JUDGE YOUR BROTHER
I Corinthians 5
1. THE SITUATION:
I Cor. 5:1
It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father’s wife.
2. THE CONFRONTATION:
I Cor. 5:2
And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.
3. THE SOLUTION:
I Cor. 5:3-5
For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing.When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.
- The goal of church discipline is NOT to throw people out of the church, embarrass them, or excercise power, BUT to RESTORE A SINNING BELIEVER!
4. THE EXPLANATION:
I Cor. 5:6-8
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. Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
c.p. Exodus 12:12-15
5. THE CLARIFICATION:
I Cor. 5:9-13
I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”
c.p. Matthew 7:1-5
Unfortunately, many believers are abusing God’s amazng gift of grace. They have perverted God’s undeserved gift of forgiveness, making it a license for immorality, self-indulgence, and minimal involvement in God’s kingdom. In the process they are robbing themselves of the joy that comes from obedience to God. —Dr. Robert Jeffress in “Grace Gone Wild”
Our job is NOT to get unbelievers to stop sinning!
Our job is NOT to rid the world of sin!
Our Job Is To PREACH THE HOPE OF CHRIST!
I Cor. 6:11
And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.