 16:17
For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either. For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies. Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread. But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary of doing good.
If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of that person and ?do not associate with him, so that he will be put to shame. Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. 2 Thes. 3:10-15
But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. ? Reject a factious man after a first and second warning, knowing that such a man is perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned. Titus 3:9-11
• We must judge those within the church NOT outside.
For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? But those who are outside, God judges. 9-13a
Our responsibility is to call one another to holiness not the world.
But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Hebrews 3:13
Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name.
For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 1 Peter 4:15-17
God calls us to take care of discipline in the church. We must encourage one another to holiness. God deals with those outside the church. Just like we get in trouble when we try to discipline someone else’s children, we should not concern ourselves with trying to make those outside our family live by our family rules. We seek to win them to the family through the work of Christ in their heart.
In our individualistic northwest culture are we reluctant to subject ourselves to the authority of a local church family. Church has become more like a restaurant. We go as long as we like the service and food and perhaps the entertainment. There is little commitment to anyone else eating at the restaurant. There is little commitment to the actual operation of the restaurant. We pay our bill, perhaps tip the waiter, complement the cook and leave feeling no obligation to help with the dishes. If something isn’t working just right you feel no obligation to volunteer to help, you just find another restaurant. You may tell others about it if you like it but do not hang out with the owner or patrons.
The church is a family, a body where everyone commits to one another. We join because we commit to the growth, health and welfare of the family. We make ourselves accountable to Christ, the head of the family. We stay because we are committed to the people. Without accountability, there is little incentive to change.
Generally, what cannot be inspected will be violated. We resist what we call “meddling”. “It is no one’s business what I do!” Because the body of Christ is so vitally connected it is our business.
Without speaking the truth in love to one another there is no building up of the body.
The body becomes weak and unhealthy.
The body no longer has the spiritual energy to fulfill their calling in the community.
When we have members burdened with loads of sin and ignore their wounds and inability to function, the body eventually ceases to function effectively. We must be involved in the healing process. The entire body will cease moving forward until those disabled are nursed back to health. Hebrews calls us to such attention to healing and loving discipline.
Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.
Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled; that there be no immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. For you know that even afterwards, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears. Hebrews 12:12-17
That includes loving discipline with the intent to RESORE and HEAL. That includes forgiveness. That includes forbearance. We must pray for a deeper perception of the holiness of God. Then we will have a greater sensitively to personal and corporate sin.
Then we will find ourselves mourning and crying out to God for purity. When we become pure, we will become productive. Every significant revival contained two basic elements; a greater realization of God’s holiness and a mourning over our sinfulness.
For I am afraid that perhaps when I come I may find you to be not what I wish and may be found by you to be not what you wish; that perhaps there will be strife, jealousy, angry tempers, disputes, slanders, gossip, arrogance, disturbances; I am afraid that when I come again my God may humiliate me before you, and I may mourn over many of those who have sinned in the past and not repented of the impurity, immorality and sensuality which they have practiced. 2 Cor. 12:20-21
How about us? Paul has listed several problems that stunt the growth of the body.
Strife, jealousy, angry tempers, disputes, slanders, gossip, arrogance, disturbances, impurity, immorality, sensuality, malice, idolatry, covetousness, drunkenness (self medication), cheating others of their resources.
Lessons to Learn and Live By
• We must not become callous to sin in our own life but continually repent.
Both privately and publicly.
Sin against the whole calls for confession to the whole.
Sin affecting a few calls for confession to the few.
Sin against God calls for confession to God.
• We must not ignore open sin among us but mourn over it and deal with it.
One way is to disassociated with those who refuse to respond to correction.
For the protection of the rest of the body and for the repentance of the one sinning.
Responding to sin in the family
1. Remove, refuse and avoid / Ignore
2. Pray and mourn / gossip and trivialize
If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should make request for this. 1 John 5:16
Moses strongly interceded for the people.
Paul prayed constantly and told the Corinthians they should have been mourning.
Jeremiah interceded for the people and God told him not to pray any more because they were headed for discipline.
Samuel responded to the sin of Israel like this.
"Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and right way. 1 Samuel 12:23
3. Encourage daily / discourage
Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Hebrews 3:12-13
Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. 1 Tim. 6:17
I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. 2 Tim. 4:1-5
The scriptures are for teaching reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness.
4. Confront in love / don’t confront or confront in anger
but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, Ephes. 4:15
Nathan confronted David with an applicable illustration.
Paul confronted Peter
But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision. The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. Gal 2:11-13
Paul instructed Timothy how to deal with opposition.
The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will. 2 Tim. 2:24-26
But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 Tim. 3:1
We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 1 Thes. 5:14
5. Forgive and Forebear / hold a grudge and blast
God Himself forbears sin.
Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? Romans 2:4
Jesus for gave the woman caught in adultery and exhorted her to stop sinning.
Paul contrasted what we should not do with what we should do.
Therefore, laying aside falsehood, SPEAK TRUTH EACH ONE of you WITH HIS NEIGHBOR, for we are members of one another. BE ANGRY, AND yet DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity. He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need. Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. Eph 4:25-32
So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Col. 3:12-13
6. Bear burdens / increase burdens
Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves. Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification. For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, "THE REPROACHES OF THOSE WHO REPROACHED YOU FELL ON ME." For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another. For each one will bear his own load. Galatians 6:2-5
7. Restore / wound
Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. Galatians 6:1
“Caught” is to overtaken, trapped
“restore” equip, train, mend, prepare for service.
My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
James 5:19-20
8. Accept / reject
Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God. Romans 15:1-7
Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions. Romans 14:1
9. Have mercy / condemn
And have mercy on some, who are doubting; save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh. Jude 1:22-23
10. Warn / keep silent
"Son of man, I have appointed you a watchman to the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from My mouth, warn them from Me. "When I say to the wicked, 'You will surely die,' and you do not warn him or speak out to warn the wicked from his wicked way that he may live, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. "Yet if you have warned the wicked and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered yourself. "Again, when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I place an obstacle before him, he will die; since you have not warned him, he shall die in his sin, and his righteous deeds which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand. "However, if you have warned the righteous man that the righteous should not sin and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; and you have delivered yourself." Ezekiel 3:17-21
"Therefore, I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. "For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God. Acts 20:26-27
and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you. 1 Thes. 4:6
Those sinning
1. Repent (a heart change)
2. Confess (an acknowledgment of sin)
3. Return (a change in direction)
4. Call (an admission of a need for help)
Sin in the family is EVERYBODY'S business.
Sensitivity to the Holy Spirit is essential.
The right attitude is essential -- humility, taking head to ourselves, gentleness.
The right motive is essential -- restoration, protection (love and truth).
The right objective is essential -- the glory of God and the purity of the church
Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass. 1 Thes. 5:23-24
Suggestions for
Further Daily Study and Application
Again this message deserves a week of reflection. Take each of the ten responses to sin in order to see the balance in Scripture. Reflect on each one (two per day would get you through all of them). Where have you or could you apply them? Where have you applied the opposite of what Scripture instructs us to do? Is God calling you to respond to a situation that you know in your circle of influence? Ask Him which responses will most effectively address that situation or person.
Invite the Lord to examine your life.
Read Psalm 139
Then apply Psalm 32 as a celebration of forgiveness.
