DESTROY FLESH TO SAVE THE SPIRIT

1 Corinthians 5:1-5 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife. And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you. For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

It was from the house, or family, of Chloe that Paul received the report of the contentions that existed within the church at Corinth (1 Cor. 1:11). It could have been this same source that brought him the report that there is fornication among you (the body of Christ in Corinth). That it (was) reported commonly meant that it was well known, seemingly not hidden, nor denied. The entire fifth chapter of this letter to the church at Corinth is given to reprimanding the sin of fornication, and how it is to be dealt with within the church of Christ. First of all, fornication is broadly viewed as any sexual relationship existing outside of marriage. Adultery would be included as an act of fornication, but limited to a sexual relationship between a man and a woman, both, or at least, one of which was married to another.

The sin of fornication, referred to in the lesson text that existed in the Corinthian church, was that of incest - a sexual relationship between a man and his father's wife. Evidently fornication, of this nature, was not found, was uncommon, was not tolerated, or was possibly illegal among the Gentiles. Although this act was a sin in the sight of God, a greater problem existed within the church because, as a sin, it seemed to be overlooked. It appeared to be ignored, excused, or even indulged, with the parties to the sin remaining within the congregation, and not being reprimanded for their sinful deed. One can only speculate as to the reproach, from non-Christians, that would be brought upon any body of Christ that allowed a sin such as this to exist within its congregation without censure. Allowed to continue, the cause of Christ in Corinth would have suffered spiritual damage that would be extremely difficult, or even impossible, to correct. It is not possible for an immoral body, or a sinful individual, to effectively teach God's word. Immorality is a spiritual stumbling stone; it is a roadblock on the highway to heaven; it cannot be allowed to remain within a congregation of God's people.

There is much debate regarding this sinful relationship that existed in this body of Christ at Corinth. Was the father and his wife still married? Had there been a divorce between them for any reason? Had the son married the divorced wife, or was he simply "living with her?" Was the wife the second, or an additional, marriage of the father? Was the wife the mother of the son? The debate goes on, and the conclusion remains unknown. Regardless of the relationship, the sin of fornication had been committed, was an abomination to the church, and was tolerated rather than condemned and dealt with in a scriptural manner by the church.

Leadership within the church at Corinth was puffed up with a worldly wisdom that had become indifferent to the sin of fornication. Because it was not condemned, there was no mourning, or remorse for such conduct. Paul then gives the remedy based on the wisdom of God: the guilty party or parties are to be taken away from among you. Excommunication is the strongest expression for church discipline that requires no association by faithful members with unrepentant sinners. This disassociation was to be done in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. It was to be done with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ. Why? Because it was His church that was being harmed; it was His body that was being defiled; therefore it was His holy ordinances that must be upheld in order to rightly govern His church.

By the authority of Jesus Christ, Paul now teaches God's commandment regarding this, and other similar sins committed by members of the body of Christ. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat (Vs. 11). All sins of the flesh must be destroyed to save the spirit of man; such sins prevent the inheritance of eternal life in heaven (1 Cor. 6:9-10, Gal. 5:19-21).