39. Tackling the Glorification of Sin in the Early Church 1 Co 5:6–9

They gloried in the sin instead of rebuking it

In 1 Corinthians 5:1-2, the problem of sexual immorality within the Corinthian church is evident: "It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles—that a man has his father's wife! And you are puffed up and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you."

This passage reveals that a man in the Corinthian church was involved in an incestuous relationship with his father's wife. The situation was so severe that even among the Gentiles (non-believers), this kind of behavior was considered highly inappropriate.

In 1 Corinthians 5:2-5 Paul continues: “And you are puffed up and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you.” Paul rebukes the church for their pride and lack of action in dealing with the sin within their community. As we read 1 Corinthians 5:6-8, Paul says, "Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?” Once again, we get the impression that not only did they not address the problem of this immorality, they seemed to glory and revel in it.

Paul knew this was not right or godly, and he instructs them to take strong disciplinary action by removing the man involved in the immoral relationship from their midst. As we mentioned in our last post, the purpose of this discipline is not to condemn the individual but to bring about repentance and ultimately save his soul.

The Apostle goes on and uses the metaphor of leaven to illustrate the danger of tolerating sin within the church. Just as a bit of leaven can permeate and affect the entire lump of dough, so can sin spread and corrupt the entire church community. He urges them to cleanse out the "old leaven" of malice and wickedness and live in sincerity and truth considering Christ's sacrifice for them.

But why would the church glory in this sin?

The specific reasons why the church in Corinth may have been "puffed up" or "gloried" in the sin of the man involved in an incestuous relationship with his father's wife are not explicitly mentioned in the text. However, we can make some educated speculations based on what we know about the context and the dynamics of the early church.

One possible reason for the church's behavior could be their misunderstanding or misapplication of Christian love and acceptance. They might have misinterpreted the concept of grace, thinking it meant they should be tolerant and accepting of all people, regardless of their behavior. In doing so, they might have overlooked the severity of the sin and failed to address it properly.

Another factor could be ineffective church discipline. Perhaps the leadership was hesitant to confront and address the sin because they feared causing division or alienating the individual involved and their supporters within the congregation. Confronting sin and implementing church discipline can be difficult and uncomfortable, and some leaders might have chosen to avoid this confrontation altogether.

The city of Corinth was known for its cosmopolitan and morally lax environment. The Corinthian culture might have influenced the church members to be more permissive towards sexual immorality. They could have rationalized the behavior by saying it was commonplace in their city or by adopting a relativistic view of morality.

The Corinthian church might have misunderstood the concept of Christian freedom. They might have believed that being free in Christ meant they were no longer bound by moral laws and standards, leading them to neglect the need for holiness and purity within the church.

It's possible that the man involved in the sin had close relationships within the church, including influential individuals, which could have caused hesitation in addressing the matter. People might have been hesitant to confront or discipline someone they knew personally, fearing backlash or strained relationships.

Learning From Their Mistake

Let's learn from the early church in Corinth and the Bible's teachings. They had a problem tolerating and celebrating sin, which is dangerous for any church community. Though their time differed from ours, we can still find valuable lessons for today.

We should be careful not to misunderstand Christian love and acceptance. While God's grace is for everyone, it doesn't mean we should accept sin without consequences. Love and accountability go hand in hand, and we must take sin seriously, dealing with it kindly and truthfully.

Church discipline is crucial for keeping our church healthy and holy. We shouldn't avoid confronting sin or applying discipline because it might cause disagreements. Ignoring unrepentant sin can spread and harm our church's spiritual well-being.

As followers of Christ, we need to stand firm on God's Word and be a positive influence in a world with lax morals. We shouldn't let cultural influences shape our beliefs or weaken our commitment to righteousness.

Freedom in Christ doesn't mean we can do whatever we want without considering moral responsibility. We should avoid misunderstanding Christian freedom and remember it calls us to live with holiness and righteousness.

When there's sin in our church, we must act with integrity and love, even if it involves people we know well. True love cares for everyone involved, including the one caught in sin. We can learn from the early church's experiences and aim for a church marked by genuine love, unchanging truth, and brave discipline. By staying connected to God's Word and praying, we can face the challenges of our time while staying faithful to our calling as followers of Christ.