https://lesfeldickbiblestudy.com

Through the Bible with Les Feldick
LESSON 1 * PART 3 * BOOK 27
I CORINTHIANS 4:3 - 6:11
Now let's come right back to our study, and begin I Corinthians Chapter 5. God does not change. The God of Israel in Genesis is the still the same God that we deal with today, but He deals with us, the Church, under far different circumstances. I Corinthians 5:1
I Corinthians 5:2
Now let's analyze these two verses. I Corinthians 5:3
This couple is living in sin, they are open about it, they walk in church as though nothing is amiss." So Paul is telling us the remedy. I Corinthians 5:4,5a
"In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, (you see this is a corporate thing now, it's the Church, The Body Of Christ, located in Corinth) and my spirit, (and naturally the Holy Spirit would be) with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh,..."
So Paul is not demanding the destruction of this man's soul and spirit as a believer. I Corinthians 5:5b
It has to be dealt with by the Church, and God's going to deal with it. In I John Chapter 5 let's drop in at verse 16, and here he's dealing with pretty much the same kind of a situation. It may not have been as gross, but it was sin in the Church.
I John 5:16
"If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. (In other words, their sin isn't as gross as the sin we saw in the Book of Corinthians) There is a sin unto death:..."
In other words, in the life of a believer who goes into deep sin, open sin, God has mandated first and foremost a discipline action on the part of the Church to restore such a one to fellowship, and you find that in Galatians Chapter 6:1
John is delineating that there were some sins that would not cause God to take them out of their physical life. Well God takes them home lest they keep on bringing reproach to His Name. I John 5:b
"...There is a sin unto death: (a believer can come to that place where God will take his life. In other words no believer or Church Body ever has the right to pray for the death of an erring believer, because that is never permissible, that's in God's hand. Now let's look at verse 17.
I John 5:17
"All unrighteousness is sin: (whether that sin be a little one or a great one) and there is a sin not unto death."
That some sins are gross enough that it will cause God to take that believer out ahead of time. This man is evidently committing a sin unto death if he does not repent of it, and turn around. Now verse 5.
I Corinthians 5:5,6
Now Paul comes back to the Corinthians as a congregation.
"Your glorying (remember the words `puffed up?') Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?"
All the gross sins of the world have now come into the Church, and the Church thinks nothing of it. You people who bake bread know that. Well Paul is using that analogy for the Church. Now verse 7. I Corinthians 5:7a
"Purge out therefore the old leaven,..."
We have to look at sin in our individual lives. We have to look at sin in the life of the Church just like leaven in the bread of Egypt. Well we've been forgiven, we've been cleansed, and so far as God is concerned we are without sin. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:"
Now Paul is bringing that all the way up to the Church age. I John 2:1a
"My little children, (who's John writing to? Believers) these things write I unto you, that ye sin not...."
Now God never encourages the believer to sin, but God being Omnipotent, God being the Creator, God knows that we are going to sin, and some a little quicker than others, but we're going to sin. I John 2:1b
"...And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, (Who?) Jesus Christ the righteous:"
Now can you imagine what happens up there in Heaven when a believer sins? I John 2:2
"And he is the propitiation for our sins:..."
I John 2:2b
Now let's come back to I Corinthians Chapter 5.
I Corinthians 5:8
Now what do you suppose Paul is alluding to here? Remember we're still dealing with the sins of believers in that local congregation, but they weren't the only people who were falling far short, because evidently there was also malice, and other forms of wickedness in the congregation. And it was leaven that was permeating that little congregation. Here was that little group of believers that was plagued with almost every sin that you could think of, and yet God didn't give up on them.

#LesFeldick
#BibleStudy
#Bible