Each of the Apostle Paul’s letters are fascinating to read – for many reasons. Paul was the most prolific writer of the New Testament. He wrote more books (primarily letters) than any other apostle, and probably influenced Luke to write the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts. The only other writers of Scripture to surpass the number of written words are in the Old Testament (e.g. Moses, Ezra, Jeremiah).

Paul’s desire was to change minds and hearts. You can see that clearly in how he spoke to various audiences in Acts, as well as his writings. Paul wanted people to know that God had come to earth with ‘good news’ for all who would ‘hear.’ Jesus Christ, crucified and raised from the dead, was Paul’s message –

For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time. 1 Corinthians 15:3-8

In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. Ephesians 1:13-14

Back to Corinth

I want to return to Corinth for a bit longer because that church was filled with divisions. It may be similar to your church, but if not then count yourself blessed. Also, be on the watch for divisions to begin. We have an ‘enemy’ who loves to divide God’s people from each other.

We’ve looked at divisions about spiritual gifts, leadership roles, and celebrities in the Corinthian church. All of them were based to some measure on human ‘pride.’ What was it that King Solomon wrote about pride a thousand years before Paul wrote the Corinthians?

Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, Than to divide the spoil with the proud. Proverbs 16:18-19

It’s difficult to believe that anyone in a church would think poorly of someone Jesus Christ had personally chosen to be an apostle, but Paul faced that challenge throughout his apostolic ministry. The same was true in Corinth, even though Paul actually planted the church and spent 18 months teaching and preaching there. You’ll find hints or even outright claims about that in both 1 and 2 Corinthians. Some people (maybe many) were proud and jealous of Paul. The apostle had to remind them about who called him to ministry and who was his Judge – and it wasn’t the members of the Corinthian church.

He who judges me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God. 1 Corinthians 4:4-5

Paul also wrote these powerful words about why he wrote them and the problem of pride in the church –

I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you. For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. Therefore I urge you, imitate me. For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church. Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you. But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power. For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power. What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness? 1 Corinthians 4:14-21

Immorality in the Church

After writing the words you just read, Paul wrote this –

It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles—that a man has his father’s wife! And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you. 1 Corinthians 5:1-2

Sexual immorality was a big problem in the ancient world – probably as big as what we face in our world today. Jesus and His apostles clearly presented the truth that God’s elect should not participate in sexual immorality, but the Corinthians church took it to the next level. They were actually ‘puffed up’ (φυσιόω – arrogant, proud) that one of the church members was having sexual relations with his father’s wife! Paul said they should ‘mourn’ (πενθέω – feel guilt, lament) rather than be proud of what this person had done. Paul even made the point that this type of sexual immorality was not ‘even named among the Gentiles.’ That’s pretty bad when sin in the church is worse than what’s in the world.

The fact that Paul referred to the sex as being between a man and ‘his father wife’ probably means the woman was his step-mother. However, that’s still technically incest. Leviticus 18:8 is clear about that – The nakedness of your father’s wife you shall not uncover; it is your father’s nakedness.” It’s interesting that even the pagan Gentiles wouldn’t do something as vile as having sex with their step-mother.

It was bad enough that a church member had sex with his step-mother, but what made it even worse was that other church members didn’t see any problem with it. Instead of mourning about the sin, they were ‘puffed up.’ Paul wrote that their ‘glorying is not good’ because not dealing with the problem would lead to even worse problems in the church –

Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. 1 Corinthians 5:6-7

Notice that Paul called for a ‘purge.’ What’s a purge within the church? It has nothing to do with unbelievers. He had written them in a previous letter about that –

I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 1 Corinthians 5:9-10

The purge Paul spoke about concerned the lives of believers –

But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person. For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? But those who are outside God judges. Therefore “put away from yourselves the evil person. 1 Corinthians 5:11-13

We learn later in 2 Corinthians that the church responded to Paul’s call for a ‘purge.’ They responded in such a strong way that Paul wrote this in response –

This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man, so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. 2 Corinthians 2:6-8

The purge had accomplished what Paul wanted to see happen in the church. The ‘purge’ was the first step in facing a challenge in the church. Repentance and ‘sorrow’ on the part of the sinning brother was the next step. The last step was for the people to forgive, comfort, and reaffirm their love to him. It’s one thing to ‘put away from yourselves the evil person.’ It’s another to offer forgiveness, comfort, and love once the brother or sister repents.

We need to see more of that in churches today. Some churches are like the Corinthians who were puffed up about the sinning brother. Some churches are so harsh in dealing with a sinning member that the fellow Christian is ‘swallowed up with too much sorrow.’ If your church is facing something like this, remind your fellow believers of the lesson we learn from the Corinthians.

Sue Who?

The next problem Paul addressed with the Corinthians concerned how they were suing each other in secular court systems of the city of Corinth –

Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life? If then you have judgments concerning things pertaining to this life, do you appoint those who are least esteemed by the church to judge? I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not even one, who will be able to judge between his brethren? But brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers! 1 Corinthians 6:1-6

Notice how Paul addressed the problem. Christians should not take each other to secular courts. Rather, they should take issues and problems ‘before the saints.’ The ‘saint’s (all Christians) will one day ‘judge the world.’ Paul’s point was that given that truth, aren’t people in the church worthy ‘to judge the smallest matters.’ Paul said those words to the ‘shame’ of the church members.

When one member of a church takes another member to court, that often causes divisions in the church. That is a shame and is unnecessary. There should be some ‘wise’ person in each church who can help adjudicate the matter and keep the problem from going to court. That’s Paul’s advice, which I take as Christ’s advice. Paul called Christian taking Christian to secular court as ‘an utter failure’ within the church –

Now therefore, it is already an utter failure for you that you go to law against one another. Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why do you not rather let yourselves be cheated? No, you yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do these things to your brethren! Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. 1 Corinthians 6:7-9

Next Time

Believe it or not, Paul’s still not done with divisions in the Corinthian church. We’ll look at a few more examples in the next part of our special series, Order in the Court of the King! Our goal is to see minds and hearts changed for the glory of God.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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