Going Beyond Rebuke

Recognizing the Need to Go Beyond Rebuke

Looking through the entirety of 1 Corinthians 5, the primary emphasis is the idea of going beyond rebuke. Rebuke is simply telling somebody that what they are doing is sinful, that it is wrong, and that they need to stop—biblically correcting and convincing them of their sin or their need for repentance. But in chapter 5, there is something significant about a person's sin that causes us to go past rebuke and into extreme actions, particularly with respect to a person who is sexually immoral, fornicating in such an extreme degree.

Last week, we saw the context of what deserves rebuke: preferences for some Christians over others that create divisions, cliques, and rivalries. There is nothing biblically wrong with preferring the company of certain brothers and sisters, but when that preference is over and against others—especially pastors or spiritual leaders—it deserves rebuke. Stop creating divisions. Restore your emphasis on the gospel, determining to know nothing except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

But the situation at Corinth is even worse than divisions. There is a lack of gospel emphasis, a lack of gospel focus. When you lose that focus, you stand less under the teaching of how wretchedly sinful you are and how desperate you are for Christ. Pride creeps in, rivalries form, and you think more highly of yourself and less of others, creating divisions.

Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are, unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people—not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”

Losing Gospel Focus Increases Sinful Activities

The first point is that losing gospel focus increases sinful activities. Notice verse 1: "It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father's wife." This is so flagrant, so brazen, so out in the open that it is reported to Paul. It is a fact—no investigation needed.

This is fornication to an extreme degree, a sexually immoral relationship so grotesque that even pagans—unbelievers—would not tolerate it. From a Christian perspective, it is sin. From a worldly perspective, it is morally unacceptable. Imagine: common grace restrains unbelievers from such acts, yet a professing Christian participates.

It's not just sin in the heart; it's a group of Christians who once focused on the gospel but now live under "I've been forgiven" without the reason why. Without beholding Christ under God's wrath, understanding daily what Jesus did, you run the risk of falling into sins like drunkenness or sexual immorality—sins that plague generations, easy to hide, especially in large churches where people fly under the radar.

Don't fool yourself into thinking you're incapable of horrible sins. The human heart is a factory of idols. Every one of us is capable of any sin in Scripture.

It Also Increases Tolerance of Sin

As we lose gospel focus, it creates an attitude in the church of tolerance. Verse 2: "And you are arrogant! Are you not rather to mourn?" It's known, reported, yet the whole congregation is prideful about it. They should be grieved.

If sin grieves you—not legalistically, but saddened by a brother's struggle—that shows gospel focus. But too often, reactions to confession are ungodly: shock, gossip, judgment. This creates an atmosphere where people hide sins. The other extreme is tolerance: "Don't sweat it."

Instead, respond with grief and positive gospel-focused action. For open, unrepentant sexual immorality: "Let him who has done this be removed from among you."

Church Discipline: Intolerance and Love

Paul says, "When you are assembled... you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord." How intolerant? Intolerant enough to remove. How loving? Loving enough to turn him over to Satan.

This seems contradictory, but it's the most loving act. Keeping him in precipitates the myth that he's okay. Deliver him to Satan—not excluding gospel preaching, but removing from covenant community protection. Satan destroys flesh effectively (Genesis 3:14; man is dust).

Church is a fortress protecting from satanic forces. Outside, blessings are removed. For the genuinely saved, flesh is destroyed, spirit saved—as seen in 2 Corinthians, where this man is restored.

A little leaven leavens the whole lump. Private sins affect the church. Be sincere and truthful about sin and need for Christ—homologeo, saying the same as God.

Renew Gospel Focus and Choose Associations Wisely

Renew focus on the gospel. This draws dividing lines in associations. Don't associate with anyone bearing the name "brother" who is sexually immoral, greedy, idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even eat with them. Judge those inside; God judges outsiders. Purge the evil person.

You're not to isolate from the world—you'll associate with unbelievers. Jesus ate with sinners to call them to repentance. But for nominal Christians fine with sin, unrepentant, insincere—don't associate.

In relationships: If they bear Christ's name but pursue sexual immorality or abuse, purge them. Don't pursue. Focus on gospel brings intolerance of sin and pure Christian associations. ```