Taboo! What are we avoiding?

by Pastor Wilson

Big idea:
God gives us authority to judge conflict and sin within a house

1 Corinthians 5:1-6
It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping with his father’s wife. 2 And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have gone into mourning and have put out of your fellowship the man who has been doing this? 3 For my part, even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. As one who is present with you in this way, I have already passed judgment in the name of our Lord Jesus on the one who has been doing this. 4 So when you are assembled and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, 5 hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh,[a][b] so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord. 6 Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough?


Paul was informed of a sexual immorality that is to cohibit with one's stepmother. Instead of feeling sad or concern, the church was proud and was boasting. Paul ask to enforce discipline on this man from faith community and hand him to satan for the destruction of the flesh.

Why would Paul partner with satan to have this sinful man's flesh destroy?
It is not true. We must understand Paul's Jewish background and his concept of sacred space. Symbolically sending Israel sins into Wilderness.

Sacred space is a space where God and His people would occupy

Leviticus 16:7-10
Then he is to take the two goats and present them before the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 8 He is to cast lots for the two goats—one lot for the Lord and the other for the scapegoat.[a] 9 Aaron shall bring the goat whose lot falls to the Lord and sacrifice it for a sin offering. 10 But the goat chosen by lot as the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the Lord to be used for making atonement by sending it into the wilderness as a scapegoat.


Above passage talks about 2 goats to be presented to Aaron. He then slaughter the goat chosen by God to clean the holy place. The other to release into the wilderness, Aaron release the sins and send it away. Wilderness symbolise the realm of fallen evil.

1 Corinthians 5:5
hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh,[a][b] so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.


Paul was very redemptive in 1 Corinthians 5:5 in his instruction, hoping the man will realise his sinfulness and eventually to return back to God's sacred space.

1 Corinthians 5:7-11
Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11 But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister[a] but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people.


Above passage must be understood in the context of a believer who wilfully sin against the lord and is proud to live in sin. It does not refer to someone who occasionaly sin, is about someone who have chosen to live in wilful sin and no desire to repent in the lifestyle, which will negatively affect the faith of the faith community.

A. Early church treated sin very seriously
# Christ grace is not the licence to live in persistent sin where there is no true repentance in our hearts before the lord

# The malice of sin and evil will negatively affect the faith community

Can we judge a fellow believer in Christ?

Matthew 7:1-3
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?


Judge carries different meanings when use in different context

1. First meaning of judging
# Analyse or evaluate people and situation

2. Second meaning of judging
# Condemn or to avenge

# Solely reserved for the lord when He comes back

# For this meaning, we are equally in need of God's grace and redemption

B. We must have the courage to enact church discipline and bring redemptive action to those affected
# Although the person can still go to other churches, but it should not stop us from enforcing God's word

# The faith community must have both discipline and restoration process for the person to come back into God's presence

1 Corinthians 6:1-10
If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord’s people? 2 Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? 3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! 4 Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, do you ask for a ruling from those whose way of life is scorned in the church? 5 I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? 6 But instead, one brother takes another to court—and this in front of unbelievers! 7 The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? 8 Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters. 9 Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men[a] 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.


Above passage narrate dispute among believers.

To the victim:
Why not rather suffer wrong?
Why not rather be defrauded?

To the culprit:
Will not inherit the kingdom of God, believers included

Paul theology determines his bahaviour and conviction. Paul believes believers will judge angels and the world, ungodly will be judged in condemnation. He encourage all belivers to live with an end in mind, what we truly believe and embrace must come out through the way we live.

C. Be ready to be wronged and cheated by a fellow believer
# Not every believer is perfect when they display ungodly behaviour

3 Let God judge the culprit for me, when I am wronged and cheated

D. There are eternal consequences when one lives in sin

E. Trust the church community to mediate and make the right judgement for you

Does your theology shapes your conviction and behaviour?

Can you believe that God sees your pain and will give you back more than you have lost?