Re:Verse reading–1 Corinthians 5 (day one)
Challenging passage. No question. In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul presses uncomfortable questions onto the members of that ancient church (and to us). Is sin contagious? Are my personal choices your business? Is your behavior my concern?
The situation was sad and dangerous. A member of the Corinthian congregation “had” his father’s wife. (see v. 1) Was the father still alive? Had there been a divorce? The passage doesn’t tell us. What we do know is that it was public and scandalous sexual relationship. Even nonbelievers knew it was wrong.
Paul’s concern is that the church had not “mourned” Not taken action. Swept in under a rug. Avoided involvement. (See Matthew 18)
Where sin is tolerated, dismissed or justified, the church can never be what God designed it to be. The Lord is not passive or uninvolved when we drift into sin. He challenges! Convicts the conscience! Shouldn’t the church care in a similar way?
Give us courage, Lord. Galatians 6:1-2
Jesus shaped the culture of His church so leaders of Jesus’ church should follow the Jesus’ way. Leaders can influence how members should behave so the church should have the concern as to how its members should behave based on God’s standards.
Culture, moral or immoral, right or wrong, starts with church leadership!