Today, I am reading and commenting on  1 Corinthians 5-8.

In today’s passage Paul teaches on how we should deal with human sexuality.  He begins with an example of a situation going on within the congregation in Corinth.  Paul writes that we should have nothing to do with those who actively sin while claiming to be followers of Christ.  Paul tells us that we should do this in order that these people might turn from their sin and enter back into fellowship with Christ.  And even though the proximate cause of Paul writing about this was a case of sexual immorality, Paul points out that the same principle applies to those who allow themselves to be consumed by greed, or who slander others, or swindle people, or who allow themselves to become controlled by alcohol (or other substances).  From the context, I believe Paul is speaking about those who embrace these behaviors to the point of believing that it is OK to do any of these.  I want to point out that while Paul tells us to completely avoid those who claim to be Believers who practice these things, he makes clear that he is not talking about those who make no profession of faith.  Even the judgement he calls us to make against Believers is merely to treat them as one who does not believe.

In discussing passing judgement on Believers who embrace sin, Paul suggests that, as Believers, we should turn to someone in the Church to judge between us and fellow Believers when we have a dispute.  In fact, he suggests that we should allow ourselves to be wronged, we should allow ourselves to be cheated, before we take our disputes with fellow Believers to the judicial system outside of the Church.  I think that we do not put enough focus on Paul’s teachings regarding keeping our disputes out of the courts.  If we have a disagreement with those who claim to be followers of Christ, we should take that disagreement to another member of the Church for resolution.  If the party with whom we have the disagreement will not accept such a resolution we should allow the wrong we think they have done us to stand rather than take it before the civil authorities.  I want to note that it is not clear to me that Paul tells us not to defend ourselves before the civil authorities should a fellow Believer take us to court.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.