Paul has established the authority he has as an apostle and minister by setting forth the character and nature of the ministry. Now he goes on to exercise that authority and gets to grips with the sins at Corinth.
I. THE CHARACTER OF THE OFFENCE
What a sin it is that he deals with first.
1. It is the common talk of the city. The whole city was filled with rumour about this wickedness.
2. It was a sin worse than that which the pagans would tolerate. This sin was such that even pagans would not tolerate it, verse 1. God’s people may sink lower than the wicked. Abraham was rebuked by Pharaoh and by Ebimelech for his deceit about Sarah. When the scandalous are scandalised by the actions of believers then how great is that sin.
II. THE COLLUSION OF THE CHURCH
It is to be noted that Paul deals with the sin of the church in not disciplining this offender before he deals with the sin itself, 5:12.
1. That which scandalised the heathen was treated with indifference by the church. This matter was not mentioned in the letter sent to Paul, 7:1.
2. Their pride produced this shameful attitude, verse 2. Being puffed up they had a high opinion of themselves, 4:6; a low opinion of Paul, 4:18-19 and a tolerance of sin. While they argued about the merits of difference ministers they ignored the wickedness in their midst. Pride unbalances our moral judgment.
3. They ought to have mourned. The word means a loud wailing, Rev 18:19. As a family mourning a death they should have united in grief over this matter. But instead they said nothing about the sin when they wrote to Paul.
III. THE CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR ATTITUDE
The malignant nature of sin is seen here. Everything it touches is changed for the worst.
1. Their tolerance permitted that corruption to spread, verse 6. Sin must be fought for the wellbeing of the body of Christ, the church. The spreading of the corruption was unseen and secret. It worked like a leaven, verse 6.
2. Their tolerance was a denial of their Christian profession. Since Christ is our Passover Lamb we should, like the Israelites of old, put away all that corrupts, verses 7-8. Such tolerance of sin is contrary to the distinctions that must ever exist between the church and the world. I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee, Hosea 11:9. The Holy One dwells amongst us and is greatly offended by our tolerance of sin.
IV. THE COURSE OF ACTION REQUIRED
1. Judgment of sin should have taken place, verse 3, 11-12. The matter should have been acted upon.
2. A purging of the church, verse 7. The offender should have been put out of the fellowship, verses 2, 13. It was an action to which the whole church must agree. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, 5:4.
3. The offender must be handed over to Satan, verse 5. By a judicial act, the church places the offender outside its pale where he is at the mercy of the devil. This the place from which he was taken, Acts 26:18. He is returning to that dominion. He becomes as a slave of the devil again, Matt 18:17. To be given up to our sins and to the devil is a dreadful punishment. So I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lust: and they walked in their own counsels, Psalm 81:12, Rom 1:24, 26.
4. Such an act was for the breaking of the flesh and the preserving of the soul of the offender, verse 5. Discipline is the greatest kindness the church can perform for the rebellious believer.