Confronting Sin: A Call to Church Holiness
Summary
In our journey through 1 Corinthians chapter 5, we are reminded of the importance of addressing sin within the church community. Just as a building falls into disrepair when small issues are ignored, so too can a church suffer when sin is left unchecked. Paul addresses the Corinthian church, highlighting their pride and tolerance of sin, particularly sexual immorality, which even the surrounding pagan society would not tolerate. This pride and tolerance are akin to the "broken window theory," where small signs of disorder invite further decay. Paul urges the church to confront these issues, not out of judgment, but out of a desire to restore and maintain the holiness and integrity of the church.
The passage challenges us to examine our own lives and the life of our church community. Sin, when tolerated, can corrupt the entire body, much like a little leaven affects the whole lump of dough. Paul uses the analogy of the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread to illustrate that Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed, and we are called to live in a state of purity, free from the leaven of sin. This is not about legalism but about living in the freedom and holiness that Christ has secured for us.
The consequences of ignoring sin are severe. It can destroy the church's message, distract from its mission, and dismiss its morality. The church is called to be a light in the world, set apart by its holy living. When we allow sin to persist, we undermine the gospel message and our witness to the world. Therefore, Paul calls for a process of church discipline, not as a means of punishment, but as a path to restoration and healing.
As we reflect on this passage, we are encouraged to examine our own hearts and attitudes towards sin. Are we complacent or even proud of the sin in our midst? Or are we broken and mourning over it, seeking God's grace and strength to overcome it? The call is to be vigilant, to address sin with humility and love, and to strive for holiness in our personal lives and our church community.
Key Takeaways:
1. The Danger of Tolerating Sin: Just as a broken window invites further decay, unaddressed sin in the church can lead to greater corruption. We must be vigilant in addressing sin, not out of judgment, but out of a desire to restore and maintain the holiness of the church. [10:16]
2. The Call to Holiness: Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed, and we are called to live in purity, free from the leaven of sin. This is not about legalism but about living in the freedom and holiness that Christ has secured for us. [20:05]
3. Consequences of Ignoring Sin: Ignoring sin can destroy the church's message, distract from its mission, and dismiss its morality. The church is called to be a light in the world, set apart by its holy living. [25:52]
4. The Process of Church Discipline: Church discipline is not about punishment but about restoration and healing. It involves accountability, agreement, and proper authority, all aimed at bringing a brother or sister back from the path of sin. [46:20]
5. Personal Responsibility in Addressing Sin: Before addressing sin corporately, we must first examine our own hearts and lives. We are called to remove the leaven of sin from our own lives, striving for personal holiness and integrity. [42:09]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[02:00] - Introduction to 1 Corinthians 5
[04:30] - The Broken Window Theory
[07:15] - Addressing Pride and Sin in Corinth
[10:16] - The Church's Attitude Towards Sin
[14:23] - The Danger of Tolerating Sin
[20:05] - The Call to Holiness
[25:52] - Consequences of Ignoring Sin
[28:51] - Impact on Church's Mission
[31:10] - Judging Within the Church
[34:30] - Personal Responsibility
[37:53] - Mourning Over Sin
[42:09] - Removing the Leaven
[46:20] - Process of Church Discipline
[49:20] - Authority in Discipline
[50:14] - Association and Restoration
[52:50] - Conclusion and Call to Holiness
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide: 1 Corinthians 5
Bible Reading:
- 1 Corinthians 5:1-13
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Observation Questions:
1. What specific sin does Paul address in the Corinthian church, and how does he describe the church's attitude towards it? ([10:16])
2. How does Paul use the analogy of leaven in relation to sin within the church? What does he suggest should be done with the "old leaven"? ([20:05])
3. What are the consequences Paul outlines for ignoring sin within the church community? ([25:52])
4. How does Paul suggest the church should handle a member who is living in unrepentant sin? ([50:14])
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Interpretation Questions:
1. Why does Paul compare the church's tolerance of sin to the "broken window theory"? How does this analogy help us understand the impact of unaddressed sin? ([14:23])
2. In what ways does Paul suggest that sin conflicts with the church's calling in Christ? How does this relate to the concept of holiness? ([28:51])
3. How does the process of church discipline, as described by Paul, aim to restore rather than punish? What role does accountability play in this process? ([46:20])
4. What does Paul mean when he says to "deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh"? How does this reflect the seriousness of sin and the hope for restoration? ([50:14])
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your personal attitude towards sin. Are there areas in your life where you have become complacent or tolerant of sin? How can you begin to address these areas with humility and love? ([34:30])
2. How can you actively participate in maintaining the holiness and integrity of your church community? What steps can you take to lovingly confront sin when you see it? ([31:10])
3. Consider the analogy of leaven. What "leaven" might be present in your life that needs to be removed? How can you take personal responsibility for addressing it? ([42:09])
4. How can the church balance the need for discipline with the call to love and restore those who are struggling with sin? What practical steps can be taken to ensure that discipline is carried out in a spirit of gentleness and unity? ([46:20])
5. In what ways can you support your church leaders as they navigate the difficult process of church discipline? How can you pray for them and offer encouragement? ([49:20])
6. Reflect on the concept of being a light in the world. How does personal holiness contribute to the church's witness to the world? What changes can you make to better reflect Christ's holiness in your daily life? ([25:52])
7. How can you cultivate a deeper sense of mourning over sin, both personally and corporately? What role does prayer play in seeking God's grace and strength to overcome sin? ([37:53])
Devotional
Day 1: The Subtle Decay of Tolerated Sin
In the life of a church, tolerating sin can lead to a gradual decay, much like a broken window invites further disrepair. The Corinthian church was criticized for its pride and tolerance of sexual immorality, which even the surrounding pagan society found unacceptable. This tolerance is compared to the "broken window theory," where small signs of disorder invite further decay. The call is to address sin not out of judgment, but from a desire to restore and maintain the holiness and integrity of the church. Ignoring sin can lead to greater corruption, and vigilance is required to prevent this decay. [10:16]
1 Corinthians 5:6-7 (ESV): "Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed."
Reflection: Is there a small sin in your life that you have been ignoring? How can you take steps today to address it before it leads to greater issues?
Day 2: Living in the Freedom of Holiness
Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed, calling us to live in purity, free from the leaven of sin. This call to holiness is not about legalism but about embracing the freedom and holiness that Christ has secured for us. The analogy of the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread illustrates the need to live in a state of purity. We are encouraged to examine our lives and remove the leaven of sin, striving for personal holiness and integrity. This pursuit of holiness is a response to the grace and sacrifice of Christ. [20:05]
1 Peter 1:14-16 (ESV): "As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy.'"
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel bound by sin? How can you embrace the freedom and holiness that Christ offers in this area today?
Day 3: The Impact of Ignoring Sin on the Church's Mission
Ignoring sin can have severe consequences for the church, destroying its message, distracting from its mission, and dismissing its morality. The church is called to be a light in the world, set apart by its holy living. When sin is allowed to persist, it undermines the gospel message and the church's witness to the world. The call is to be vigilant in addressing sin, ensuring that the church remains a beacon of hope and truth in a world that desperately needs it. [25:52]
Ephesians 5:11-13 (ESV): "Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible."
Reflection: How can you contribute to your church's mission by addressing sin in your own life? What steps can you take to ensure that your life reflects the light of Christ to those around you?
Day 4: The Path to Restoration through Church Discipline
Church discipline is not about punishment but about restoration and healing. It involves accountability, agreement, and proper authority, all aimed at bringing a brother or sister back from the path of sin. The process of church discipline is a means of restoring relationships and maintaining the integrity of the church community. It is a call to love and humility, seeking the best for others and the church as a whole. This process is essential for the health and holiness of the church. [46:20]
Galatians 6:1-2 (ESV): "Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."
Reflection: Is there someone in your church community who needs restoration? How can you approach them with love and humility, seeking their healing and the health of the church?
Day 5: Personal Responsibility in Pursuing Holiness
Before addressing sin corporately, we must first examine our own hearts and lives. We are called to remove the leaven of sin from our own lives, striving for personal holiness and integrity. This personal responsibility is crucial in maintaining the health and holiness of the church community. By addressing our own sin, we set an example for others and contribute to the overall purity of the church. The call is to be vigilant, examining our hearts and seeking God's grace and strength to overcome sin. [42:09]
Psalm 139:23-24 (ESV): "Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to take personal responsibility for sin? How can you seek God's help in overcoming this sin and pursuing holiness today?
Quotes
1. "Open your Bibles up to 1 Corinthians chapter 5. We have been in this series that we have called Firing on All Cylinders. The goal of that, like an engine that operates best when it's firing on all cylinders, at times you have to address some of the dysfunctions, some of the areas where maybe that engine is struggling. And Paul is doing that with the church in Corinth. He's saying, hey, listen, we've got an engine, the church, that's not functioning properly. It's not firing on all cylinders. And we need to address those issues so that we can get that church firing on all cylinders again, operating to its potential, being who that church is meant to be." [00:00:00] (41 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Social scientists would say that a building like this, the building that you're thinking of that you're picturing in your head has fallen victim to what they call the broken window theory anyone ever heard of that before the broken window theory which basically it states that if you see a building that's got some sign of of crime or decay or something like that it becomes kind of an encouragement for more of that kind of activity to begin to take place so one broken window turns into two into three and then the graffiti comes like when you don't address the small problems they can turn into bigger problems and what Paul's doing here with the church in Corinth is he's addressing their own broken window." [00:02:51] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Paul's like, oh, speaking of the rod, right, apparently you guys don't know how to use one, right, because here's the issue that's going on in the church, and what's happening is this gasping, this gross immorality that we look at, and we'd be like, man, what's going on is there's a man in the church who seems as though he is having sexual relations with his stepmom. That's kind of our understanding of where we're at right now, and in our small group this week, we went around the room, and we said, okay, is this something that any of you have struggled with, and nobody said, yeah, that's me, all right, and so we may come to a topic like this and be like, wow, I can't believe that something like that would be going on in the church, and Paul's saying the same thing." [00:08:33] (47 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "And now, for us, we look at something like chapter 5, and the strong language jumps off the page at us. Right? We are taken back by verse 1. And we think, wow, this man is sleeping with his stepmom. That alarms us. Right? But then we are drawn to what Paul says should happen with this man. Man, we are drawn to dealing with the what and the how the church is supposed to deal with this. And we see Paul saying, let him who's done this be removed from among you. Wow. That's strong language. And he takes it up a notch down to verse 5. And he says, you're to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh. And we're like, holy smokes. This is big time." [00:11:28] (45 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "The reality is what Paul's going to get into here is that there is deep trouble that's brewing in the Corinthian church. And it's brewing because they've allowed this sin to go unchecked and their attitude towards it has become totally unbecoming of a believer. So he's like, we need to deal with this. And John MacArthur, when he talks about sin in the church, he says that the greatest harm done to the church is always done by those inside the church. Agree or disagree as you may, what he's drawing the attention to is saying what we easily focus our attention on as a church are threats that come from out there." [00:15:38] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "Sin is dangerous in the church. Okay, and Paul paints us a picture here in this passage of three different ways that sin is dangerous in the church. And the first one is that it conflicts with our calling in Christ. Our sin and sin continuing in the church conflicts with our calling in Christ. These people, these Christians, have become arrogant and boasting about their tolerance of what's going on. They're boastful about the sexual immorality that's taking place. And in a sense, they're feeling that it's consistent with who they are in Jesus. And Paul's saying the opposite is true. You guys couldn't be more wrong." [00:18:58] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "Paul couches this whole thing, the sexual immorality of the church and their attitude towards it within the context of these Jewish festivals and holidays. Are you starting to see a little bit of the connection here? Where he's like, listen, when you get into this, the, you are, the absence of sin is symbolic that when the Passover lamb has been sacrificed, now God's people go into this festival where they don't eat leaven. The leaven is removed. Well, the Bible speaks of leaven as an analogy for sin. And so he's saying, listen, our Passover lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed." [00:22:09] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "Sin's dangerous because when we begin to let it sit and fester when we let begin to celebrate it or tolerate it paul is saying listen we are walking in direct opposition to who we were supposed to be in christ that's why it's dangerous in the church number one number two he says it comes with consequences or there are consequences to letting the sin persist in the church now it doesn't take much for us to think of some of the consequences for sin on a personal level on a personal level we might think we're learning a little bit about the truth but we're not at the level of being an think of the spiritual consequences." [00:25:52] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "The church's ability to speak into its culture is just diminished when we choose to continue to live in sin. And so for a while, you may find a church that, like Corinth, boasts of these things. It says, yeah, look at us. But in time, that church is gonna be no different from the culture. There is no church. There is no being set apart. There is no holiness. There is no sacredness of the community. Paul's saying, we gotta nip this in the butt because it's going to destroy the message." [00:27:17] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "We have a tendency at times to think of this corporate church discipline that Paul's talking about here like it's just beating each other up. It's unfair. It's harsh. And Paul's saying, man, I don't want to get to this place. Heaven forbid. We would need to get here. Accountability is involved. Secondly, there's agreement. In verse 4, he says, when you are assembled, there's a picture of unity in this, that we agree and can speak with one voice to the issue that's going on. That this is not just a pastor is upset with somebody and so they're going to discipline them in the church." [00:46:08] (43 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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