1 Corinthians - Division, Gifts, Marriage, Love, & Resurrection
Session 8 – Immorality Defiles the Church
(1 Corinthians 5:1-13)
What happens in Corinth…stays in Corinth!
It was an ancient day “Hollywood, Las Vegas, and New York” with all the immorality and debauchery of
today.

Map of Greece / Asia Minor (Modern day Turkey):
Corinth
Olympia
Athens
Thessalonica
Philippi
Ephesus
Smyrna
Pergamos
Sardis
Laodicea

(Halley’s Bible Handbook)
Corinth lies 56 miles west of Athens, on the narrow strip of land (isthmus) between the Peloponnesus and
the Greek mainland. Ever since the Golden Age of Greece, Athens had been the leading cultural center,
but under Roman rule, Corinth had been made the capital of the Roman province called Achaia (which
also included Athens) and was the most important city in the country. Land traffic between the north and
south had to pass the city, and much of the commerce between Rome and the East was brought to its
harbors.

Paul visited Corinth for the first time on his second missionary journey (Acts 18). He became acquainted
with Aquila and Priscilla, fellow Christians and, like himself, tentmakers. During his stay of 1 ½ years he
lived at their home. Paul later wrote two New Testament letters to that church and at least two other

letters, now lost (1 Cor 5:9) and the severe letter (2 Cor 7:8). Paul also wrote the letter to the Romans
while in Corinth (Romans 16:23).
(Chuck Missler – 1&2 Corinthians Commentary 1995)
Occasion of 1 Corinthians
Paul wrote a letter to the Corinthian church, a letter which apparently perished (1 Cor 5:9). (Some
scholars believe it is preserved as 2 Cor 6:14-7:1.) This letter had been misunderstood (1 Cor 5:9-10) and
Paul mentions it to clear up a misconception. [Remember: The chapters were not divided up until the 13th
century; the verses not until the 16th.] The household of Chloe brought him news of cliques in the church
(1 Cor 1:11) and the church wrote him a letter (re: 1 Cor 7:1), presumably brought to Ephesus by
Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus (1 Cor 16:17) who probably added their own comments. The
situation was serious. Paul responded with the letter we know as 1 Corinthians.

The “Painful visit”
The situation worsened. Paul felt it necessary to leave his work in Ephesus and pay a hurried visit in the
attempt to set things right. (This visit is implied in passages in 2 Corinthians, which speak of Paul as being
ready to pay a third visit to Corinth (2 Cor 12:14; 13:1; his second visit is past, 13:2).
His references to “coming again in sorrow” (2 Cor 2:1) indicate that this visit had been an unpleasant one.
It failed to clear up the situation and Paul went away profoundly disturbed.
The “Severe Letter”
Paul determined to write another letter, obviously very severe in tone, and it cost him much to write (2
Cor 2:4; 7:8). Had it not been successful it might conceivably have meant a final rupture between Paul
and this church he had founded. This letter seems to have been lost. (Many scholars feel part of it is
preserved in 2 Cor 10-13.) The letter was apparently taken by Titus, who was to return via Macedonia and
Troas. Paul was impatient to know how it had been received. When he eventually catches up to Titus, he
learns that all is well (2 Cor 2:12-17; 7:5-7, 13). Out of his great relief and joy, Paul wrote the letter we
call 2 Corinthians. Almost certainly he visited the church soon afterwards.
Three Visits:
1) When church was founded;
2) The “painful” visit;
3) A visit after 2 Corinthians had been sent.
Four letters:
1) The “Previous Letter”;
2) 1 Corinthians;
3) The “Severe Letter”;
4) 2 Corinthians.

Authorship
There is no doubt that Paul is the author. He is cited as the author in 1 Clement 47:1, a first century letter,
and freely quoted by Ignatius and Polycarp; plus subsequent frequent references.

The church at Corinth is the “carnal church.” Spiritual babes, immature and undeveloped spiritually.
Unseparated from the world. They have only a minimum of doctrine; what they have is mostly practical,
conduct-related.
Paul addresses the following:
Discipline, Chapter 5;
Going to Law, Chapter 6;
Marriage and Divorce, Chapter 7;
Christian Liberty, Chapters 8, 9, 10;
Lord’s Table, Chapter 11;
Tongues, Chapters 12-14;
Resurrection, Chapter 15.
Contrast:
1) Exciting speech of men vs. the Spirit filled preaching of Paul.
2) Wisdom of the world vs. the wisdom of God.
3) The spirit of the world vs. the Spirit of God.
4) The natural man vs. the spiritual man.

In Roman times Corinth was a city of wealth, luxury, and immorality – with a growing population that
reached more than 300,000 free citizens and 460,000 slaves in the 2 nd century A.D. The theater in Paul’s
day seated 14,000 spectators. In the past, more than 1,000 hierodouloi – temple prostitutes – had been
active in pagan worship rites, but these practices probably had ceased by Paul’s time, although the
memory of that era was still fresh. “To live like a Corinthian” meant to live a life of sexual immorality and
drunkenness. This was the Temple of Aphrodite. The Isthmian games, held every two years, made
Corinth a great center of Hellenic life. (The Olympian Games were held every four years at Olympia, some
100 miles west of Corinth).

READ (All) 1 Corinthians 6:1-11
Direction for Christians about lawsuits.
Read 1 Corinthians 5:11-13 – this is a related topic.
The world is trying to get the Christian community to conform to the world’s standards. (Did you know
that there is a lawsuit filed every 15 seconds?)
Godly Worldly
Divine commandments guide my reality. Personal agenda guides my reality.
There is design and purpose in creation. The world is random; meaning is personal.
The image of God defines humankind. Humanity “creates” itself.
God determines the value of life. Life is valuable as it relates to me.
Feelings have value but don’t define truth. Personal feelings define reality.
God decides who and what I am. I choose my own identity.
Love for God and others is paramount. Profit and self-interest come first.
God’s approval matters most. Social approval is all-important.
Christian brothers/sisters who take their cases to non-Christians are cause the Church to be a joke in the
eyes of the “Gentile” world. (Paul divides the world into three groups: Jews, Gentiles, and The Church – 1
Cor 10:32).
Christians ought to settle their disputes within the confines of their own fellowship.
John 13:35 (NKJV), “By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have
love for one another.”

1) (1 Corinthians 6:1) Paul speaks to Christians that want to settle legal disputes with pagan courts of
law.
[1] Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the
unrighteous, and not before the saints?
a) Dare any of you: Paul is in disbelief that these Corinthian Christians are going to pagan courts to
get judgments.
b) Having a matter against another: There is evidently a Christian brother in the fellowship that
believes he has been wronged by another brother and is taking him to court.

James 2:8 (NKJV), “If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scriptures,
‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’ you do well.”
i) The local judge sat in what was known as the “bema” seat of the civil magistrate, located in the
heart of the marketplace. Because Greek culture found a good legal battle entertaining,
anyone’s lawsuit soon became public knowledge. (Guzik)
ii) How do you think your Christian witness is effected by taking another Christian to
court?
c) Unrighteous: This word (in the Greek) literally means unjust, or not justified/saved. The judges
were probably good at judging matters, they just weren’t Christians.
d) Not before the saints? A lawsuit has a life of its own; it is a fight to the death. Some parties that
enter into lawsuits are motivated by greed, impatience, revenge, hostility, and stubbornness.
i) Your rights vs. your witness to the world 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8.
“Let’s not forget who our enemy is.”
2) (1 Corinthians 6:2-6) Christians are capable of judging things within the church and it is wrong to go to
pagan courts.
[2] Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will
be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
a) Do you not know: Paul will ask 10 questions in this letter. 6X this chapter (6:2,3,9,15,16,19; also
3:16; 5:6;
9:13,24.) Paul is accusing them of short-sightedness. Saints will sit in judgment of the world (Mt
19:28; Lk 22:30; Jude 14,15; Rev 20:4). Will also reign with Christ (2 Tim 2:12).
b) Are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters: We have a glorious destiny of ruling and
reigning with God. So, why would be allow secular judges to decide the disputes of Christians?

[3] Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that
pertain to this life?
c) We shall judge angels: We will not be judging the faithful angels, but rather the evil angels. The
Fall of the angels (Isa 24:21-22; 2 Pet 2:4; Jude 6; Rev 20:10). B’nai Elohim (Gen 6:1-4); Nephilim,
fallen ones; LXX: gigantes, “earth born.”

i) The destiny of redeemed men and women - to one day be higher than the angels and to even
sit in judgment of them - must greatly annoy a certain high angel in heaven. He did not want to
serve an inferior creature now, and did not want that inferior creature to be raised up higher
than even he. So, he rebelled against God, and is determined to keep as much of humanity as
possible from sitting in judgment of himself. We can imagine the perverse, proud pleasure Satan
takes over every soul that goes to hell: “They won’t sit in judgment over me!” (Guzik)
ii) Are you confident in making judgment calls about your life situations? Why or
why not?

[4-6] If then you have judgments concerning things pertaining to this life, do
you appoint those who are least esteemed by the church to judge? I say this to
your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not even one, who
will be able to judge between his brethren? But brother goes to law against
brother, and that before unbelievers!
d) Do you appoint those who are least esteemed: The spirit of this judgment is done scripturally
and in love, therefore the least esteemed are adequate to make these judgments.
e) Is there not a wise man among you: The Corinthian Christians were proud of what they
thought was their “wisdom” (1 Corinthians 1:18-31), but their actions showed that there was not a
wise man among them. They should have appointed wise men from their own congregation to
mediate these cases.
f) Brother goes to law against brother: A Christian brother taking a fellow Christian to court is
sufficient
proof that he has set aside the command to love his neighbor (Jas 2:8)
i) Christians should settle disagreements among themselves and according to God’s principles.
This can be done through the church or through Christian Arbitration Organizations. Paul is not
saying that matters between Christians should go unresolved – only that they should be settled
in the proper arena.
ii) What are some loving responses (1 Cor 13) to wrongs that have been committed
against you?

3) (1 Corinthians 6:7) We are called to just accept the wrong.
[7] Now therefore, it is already an utter failure for you that you go to law
against one another. Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why do you not
rather let yourselves be cheated?
a) It is already an utter failure for you that you go to law against one another: Paul
addresses the entire fellowship. He is saying that by winning a lawsuit is a defeat for the Christian.
Can a plaintiff in court have the spiritual, emotional, physical, and financial well-being of the
Christian brother in mind? Love is the ultimate response that the Lord commands us to take:
Chapter 13.
b) Why do you not rather accept wrong: It would be better to accept wrong. It would be better
to let yourselves be cheated than to defend your “rights” at the expense of God’s glory and the
higher good of His kingdom.

i) Paul didn’t say, “Why not suffer wrong instead of confronting the problem?” Instead, he said,
“Why not suffer wrong instead of bringing your dispute before unbelievers?”
ii) Why do you find it hard to just accept the loss or to be cheated?
4) (1 Corinthians 6:8-11) Paul hammers the guy that had done the wrong.
[8] No, you yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do these things to your
brethren!
a) You yourselves do wrong and cheat: There is no place for dishonest dealing by Christians; how
much less place is there for dishonest dealing among Christians! Unbelievers have rejected the
gospel because of the dishonesty and cheating of Christians.
i) What are some unacceptable behaviors by Christians that would cause an
unbeliever to stubble?

[9-11] Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of
God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor
homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor
revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some
of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in
the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

b) Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Strong words
from Paul to the brother who did wrong. “Don’t you realize how serious your sin is? Habitually
sinful people are barred from God’s kingdom (cf. 5:9-11). They will not inherit. The use of the
future tense is definite: the unrepentant will never inherit the kingdom.
c) The unrighteous: The man who wronged his brother sets himself in the bad company of the
unrighteous.
d) Nor homosexuals: Since this is such a clear condemnation of homosexuality, those who would
like to justify the practice say Paul speaks of homosexual prostitution, not a “loving, caring
homosexual relationship.” But taken in context, there is no doubt God is speaking of homosexual
acts of all kinds with the words malakoi (homosexuals, which literally refers to male prostitutes)
and arsenokoitai(sodomites, a generic term for all homosexual practice).
i) Paul did not write in or of a “homophobic” culture. Homosexuality was rampant in the ancient
world; 14 out of the first 15 Roman emperors were bisexual or homosexual. At the very time
Paul wrote, Nero was emperor. Nero castrated a boy named Sporus and then married him (with
a full ceremony), brought him to the palace with a great procession, and made the boy his
“wife.” Later, the emperor lived with another man, and Nero was declared to be the other man’s
“wife.”
ii) In this list of sins, homosexuality (not some “special” version of homosexuality) is described, but
it is described right along with other sins.
iii) Christians err when they excuse homosexuality, and deny that it is sin, but they also err just as
badly when they single it out as a sin God is uniquely angry with.
iv) What should our response be to a person that is habitually committing the sins on
this list?

e) And such were some of you: Jesus came to call not the righteous but the sinners (Mk 2:17; Lk
5:32; 1 Tim 1:15). He then ate with them in their homes (Mt 11:19). Christians can never be
unloving or uncaring towards the lost. There was a time when we were right there where they are
now. Christians should not, and must not say such sins in the lives of those who don’t know Jesus
are of no concern to God. They are. Instead, they must communicate the message of salvation in
Jesus Christ: He will save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21).
i) What is the best way to communicate the Gospel to sinner trap in their sin?
f) But you were washed… sanctified… justified: God’s great work for us in Jesus Christ is
described in three terms.
i) You were washed: We have the “The Christian Bar of Soap” to be washed clean of our sin.
ii) Do you also feel restored to fellowship with Jesus after you confess your sin to
Him? Why or why not?
iii) We are washed clean from sin by the mercy of God (Titus 3:5).