REPEATING HISTORY: THE IMPORTANCE OF PURITY

Pastor Jonathan Falwell 

Today, we continue our study in 1 Corinthians as Paul gives a pointed correction to the church at Corinth. He now moves from encouragement and a focus on unity to an attack on the sin the church has accepted in its ranks.

1. The importance of purity

1 Cor. 5:1-8 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! 2 And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you. 3 For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed. 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5 deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. 6 Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7 Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. 8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

• Corinth was an immoral city, and this acceptance of immorality was taking root within the church. What is indicated here is acceptance and/or apathy towards sin in the church.
• “you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned” indicates the church was proud of its service and its “open mindedness” while ignoring sin within the ranks
• “deliver such a one to Satan” refers to how the church should pray for correction and consequence in the sinner’s life which would either turn him back to Christ or reveal his true self

1. The value of reputation

A. The company you keep

1 Cor. 5:9-13 I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. 10 Yet Icertainly 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. 11 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. 12 For what haveI to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? 13 But those who are outside God judges. Therefore “put away from yourselves the evil person.”

• This section deals with our testimony. It is important to note we are called to be holy, to stand out, in an unholy world. Our acceptance of sin within the church takes away that uniqueness.
• We are not responsible for the sin of the world, but we are absolutely responsible for the sin within the church
• Excusing or ignoring sin within the church is the quickest and easiest way to strip the church of its power and impact.

B. The actions you take

1 Cor. 6:1-8 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? 2 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? 3 Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life? 4 If then you have judgments concerning things pertaining to this life, do you appoint those who are least esteemed by the church to judge? 5 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? 6 But brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers! 7 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? 8 No, you yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do these things to your brethren!

• Paul tells them to stop making a mockery of their faith by allowing the world to rule in their disputes
• As brothers and sisters in Christ, we should treat each other differently

1. The danger of apathy

A. Playing with fire

1 Cor. 6:12-20 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. 13 Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods, but God will destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 And God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power. 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! 16 Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her?For “the two,” He says, “shall become one flesh.” 17 But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. 18 Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

• This is a unique, yet vitally important, passage regarding the significance of sexual sin
• This type of sin is remarkably different than any other sin because it is a sin against our own bodies which are the creation of God
• Verse 18 indicates the significant long term damage sexual sin does to the mind and body

Proverbs 6:27-29 (NLT) Can a man scoop a flame into his lap and not have his clothes catch on fire? 28 Can he walk on hot coals and not blister his feet? 29 So it is with the man who sleeps with another man’s wife. He who embraces her will not go unpunished.

B. Gambling with your future

1 Cor. 6:9-11 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

1 Cor. 6:9-11 (NLT) Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, 10 or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. 11 Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

• Be different, be holy because Christ has redeemed us once and for all

Action Points:

1. Be aware of sin by being aware of the Word 
2. Allow the Word and His work to protect you from the temptations of the world
3. Focus on the good things God gives, not the destructive garbage Satan gives