1 CORINTHIANS LESSON 7

     We will begin this lesson in I Corinthians 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."

     Fornication, in this particular Scripture, means harlotry. We
notice first about this, that it seems to be common knowledge. This
sin and incest {so prevalent in our day} are so bad that even the
heathen, who do not know God and His laws, do not practice this sin.
This is not necessarily this man's mother. It could be his stepmother,
but it is a terrible sin by any account. In the book of Leviticus,
there are definite regulations about this very thing.

     I Corinthians 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."

     These Christians know about this and have done nothing about it.
This is like so many in our day, who believe if you have been
baptized, you are not guilty of sins you commit. Paul is saying, why
have you not forcibly removed him from your group? It is as if you
approve of what he is doing. This could give this church a very bad
name in the community. The fact that they have not dealt with this
within the church would make it even worse. They are puffed up with
pride that they are Christians and are not dealing with the sin that
is in the church.

     I Corinthians 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,"

     Paul has just heard of this sin from afar, and he knows exactly
what should be done about this matter. Those who were in the church in
authority should have already handled this.

     I Corinthians 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," I Corinthians 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."

     This is not saying that they would automatically be saved because
of the suffering of the flesh. This is saying that the protection is
removed from this person, and Satan can do with this sinner's body
whatever he will. This is done to cause the sinner to repent. If you
repent of sin, your spirit will be saved, even if your body is ravaged
by that sin. Paul is saying also, in the verse above, that these are
not his own personal wishes for this man, but the will of the Lord
Jesus Christ.

     I Corinthians 5:6 "Your glorying [is] not good. Know ye not that
a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?"
     Just the fact that a person has accepted Jesus as their Saviour
does not exempt them from punishment for their sin. Paul is saying
here, if you let this go without taking care of this, the sin will
spread in your church. You must remove the one who is infected with
sin, so that this disease will not spread to the other members.

     I Corinthians 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:"

     Leaven, in the verse above, is sin. Paul is saying, clean up your
church, so that it will be without sin again. Purge, in this
Scripture, means to cleanse thoroughly. Do not leave anything at all
that is associated with this sin. Christ was the unleavened Bread. He
was without sin. If we are truly followers of Him, we must be free of
sin, as well. Jesus' sacrifice for us was to do away with the sin in
our life. A person who sins must repent quickly and get forgiveness
for that sin.

     I Corinthians 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."

     The life of a Christian should be a continual remembrance of the
great sacrifice that Jesus made for us. Jesus {the perfect Lamb
sacrifice} was our Substitute. We deserved the death on the cross, but
He took our place. I see in this a personal relationship with the Lord
Jesus. In the passover, the lamb was killed and the blood drawn of the
animal, but had they not put the blood over the door, death would have
come to that house. We must not only believe that He gave His body at
Calvary for our sin, but we must individually apply that precious
blood to our life. He must be our personal Saviour. We must desire to
be like Jesus. This next Scripture tells it all. Galatians 2:20 "I am
crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ
liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the
faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."  Sin
should not be tolerated in your life, if you are a Christian. Anyone
proclaiming Christianity should have no desire in their heart to sin.
We should constantly be sincere with the Lord. Truth should be our
standard.

     I Corinthians 5:9 "I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company
with fornicators:"

     We become like those we keep company with. Paul had warned of the
dangers of fellowshipping with sinners. Fornicator, in this particular
Scripture, is taken from the word pornos, and can be translated male
prostitute. This includes homosexuals. This leaves no doubt as to the
danger of those who associate with those who are involved in sex sins.
This is primarily speaking of unnatural acts in sex relations, but
includes adultery between male and female, as well. One thing we must
note in this, it is alright to go and witness to the lost, this is
just speaking of not getting caught up in their sin.

     I Corinthians 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."

     The statement, "not altogether" just means that he did not forbid
casual association with these sinners, but continuous association,
which might cause you to get involved in their sin. We are in this
world with those who commit these sins, but we are not of this world.
We are a holy people set aside for the purposes of God. We are not
holy in our own right, but have put on righteousness which Jesus
provided for us when He washed us in His precious blood. There would
be no point in us staying in this world, except we had the opportunity
to win people out of these sins to the living God.

     I Corinthians 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."

     Notice the fact that Paul called him a brother here, which means
they were of like persuasion. It seems it is much worse for a
Christian to be caught up in these sins, than it is for those who have
not repented and given their lives to the Lord. To sin in full
knowledge is much worse than to sin and not be aware that you are
sinning. It does not say, again, that you are not to come in casual
contact with them, but not to eat with them. When you eat with
someone, it is a time of fellowshipping. We are not to turn our head
the other way when a brother or sister sins, and act as if it did not
happen. When you fellowship by eating with them, it is as if you are
condoning what they are doing.

     I Corinthians 5:12 "For what have I to do to judge them also that
are without? do not ye judge them that are within?"

     Paul is interested in keeping the converts that the Lord has
given him. He can not change the world, unless they want to be
changed.  His instructions are for those he claims as his own
converts.

     I Corinthians 5:13 "But them that are without God judgeth.
Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person."

     There is a day of judgement coming when the Lord Jesus will judge
the whole world. Paul is saying, here, we do not judge the world,
Jesus does. If someone is determined to live in sin like the world,
put them out there in the world with the rest of the sinners. Let God
judge them on judgement day, just as He will the rest of the sinners.
Those who are determined to sin, should not be left with the
Christians to contaminate them.





                      1 Corinthians 7 Questions


1.  What had been reported to Paul about the church at Corinth?
2.  This sin was such a bad one that not even the _________ committed
    this sin.
3.  Exactly what was the sin?
4.  What does fornication, in verse 1, mean?
5.  What is a similar sin prevalent in our day?
6.  Where do we read who we can sleep with and who we cannot?
7.  Who was this woman probably?
8.  Did that make it any less a sin?
9.  What have the members of the church done about this sin in their
    church?
10. What did Paul say they should do with this sinner?
11. What is this church puffed up with?
12, Paul was absent in body, but present in _________.
13. In verse 4, Paul is speaking this in whose name?
14. Who were they to deliver this sinner to?
15. Why?
16. That the spirit ____ be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
17. What is this done for?
18. A little leaven ________ the whole lump.
19. Is a person exempt from punishment just because he has accepted
    the Lord Jesus?
20. Why must the sinner be removed?
21. What is leaven in verse 7?
22. What does purge mean in verse 7?
23. Who was the unleavened Bread?
24. What is meant by keep the feast?
25. Who was our Substitute?
26. Jesus must be our ____________ Saviour.
27. Quote Galations chapter 2 verse 20.
28. Who had Paul written them not to company with?
29. What does fornicator, in verse 9, mean?
30. What type of sin is this primarily speaking of?
31. What does the statement "not altogether" mean?
32. What other sins are mentioned in verse 11?
33. What one word shows that Paul was speaking of someone professing
    Christianity?
34. Why is it necessary for the believer to stay on the earth, instead
    of being immediately raptured?
35. Why should they not eat with them?
36. Paul cannot change the world, unless they ______ __ __ ________.
37. Who judges them who are outside the church?