This chapter was a little confusing to me, so I’ve read some other translations and looked at some commentaries. If you have access to those, sometimes it can help when a passage is somewhat confusing or hard to understand. A lot of times, we find that things in the context to the time written differ from what we know today. Paul’s words to the Corinthians have taken a different turn, almost a turn of admonition. What I take away from this is that it is not our place to judge non-believers of their sins, but when a believer, or person who “claims” to be a believer sins, then that is a different story. I suppose a believer should “know better”.
Here Paul is speaking to the young church giving them direction in how we should live and what is acceptable behavior for believers in the church. An extreme example would be that we wouldn’t want an axe murderer teaching the Bible (if they were still killing people). We are called to judge them and according to this reading, “as the Scriptures say, ‘You must remove the evil person from among you.’”
The example here, of a man living in sin, or having relations with his father’s wife, speaks to adultery. It is also against Scriptural references in the book of Deuteronomy. We know adultery to be frowned upon, one of the ten commandments, and the Corinthian church was not paying attention to these laws or didn’t think they applied to them.
So what happens when we throw this man out of the church fellowship? Where does he go? It says to “hand him over to Satan so his sinful nature will be destroyed and he can be saved.” Again, I feel like I am missing something, maybe in context, maybe in the ways of the day. How does handing someone over to Satan make them clean? Only Jesus can forgive, right? The act of “handing over to Satan” is actually a way of exposing the sin and by that act, and the redemption of Christ, this man may repent and turn from his sin.
Then Paul goes on and reminds us that he warned us to avoid people, in particular only believers, who sin sexually, and then he adds more, those who are greedy, cheaters, abusive, drunkard or those who worship idols. He told us we really couldn’t avoid non-believers who do those same things, but we should not “associate” with believers who do. This is clearly speaking to the Corinthians and the types of behavior they were seeing at the time. How true that list is still today!
Paul was trying to help the church set standards. The church should have the authority to discipline and expect the believers to understand right from wrong. We are sinful and need a Savior, but the purpose of this writing to give churches the authority to discipline those who flagrantly misbehave. One might say that the fact our churches don’t exercise this discipline, tending toward “tolerance”, would suggest unfaithfulness. What do you think?
What area of your life needs some cleansing? Are you struggling with something, a habit, an addiction, laziness, greed, gossip or worry? Turn that over to God and ask for his help.
Let’s pray. Lord, we should all be more mindful of our behavior and how we are seen by the world. Forgive our churches for looking the other way at times and not disciplining us when our behavior is sinful. Help us find loving ways to help other believers understand your truth and your justice. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
