Busy day yesterday. In addition to processing, Sherri did some looking at "Refabulous Finds" for some bar stools for Morgan and Bobbi-Jo and a set of kitchen chairs for Lauren. Came home empty handed (surprise) but I have a feeling she will be going back!
Lauren and Chris and Joseph came back. The house is loud again! I missed the sounds of him running and playing ball with the dogs!
And on to today's passage...
Uh oh...Paul confronts more troubles in the Corinthian church! Someone is having some extra-martial meetings- and even the pagans and the Gentiles won't do what this person is doing (v 1)! Can you imagine being the one called out for this! Yikes! Apparently, someone is having an affair with their mother or step- mother (their father's wife. To make matters worse, the person involved seems to be proud of it and is announcing to to the group (v 2)! The Christians don't seem upset by this activity, and that has Paul as upset as the activity itself! Paul's solution was to have the person excommunicated, but the Corinthians didn't do that, they kept him as a friend. Leviticus 18:8 specifically forbids this type of activity, yet the church doesn't seem upset. Have you been faced with really sinful information about someone? What did you do? The Corinthians may have been thinking "Look how loving we are, we even accepted him!" Would we accept him? Paul judges harshly, condemning the person to Satan (v 5). Paul's solution is to kick the person out of the church. Paul's judgement seems hash- but he isn't judging the man by any other standard; Paul would be expected to be judged by the same standard. Delivering the person to Satan would hopefully get rid of his sinful self yet keep his spiritual body. The hope is to restore the lost soul. What would you suggest we do to this person?
Paul comments on the proud behavior of the Corinthians...they were proud that they could overlook this man's sin. But, Paul say, this is just opening the door to more and more sin in the church (v 6). If they are willing to overlook this such egregious sin, what else are they overlooking?! Paul says to get rid of the bad (the yeast) and focus on the good (Passover lamb). The yeast, as we have mentioned before, is symbolic of sin and ruining goodness. We are to live in the purity of the Passover lamb.
Paul refers to an earlier letter (v 9), but we have no evidence of that letter! Many letters were written between apostles and churches and many are lost; this happens to be one of the lost letters that Paul is referencing! Paul is essentially saying not to expect Godly behavior from those that are ungodly (vv 10-11). Without approving of their sin, we should strive to live with them and correct them. Sin was (and still is) prevalent in the world; to not associate with sin would mean to live an isolated, monastic life. Paul challenges that saying we need to live with the sin of the world, we should expect it. In the same light- we should expect Christian behavior from the Christians in the world; we should expect goodness from our Christian brothers and sisters. How true is that?
Paul tells the people to worry more about what's going on inside the church rather than on what's going on outside the church (vv 12-13). People were so concerned about the outside world they were overlooking the issues of the church! Do we do that- pay more attention to the outside world that we overlook the issues within our church? Paul is essentially saying that we should be calling out the sins within our church before we call out the sins of the outside world. Do we do that? Can we do that?
Some powerful words from Paul (as per usual!) that we can certainly learn from.
Have a good day- stay inside and stay cool!
Shalom+
Pastor Paul
I also enjoy Refabulous Furnishings!
ReplyDeleteCalling someone out for being immoral is a tricky one. I had a dear friend who's husband was unfaithful. I was so mad at him but very careful on how I spoke about him. She did get back together with him. If on the other hand I see it know of someone being immoral I think it's important to say I don't agree with that behavior.
It is hard to call people out on poor behavior. How are we able to do that? What makes us less sinful that we can judge others. But it is important to try and correct people as best as we can.
DeleteThanks Cindy
Your preserves look delicious. I used to do a lot of that when i was younger and had a family. No need for that now. I like looking at Aerica's Attic also as they have a lot on great finds also.
ReplyDeleteDid get the reading done yesterday but did not get to comment as was helping pat with basket teaching.
I am still having some issues with understanding Corinthians and paul's letters. Sometimes I don't think that he is being "his brother's keeper" He seems to be very harsh and judgemental but then when i read the footnotes in my Bible(NLT) I can srr what he may mean. Evicting someone from the church would be the last straw. Since the other church members were accepting of the sinful nature of the person having the affair with his stepmother shouldn't the whole church been at fault and this taken into consideration before evicting one from the church maybe he would have repented before this had to happen?? Church members are just as liable to sin as non church members We are all tempted by Satan. If we don't associate with the church members that sin how do we bring them back into the fold??
Good point about being my brother's keeper...but is trying to correct poor behavior something we should be doping for family? He is harsh in his behavior- but I think that is Paul's passion for the Gospel.
DeleteThat's the point Paul was making...the people at the church didn't really take offense to the sexual impurity, so the whole church was just as guilty!
Lots of tough questions to try and figure out. How far should we go to "save" someone?
Good points Clara
I tried to can peaches once. Oh my - I still shudder when I think of it! And the poor woman who tried to teach me (God rest her soul), I think she developed a tick in her left eye before she left my kitchen.
ReplyDeleteI half way agree with Paul in this Chapter and half way do not. I understand what he means when he says that if we, as Christians, attending the same church as the very blatant sinner, seem like we agree with him, then non Christians and other Christians will think it's ok and is approved. However, I also agree with Clara that we cannot reach a person who has been shut out of the church and shunned by other Christians - how will that person learn. And as Cindy said, it's a tricky business when you decide what is a sin and what is not. Although this one was quite obvious, what about others? And I also agree with Cindy that we should tell a person whose behavior we KNOW is sinful (not think but know), that we do not approve....and maybe even why. But, yes, Clara, how do we bring him back to the fold if we stop associating with him? AFter all, isn't that what Jesus did with many many people? I almost think, in my opinion only, that Paul may have missed the mark on this one - at least looking back on it some 2,000+ years later!
Enjoy the family - wow, it's going to get very very warm.
It is tough trying to walk the thin line between being too "judgy" and being there to help someone. I kind of see Paul's point- if you don't say something- it is almost as if you agree with them, but then if you say something- it is being judgmental. Hard line to walk.
DeleteAnd we disapprove of the behavior- not the person. Something that is important to remember!
Tough ideas to work with isn't it!
Thanks Donna
I deserve more demerits and I am here with head hung low to collect them. After all the 95 degree days we have had this summer, we had central air installed yesterday. The temp was in the seventies. Go figure! We are supposed to be back in the 90s again later in the week, so I am sure we will be enjoying the AC. With all the commotion yesterday, I forgot that yesterday was Monday and there was a chapter to read (Chapter 4). We read it tonight along with Chapter 5.
ReplyDeleteWe are all sinners and we are all subject to the temptation of the flesh, among other things too numerous, it seems, to mention. I have never been unfaithful and I really don't think that I would be able to be with another woman and I know I would hate myself afterward. I am, however, guilty of the sin of looking and having bad thoughts. My late father-in-law used to say that when you're too old to look, you're dead. I am not sure that that makes looking OK and it sure doesn't make it OK if the evil thoughts accompany it. This is where I get into trouble with myself. On one hand, it is a normal, healthy male that has these thoughts. On the other hand, it is sinful. What is one to do? I cannot accept that this behavior is correct, but I cannot accept that it is bad, either. I honestly believe that the correct answer is that sin is abhorrent. But what about the healthy male nonsense? I cannot bring myself to say with a clear conscience that this behavior is correct, but I can't say that it is awful. I am just speaking here about the man who "looks". I don't believe and will never believe the adultery is not sinful behavior of the worst kind.
Now that I have confused myself, I think that it behooves me to stop. I am confused to the point that I do not care to proof read my work!
Interesting quote from your Father in law! There is a struggle with sexuality. That is probably one of the most difficult human emotions/behaviors to "control" and come to terms with.
ReplyDeleteI understand your struggle Jack and I see the point you are trying to make. It is hard to balance good and bad at times!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts Jack