Willful Sin
1 Cor 5:1 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.
There was a popular song when I was young called "I'm my own grampa" I forget the words, but through various marriages the man became his own grampa. God has set boundaries that should not be crossed because it brings confusion and a breakdown of the family unit.
1 Cor 5:2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.
But doesn't grace cover all things? Listen, grace does forgive all that have repented and come to Jesus and make him Lord of their lives. Our Pastor mentioned a revival that took place at a big church where over 300 people received Jesus, but only three followed him as disciples. A disciple learns of Jesus, and changes from grace to grace following his word.
Something is wrong when someone says they have received forgiveness of sins and yet they continue in sins. A repentant heart seeks to please the Lord. Yes, Jesus will forgive and cleanse those trusting and following him, but those who continue to act worse then the worlds sinners? Does grace cover willful sin?
Rom 6:15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
Rom 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
Sin unto death, even under grace, there is a law of God that to continue to sin willfully leads to the death of the body.
1 Cor 5:3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,
1 Cor 5:4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
1 Cor 5:5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
Paul said to remove the willful offender from fellowship, that satan may destroy the body, BUT that the spirit which is kept by God at salvation be SAVED in the day of the Lord. Grace keeps even the worst offender, but beware lest satan destroy the body. Now this is someone who chooses to be disobedient. If we sin occasionally we have an advocate who loves us, and forgives us; Christ Jesus.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
If we repent and confess our sins, forgiveness and the light of God fills our being. Lord we want your light to shine in our lives. Keep us from willful sins, deliver us from temptations, help us to walk with you unstained from the world.
Leaven
1 Cor 5:6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
Your pride in your conduct is not good. Leaven is a type of sin. Like putting a little yeast in a lump of bread dough, it affects the whole body of bread. Unrepented sin allowed in the body of a church effects the purity of the church. My old band leader used to say we are as a chain, we are only as strong as the weakest link. If one is out of tune and out of harmony the sound of the whole band is in discord.
1 Cor 5:7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
Remove the sin, as a cancer is removed so as to not spred to the whole body. You think it wrong to put away sin? Think of Christ,the passover lamb without spot or blemish who was destroyed in body so that we may be forgiven.
1 Cor 5:8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
Let us remember Christ whose body was torn and his blood shed for our sins. The sins of the old leaven are removed. Now we partake of the unleavened bread of the new Covenant in sincerity and truth. If we are to spred anything, let it be love and good works and the word of life.
As we are blessed, we bless others. When one hurts we go to his side, for if one hurts, all hurt in the body. We are not alone, we are not to keep our blessings from others nor do we keep our troubled heart from others. The answer to our troubled heart may very well be in the wisdom of others in God's family. Likewise our sins affect the body, even if we try to hide them. Turn from sin to our Father who wishes to bless us with all blessings. Thank you Jesus for bringing us into this wonderful family of God. Amen
Put out Sin
1 Cor 5:9 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
1 Cor 5:10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.
fornicators: Sexual relations outside of marriage, by mutual agreement
We must live in the world, but we are not to be of the world. Jesus said a prayer for us before he went to the cross.
John 17:14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
John 17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
John 17:16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
1 Cor 5:11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
To eat with another in Paul's time was an intimate fellowship. We are not to be keeping company with those who are of a sinful character. We become like those we associate with. The dirty glass dirties the clean water. One father explained to his daughter who thought it was not so bad to sin a little, " ok, then when we make cookies we will add just a tiny bit of dirt"...noooo, They got the message!
1 Cor 5:12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
1 Cor 5:13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
God is the judge of the unsaved. His word says they are condemned already because they have not believed in Jesus. (John 3:18)
The Christians we are to judge as to behaviour. For God has already saved them.
Rom 8:33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
Rom 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
Yet we are to correct those who are in sinful behavior. Two different people , last night and today,who are Christian asked what I thought of their relationships outside of marriage. What do you think? I must think as the word of God thinks. It is wrong, you should repent. But, I still love these people. Love says the truth and warns those who are headed for problems with satan. Satan steals , torments, and wants to kill, Jesus came to make you free. Why be entangled in something God clearly disapproves of?
1 Th 5:14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.
Yes, not only do we correct another, but we do it with a heart of love. Our purpose is to build up , not to destroy. For we are a living building of our Lord. He dwells within us. We are to be a holy people.
Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
Are you in sin? The Bible will tell you what is good and true. If in doubt, ask others of the faith. A question has come up, "What about money", is money evil? No, money can be used for many good purposes. But, the love of money over the love of God would be evil. The love of anything above the love of God is evil. It is called idolotry. We can make a boyfriend or girlfriend an idol above God. The boyfriend may be very good. But God must be first in our hearts. Lord you will keep our hearts and we will follow you making you Lord. Use us Lord to bring glory to you with all we are and with all we own. In Jesus name, Amen
GARY
1 Corinthians Chapters
1 Corinthians 6
1 Corinthians 4
1 Corinthians 3
1 Corinthians 2
1 Corinthians 1 Index