1 Corinthians 5—Clean Out the Leaven
1 Corinthians – Part 7 — 1 Corinthians 5:1-13
Stonebrook Sunday AM, 03/201/26, Brad Barrett
Our passage today is challenging.It’s not a pleasant topic.But in the eyes of the God of all creation, it is an essential and important topic that every Christian needs to heed and every church needs to remember.
We are in a sermon series going through a fascinating, hard-hitting letter written by the Apostle Paul to the church in Corinth, a city in modern-day Greece.
Previously in Corinthians
- He begins the letter by recounting the glorious, heavenly, Spirit-driven work in their lives.
- But since Paul had left Corinth, the church largely fell back into old patterns of thinking:pride, boasting, quarreling.They were worldly and immature.Spiritual babies.
That immaturity and sin was leading to all sorts of problems.
Don’t Boast in Sin (5:1-5)
1 Corinthians 5 (CSB)
1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and the kind of sexual immorality that is not even tolerated among the Gentiles—a man is sleeping with his father’s wife.
2 And you are arrogant! Shouldn’t you be filled with grief and remove from your congregation the one who did this?
3 Even though I am absent in the body, I am present in spirit. As one who is present with you in this way, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who has been doing such a thing.
4 When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus, and I am with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus,
5 hand that one over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.
Paul is addressing one of the more serious topics a church ever faces:What should the church do when there is egregious, unrepented sin.
When I read this as a pastor, I take it very seriously.At the same time, Paul is writing to the whole church.Everyone in Corinth needed to take this topic seriously and have biblical convictions.
Paul has a well-established report that there is serious sin in the church.A man is sleeping with “his father’s wife,” perhaps his step mother.We call it incest today.
The Law of Moses prohibited such sexual activity.And even the pagan Roman government prohibited it.Now Paul is certainly not looking to the world to establish Christian ethics, but when the world’s standards are higher than what the church is tolerating, that is a dark, dark place.
Regardless of what their society was doing, Bible is clear:sexual activity is reserved for one man and one woman in marriage.
Covenant marriage is a glorious picture of God’s relationship with Israel in the OT.That’s why in the OT when Israel wandered from the Lord and began worshiping false gods and idols, the Lord equated it to adultery.
And marriage in the NT between a man and a woman is a holy picture of Jesus Christ and his Bride, the church.That’s why sexual activity is so sacred.It is far, far richer and more meaningful that a simple physical act.
God intends that all his laws will bring good.To bring true, heavenly flourishing.We might think his laws simply keep us from fun and pleasure.But actually his truth brings life and light.Sin brings death and darkness.
That’s why Jesus came to earth.In God’s mercy, though the world deserved his wrath, he wanted to extend mercy.So he sent his Son to live a sinless life, be unjustly murdered, gloriously raised to life, powerfully ascended into heaven, and assuredly promised to return.
When we believe in the Person and work of the Son, God saves us.He forgives us and cleanses us down to the innermost, even our conscience.And then additionally, when he saves us, he commits himself to change us, and he calls us to be transformed.To become more like his Son.
1 Peter 1:14–16 CSB As obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires of your former ignorance.But as the one who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct;for it is written, Be holy, because I am holy.
So the passion of the Christian is to grow and become more like Jesus.In character and conduct.
Yet in this tragic story here in 1 Corinthians 5, the church is being permissive about a sin that even the dark, pagan Roman world won’t tolerate.This is a very shameful moment for this church.How did they get to this point where they tolerated immoral behavior?Verse 2 tells us:The church was arrogant.And we’ll see in a few minutes in vs. 6 that they were boasting.
Apparently the church had such a distorted view of holy living that they applauded the immorality.Maybe they thought they were being progressive.After all, the City of Corinth itself was one of the darkest, more pagan cities in the Roman world.It reminds me of Paul’s words in Romans 1.There, speaking about unsaved people, Paul says they love their sin.
Romans 1:32 CSB Although they know God’s just sentence—that those who practice such things deserve to die—they not only do them, but even applaud others who practice them.
Paul is saying that even though the unsaved know God will judge them and that death is the penalty, they continue in their sin.And even worse, they applaud others who do the same.It sounds like what the Corinthian church is doing.I wonder, where is their fear of the Lord?King Solomon of Israel said with heavenly wisdom,
Proverbs 8:13 CSB To fear the Lord is to hate evil. I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech.
When we see God in his glory, majesty, and holiness, we will tremble before him.And we will hate sin of any kind.We will hate it in ourselves, and we will hate it when we see it in others.I’m NOT saying we hate ourselves or other people.But we are to hate the sin.We hate it because it brings death.Darkness.Deception.And ultimately God’s wrath.
This is the fear of the Lord.
The Corinthian church was boasting in sin instead of hating it.So in verse 2, Paul essentially says they should hate the sin so much that they remove the sinner from among them.This is the main point of this chapter.
Vs. 3
Paul has enough information to make a judgment:The man’s behavior is dark and unholy, and the church’s tolerance towards it and even worse.
Let me speak about the word “judge.”Paul uses the word 4 times in our chapter today.And it’s same Greek word that Jesus used in Matthew 7:1.
Matthew 7:1–2 CSB 1 Do not judge, so that you won’t be judged. 2 For you will be judged by the same standard with which you judge others, and you will be measured by the same measure you use.
Verse 1 is surely in the Top Ten of misquoted and misapplied Bible verses by both Christians AND non-Christians.
Here Jesus does say, “Don’t judge”, but he says it as a warning to those who judge others but themselves are sinning the same or even worse.In the next verse he says, “You’re being a hypocrite.”So first, he says, “You have a greater sin.You have a LOG in your eye.So remove that first.Repent yourself and stop sinning.Then after that, you can help your brother remove the SPECK in his eye.” In essence, Jesus is saying, “You can judge your brother.But you need to judge yourself first.”
So back here in 1 Corinthians 5, Paul says he is issuing a judgment, and the church should too.They need to look at the evidence, consider God’s calling, and take action.
Vs. 4-5
So in vs. 4-5, Paul writes some startling but important words:When you are gathered as the church in Jesus’ name, by the power of Jesus, “hand the man over to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.”
First, “handing him over to Satan” sounds as serious as we could get.By removing the unrepentant man from the protection of the church of Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit, Satan gets to work him over somehow.Second, it’s for the destruction of the man’s flesh.What Paul may be getting at is that Satan who rules this world will mess with the man so much that he might finally come to his senses and repent of the dark behaviors of his flesh.Third, the end result Paul is hoping for is the salvation of the man’s soul.Right now, because the man is unrepentance in sin, it appears he is not truly a Christian.But we hope and pray he will come to his senses, turn to Jesus and so be saved from the wrath of God on the Judgment Day.
So ultimately, Paul is seeking the good of both the church and this man.
Now with all this we need to understand several things.
- Paul doesn’t mention it here, but I believe it’s obvious he is talking about someone who is unrepentant.
The man is sinning and is unwilling to change. A couple other passages in the NT give us some insights on this, like Matthew 18 and Titus 3. And we will see in a few minutes in vs. 11 that this man is claiming to be a Christian.So Paul isn’t talking about some random sinner from the city who is checking out church and Christianity.Rather, he is talking about someone whom everyone considers to be a believer and a part of the church, but that someone is acting in dark, anti-God ways.
In fact, if this man had repented, confessed his sin to both God and man, and if he renounced his evil ways, Chapter 5 would not have been necessary.
So the final issue is not simply the man’s terrible sin;it’s his unwillingness to repent. And then the church’s unwillingness to deal with it.
- Second, some of us might wonder, “Is this loving?”
We certainly are to be loving.We are also to be holy.Love and holiness are not in conflict with each other.
Consider this:If sin is defiance against a holy God…If sin leads to deception and darkness and judgment…If sin brings harm to both the person and to others around him…If sin harms the reputation of God’s church on the earth…then how is it loving to let it continue?
- We do all this in a spirit of humility and gentleness because we know that we have the potential to sin in the same way.
Galatians 6:1 CSB Brothers and sisters, if someone is overtaken in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual, restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so that you also won’t be tempted.
Paul is telling me that if I help you when you are caught in your sin,I might be tempted to sin in the same or a similar way.So be meek, humble, gentle.
- What Paul is asking the church do is not that different from what happens in our world today in a variety of situations.
For example, in college athletics, if an athlete violates certain codes of conduct of the team or the university, he is disciplined.He may have to sit out a game, or he may even be kicked off the team.Or in the workplace, there are certain behaviors that some companies won’t tolerate.Stealing from the company.Physical assaults and sexual harassment.You will likely get disciplined or fired. Such discipline on the sports team or the workplace or even in the church is not always done perfectly.But it should be done.
Clean out the old leaven (5:6-8)
6 Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little leaven leavens the whole batch of dough?
7 Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new unleavened batch, as indeed you are.For Christ our Passover lamb has been sacrificed.
8 Therefore, let us observe the feast, not with old leaven or with the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
What is Paul talking about here?
He is referencing one of the most significant moments in OT history:The 10th plague on Egypt in Exodus 12, the plague of the firstborn.The Lord brought judgment on Egypt for their oppression of Israel, and all Israel was delivered by the blood of the Passover lamb and the eating of unleavened bread.And then in the centuries that followed, Israel was to annually celebrate the Passover for an entire week and eat unleavened bread.
In multiple places in the Scriptures, leaven (yeast) is a picture of sin, and so unleavened bread is a picture of holiness.
So in short, Paul is reminding the Corinthian church that Jesus Christ has become like a sacrificial Passover lamb..Because of Christ’s sacrifice, the church is already “unleavened.”Vs. 7 says, “as indeed you are.”The sins of the Corinthian believers have been removed.Washed away by his blood.And now in Christ, the church is to live in a manner worthy of our “unleavened” holy calling.
This man in the church who is unrepentant is like leaven.And in vs. 6, like a little leaven in a lump of dough will work its way through the entire lump,So leaving this man in the church corrupt the entire church.
Paul’s conclusion is, remove the leaven before it’s too late.
Remove the unrepentant (5:9-13)
If his explanation and commands aren’t enough yet, Paul explains more.
9 I wrote to you in a letter not to associate with sexually immoral people.
10 I did not mean the immoral people of this world or the greedy and swindlers or idolaters; otherwise you would have to leave the world.
11 But actually, I wrote you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister and is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or verbally abusive, a drunkard or a swindler. Do not even eat with such a person.
12 For what business is it of mine to judge outsiders? Don’t you judge those who are inside?
13 God judges outsiders. Remove the evil person from among you.
In an earlier letter that is not in God’s inspired Scriptures, Paul had told them not to associate with people in the church who are trapped in these sins.He says, “I’m not speaking about all the people outside the church in the world.Otherwise, we would all have to leave this world and be in heaven.Rather, I am speaking about so-called Christians—those who “claim to be a brother or sister in Christ” (vs. 11)— who fellowshipping with you and are trapped in sin.”
He gives a list of sins.
- Sexual immorality.The Greek word is pornos which is a broad term for any kind of sexual behavior that is outside the will of God.
- Greed.Coveting.Someone who wants more and more, and even wants what others have.
- Idolatry.The worship of something other than the Lord God.
- Verbally abusive.Commonly this is translated as a “reviler.”It’s a broad word for hurtful speech, including slandering and blasphemy.
- Drunkenness.Like in Ephesians 5, instead of being filled with the Spirit, we are filled with something else that clouds and controls our minds.
- Swindling.Extortion, theft, robbery, fraud.
About such unrepented sins, Paul says, “Don’t even eat with a person.”Paul may be thinking of the worship meal of breaking bread, the most intimate “meal” the church can have as we celebrate Jesus.Or he may be thinking more broadly of having fellowship over a meal.In either case, Paul says, “Don’t even eat with him.”
Then in case the Corinthians have not got the point yet, Paul quotes from Deuteronomy 17 which says, “Remove the evil person from among you.”)I find it remarkable that in just 13 verses, Paul makes this point SIX TIMES:vs. 2, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 13.). Everyone in the church—pastors and members—needed to heed this and obey the Lord.It would not have been pleasant to do this.It would not have been fun.No one should enjoy this process.But as God’s holy, unleavened people, it needed to be done.
Other considerations
This chapter is one of several in the NT that speak about this topic.
For example, the reputation of God is on display in the church.That’s why the purity of the church is so important.
Matthew 5:13–16 CSB “You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden.No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house.In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”
The church is the light of the world.We are Jesus’s representatives to the world.Our light.Our deeds.If we become so corrupted that we are just like the rest of the world caught in sin, how can we possibly represent Jesus? Our light has been dimmed or extinguished.
There is much more to this topic that we can’t cover this morning.Know that it can be a difficult process to implement church discipline.Questions arise.Wisdom is needed.Humility is paramount.Love covers all.But in the end, if a church is in a situation like Paul addresses in this letter to the Corinthians, action must be taken.
Application
- Know that no one is beyond redemption.
Jesus was known as a friend of sinners.The lowliest people in first-century Palestine found hope and forgiveness and life in Jesus.The Apostle Paul is one of the greatest examples.He was a violent, hateful man attacking Jesus’s church.But God showed mercy to him.
In a group this large, I suspect some of us here are hiding something.Or running from God.And I would guess you are in internal conflict.On the one hand, you love your sin.On the other hand, you are wracked by guilt and shame.Simply, you need to turn to Jesus.Come into the light.
You might know you are not a Christian.You might think you are, but perhaps are not.In either case, turn to Jesus.Today.
2 Corinthians 6:2 CSB Now is the acceptable time;now is the day of salvation!
Come into the light and find freedom, forgiveness, and hope.Don’t delay.
- Let us all hold the church in high regard.
1 Timothy 3:15 CSBI have written so that you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.
God’s family—the church of the living God—is the structural support of eternal, heavenly truth. What a glorious calling and standing we have.The church of Christ is a high-commitment enterprise.It is holy. Jesus is glorified and displayed in us and through us.So let us hold the church high.
Conclusion
I want to end with a passage that is very special to me.For more than 40 years, this passage has guided my life.
2 Corinthians 5:14–15 NIV For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
Christ’s love for us is our deepest motivation to live lives devoted to him.He died to give us life.And so now, with love in our hearts, we give our new lives back to him.We live for him who took our dead souls and breathed life into us.We owe everything to him now.
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