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First Corinthians 5:9-13

Having shown the Corinthian believers the origin of the terrible sin in their midst, Paul concluded the
matter with a clarification. We read this beginning in verse 9.
[First Corinthians 5:9-13]
So Paul is clarifying something that he had previously written to the Corinthians, which some had
apparently misunderstood (v. 9-11). He explains that his clarified statement is a matter of believers judging
those who are on the inside, as they should be; and not those who are on the outside (v. 12-13a). And
then Paul concludes with a quotation of an OT Scripture that supports the judgment he has pronounced
upon the incestuous man in the Corinthian assembly (v. 13b).
This quotation in verse 13 is from Deuteronomy 17:7, which Paul has shortened here, to fit to the
circumstance. In the full text, the children of Israel were to stone a wicked man who transgressed Gods
covenant, and was found deserving of death; this was how they were to put away the evil from among them.
Here, the sinner is merely put out of the assembly, which will mercifully give him the opportunity to repent.
Lets return to verse 9. Paul speaks of having written to the Corinthians in a letter not to keep company
with sexually immoral people - those who practice any kind of fornication. Do you recall Paul having
written about that in this letter, up to this point? No; this is his first mention of it, in this letter. So what
does that tell you? That Paul has written to them previously.
It has been 2-3 years since Paul left Corinth, and he hasnt been able to return yet, because of the work in
Ephesus. There may well have been several letters that Paul sent the assembly in Corinth; we only have
two.
And it will become evident as we progress through this letter that Paul is answering some questions posed
to him in a letter that the Corinthians sent him. It makes good sense that there would be an exchange of
letters, in Pauls absence.
So the statement in verse 9 was written by Paul in a previous letter, and now, he is clarifying what he had
said to the Corinthian assembly. Why would Paul be making a clarification? Because it would seem they
didnt understand what Paul meant. Paul probably learned this from their letter to him. So Paul is clearing
the issue up, in this letter.
In verse 9, Paul reiterates what he wrote previously to them, and then in verse 11, he writes what he meant
by it. Paul wrote that the believers in Corinth were not to associate with fornicators; but what he meant was
that they were not to associate with fornicators who claimed to be Christ Ones; pretend believers - just like
the incestuous man, who Paul had learned about.
Paul clarified what he had written because apparently some of the believers in Corinth took him quite
literally on this - and even expanded on the thought.
Now that the Corinthian believers had achieved such a high spiritual plane, some took a judgmental view
of the rest of the inhabitants of Corinth - to whom they felt so very superior. They saw in Pauls words a
justification to sequester themselves in their own private little spiritual world - where they could reflect on
the shocking, offensive behavior of the people of Corinth.

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But as well see in this letter, in their secret heart of hearts, many were actually still drawn to this behavior,
themselves - which reinforced their judgmental attitudes and their wish to withdraw themselves from
society - to control those urges.
But Paul knew that trying to control the flesh was a formula for failure. The flesh cannot be controlled; it
must be reckoned dead. And thats what Paul had just finished showing them, in his letter - they must keep
fixed before their eyes the sacrifice of Christ, which has freed them from sin - so that they might be
unleavened - a sanctified people.
So Paul stripped away their ruse - to control their flesh, by insulating themselves from sinners. He let the
believers in Corinth know he meant for them to do no such thing! And he makes an amusing point,
designed to show the absurdity of their original conclusion.
If they were to dissociate themselves from all unbelievers practicing fornication - and other heinous vices they would have to go out of this world! Remember, this is Corinth - sin city! Paul knows they cannot
possibly avoid associating with unbelievers, in the normal interactions of life - and whats more, they surely
realize that, too.
In fact, contact with the world is imperative, for them as believers. How else would the world hear the
truth about Jesus? How else would the world see that truth, lived by those whose lives had been
transformed, by Jesus?
Believers are called to be ministers of reconciliation - so that other men can have a change of heart, and be
restored to God, just as we have been. The world is our mission field - we cant carry out our mission,
without going into it! And Paul was the ultimate example of that; perpetually in contact with that world,
for the sake of spreading the gospel.
Now, as we look at this passage, notice how Paul expands his list of sinful practices in verse 10; even
adding a few more, in verse 11. Paul wanted to be sure that the Corinthians, who were carefully weighing
his words, did not interpret his single example of sin - fornication - to mean that this was the only sin he
was talking about; Paul meant all heinous sin. No wiggle room, here!
The list that Paul creates was not intended to be exhaustive, but representative; and as we review those sins
that he mentioned, we see they specifically characterize pagan society - such as that in Corinth. Again,
sexual immorality is literally fornication - any sexual practice outside of marriage - premarital, adultery,
homosexuality, incest, for example.
As part of a listing of heinous sin, covetous does not merely mean a person who wants what another has,
but one whose life is ruled by his insatiable desire for gain - possessions, wealth, prestige, power.
An extortioner is someone who habitually oppresses the poor and needy to squeeze money out of them; he
makes a living off the hardship of others. Then Paul names idolaters, also commonplace in Corinth, those
who worshipped the pagan pantheon.
In verse 11, Paul adds the reviler - one who rails against others - in this context, Paul would be referring to
those who rail against the true God, disparaging the Lord Jesus Christ. And finally, Paul adds the drunkard
- again, speaking of one who lives for the next drink - and the next - a common escape, in pagan societies.
Keep in mind that Paul was talking about these sins as a way of life, which are done continually or
repeatedly; lusts which rule over the life of those who practice them.

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Yet Paul was saying that the believers in Corinth were not to try to dissociate themselves from unbelievers
who practiced these sins. After all, they lived and worked in Corinth - so how could they avoid all contact?
And with every contact came the opportunity to bear witness to the Lord.
But how far was their association supposed to go? As far as the Lord showed them, for the sake of their
witness to Him - and no further. This was not license to participate in pagan festivals; to indulge in sexual
immorality; to revel in drinking parties. Instead, this was the freedom they had in Christ - to represent Him,
to a world of need.
For that, they had to be in the world; and while there, the Spirit would show them how not to be of it.
Following the Spirits lead, they would learn to walk in the spirit of Life, and in so doing, they would not
fulfill the lust of the flesh (Gal 5:16) - even while surrounded by others, doing just that.
In verse 11, Paul qualifies what he had originally meant; the Corinthian believers were not to keep
company with anyone who regularly practiced heinous sins such as these, who was named a brother; that
is, who named the name of Christ; who professed to be a believer - such as the incestuous man, in their
assembly.
Now why were they to dissociate themselves from him? Weve previously discussed two main reasons.
First, it diminished their witness to Christ, as a church; the sin would cause the pagan community to think
that Christ didnt really deliver from the power of sin; it was all a farce.
Second, it was deleterious to the sinful man, permitting him be deceived about himself and about Christs
acceptance of him. So for both reasons, the believers in Corinth were no longer to keep company with him.
But what exactly did it mean, not to keep company with him? Well, the man was to be excluded from the
assembly; not permitted to participate in worship, in the Lords Supper, in meetings for prayer, in the
teaching of the Word, and in times of fellowship.
But it was even to be more than that. Paul says in verse 11 that the believers were not even to eat with such
a person - this refers to taking a regular meal, together. There was to be nothing which would suggest that
the man was accepted by believers, either as a collective or individually; no familiar fellowship,
whatsoever. And the verb is continuous action, here. This was to be their continual, regular practice, with
the man.
But it is in another letter of Pauls that we understand that the man was not to be completely shunned.
Turn to Second Thessalonians chapter 3. The assembly in Thessalonica had been established by Paul
before the one in Corinth. Paul had taught there until he was driven out by the unbelieving Jews, and then
sent Timothy and Silas back to strengthen the believers.
From his two letters to them, we can see that the assembly in Thessalonica was commendable; their faith
was a potent testimony to the Lord Jesus Christ.
But every assembly is composed of individuals; and even in Thessalonica, there were some individuals who
could not be commended. These individuals come into sharp focus in Pauls second letter, where he issues
a command to the assembly in the name of the Lord, concerning them.
[Second Thessalonians 3:6-15]

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v. 6 This is the Lords command, which is being communicated by Paul, to the believers in Thessalonica.
The command concerns every brother who walks disorderly - the Greek word refers to a soldier who breaks
rank.
A soldier who breaks rank is not obeying the commands of his superior officer - he is out of line - hes a
rebel. This would suggest that the brother is one in name only, as in our letter to the Corinthians.
The believers are to withdraw from the rebels - that is, they are to dissociate themselves from those who are
unruly, in their assembly - who will not obey the Lords commands. Paul is talking about obeying what he
had taught them when he was in their midst - what he is calling here the tradition, that the assembly
received from him.
Now, Paul is not making a general statement here concerning all sin, but is instead referring to a specific
situation in Thessalonica - a situation which had been greatly aggravated because the perpetrators refused
to receive any correction; this was a pocket of rebellious resistance, within the assembly in Thessalonica.
As Paul continues, we begin to see what the issue was.
v. 7-11 First Paul cites himself and his fellow missionaries, through the example they set, for the believers
to follow. In this way, they established the Lords traditions, in Thessalonica.
What was this particular tradition? Diligence in work. The missionaries worked night and day. They
labored with their own hands to earn their living, all the while that they were preaching the gospel in
Thessalonica. They took no hand-outs; they werent paid for their teaching, nor did they even accept
support, for their ministry, while there.
The Thessalonians first had to see that the gospel came to them freely, with no strings attached; and that it
was a labor of love, on the part of the missionaries, reflecting the love of the Lord, to them.
That was to become the pattern for those who believed, in Thessalonica; they were now a new creation;
they were Gods workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand,
that they should walk in them - and do so with all their heart, as the missionaries did; that would be their
labor of love.
But in verse 11, Paul cites some in the assembly who were unruly. They are distinguished from the
believers as those who walk among you, giving the sense that they were in the assembly, but likely not
genuine believers.
These men werent working at all; they were slackers; idle gossips. Now, Thessalonica was a Greek city,
and in the Greek culture, manual labor was considered degrading; not befitting of free men, but only slaves.
Many of the Gentiles simply idled away their days in the marketplaces. But Paul had taught a new tradition
to the believers in Thessalonica - the Lords tradition - that laboring for the Lord is honorable work.
These men to whom Paul refers didnt agree. And apparently, they had already dismissed that tradition of
the Lord, even while Paul was there.
Notice how Paul says that when he was with the Thessalonians, he had created this almost proverbial
expression: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. Why would Paul have created this expression,
unless there were some who were even at that time refusing to work? And we see further evidence of this
in Pauls first letter to the Thessalonians.

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Turn back to First Thessalonians chapter 4. Paul was exhorting the assembly to increase in love for one
another more and more - and then he named some specifics.
[First Thessalonians 4:9-12] There were a few members of the assembly who were not exhibiting love for
the brethren - occupying themselves with the business of others - gossiping - instead of doing useful work.
Paul was exhorting them to comply with what he had commanded, when he was among them, for the sake
of their witness as a church to the outside world.
[Return to Second Thessalonians]
So here we see that these men were still refusing to obey the Lord. It seems that nothing has changed,
despite Pauls teaching and Pauls previous exhortation. Yet Paul gives them one more chance.
v. 12-13 Again, we see the believers being distinguished from these men, who refuse to work.
v. 14-15 Paul is calling the believers to collective action, as a church. They were to disassociate
themselves from any man, who refused to obey the Lords command. Note that Paul states a purpose for
this: that the man may be ashamed. The goal was to cause the man to repent of his rebellion, and turn to
the Lord, to be saved; to prompt him to make a decision.
Finally, we see that although the body of believers was to have no familiar fellowship with the man, they
were still to have contact for the purpose of admonition; to help him to see that his rebellious conduct was
evidence that he had never given his life to the Lord, in the first place.
What we see in the Lords love and longsuffering, in it all. The teaching of the Word - and the call to obey
it - gives men who merely profess to believe the opportunity to see that they really have never submitted
themselves to the Lord. But if they persist in their rebellion, being denied the warm fellowship of the
Lords people may be the additional measure needed to bring about a change of heart - for their eternal
good.
[Return to First Corinthians 5]
As Paul continues, he explains this difference in treatment, of those in the assembly. Lets read that again.
v. 12-13 When Paul speaks of those who are outside, and those who are inside, what is he talking about;
inside or outside of what? Of the physical assembly, in Corinth. Who then would be those who are
outside? The pagan Gentiles, mainly, of the city of Corinth. And who would be those who are inside their
assembly? Believers, as well as unbelievers - those who are either being enlightened, or who profess to
believe - like the incestuous man.
What Paul is saying is that the very people that the Corinthian believers were inclined to judge, upon whom
they were casting a critical eye - that is, the unbelievers in the city of Corinth, outside of their assembly they should not be judging, at all. No believer should judge them; not even Paul. Why not? Because those
people are already under condemnation; in fact, they were born that way, as sons of Adam.
Turn to Romans chapter 5. Were just going to selectively read two of Pauls observations, concerning
Adam and the creation that was born of him - men in the flesh.
[Romans 5:12, 16]

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v. 12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death
spread [passed through upon] all men, because all sinned
Adam was the prototype, the representative of the whole human race, who when tested, proved the self-will
and lawlessness in the heart of man. Therefore Gods judgment was to put the entire creation under the
penalty of death, for sin. Men then prove the fairness of Gods judgment, through their own personal sin.
v. 16 For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation
The entire creation in Adam in its lawlessness has already been sentenced to death by holy God, which will
one day result in the final judgment at the Great White Throne, and the casting of that creation into the
Lake of Fire - which is the second death.
The believers in Corinth had been under that very same condemnation - as were we. But then we heard the
good news of Jesus Christ, and in receiving Gods free gift of righteousness in Christ, we were justified declared not guilty, by the Judge - and our sentence of death was overturned, through eternal life (Rm
5:16-17).
So what should be our attitude towards those who do not yet believe? Judgmental condemnation? Why?
Theyre already condemned men; and do they have any power to be any different, than they are? No.
Instead, should not our attitude be one of compassion - for those who have not yet escaped that
condemnation, through Christ? And should this not motivate us to share the same good news that set us
free? Of course; and that was Pauls point, to the believers in Corinth, as well.
While they were not to judge those on the outside, Paul made it clear by his rhetorical question in our letter
that they were supposed to judge those on the inside - inside of their assemblies.
But in what sense does Paul mean judge? Is he talking about critical condemnation? That is unlikely;
Jesus Himself denounced that.
Turn to Matthew chapter 7. This was part of what is known as the sermon on the mount - so Jesus was
addressing a multitude, as well as His disciples, showing them the way of righteousness.
[Matthew 7:1-5]
v. 1-2 The word judge is being used by Jesus in the sense of condemn. Gods judgment is retributive - so
your condemnation of others will add to your own condemnation, before God. Jesus is speaking of the
judgment that an unbeliever will receive - which becomes even more evident as He continues.
v. 3-5 Jesus is describing a hypocrite - most likely, He had the religious Jew in mind, who counted himself
with the people of God, but had never truly believed.
The Jew critically noted how his Gentile brother failed to keep all the details of the Law of Moses. Jesus
regarded this as being like a mere speck in the eye, compared to the plank in the eye of the Jew.
What was that plank? That the Jew failed to see that Christ is the goal of the Law, to make a man righteous
- for all who believe in Him (Rm 10:4).

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The Gentile at least knew he was unrighteous; the Jew did not; he was self-righteous. The Jew had to first
see that he could only be made righteous through Christ, before he could ever have the discernment to help
his fellow man.
And lest we think that it is only unbelievers who are not to judge, the apostle James writes to the Jewish
believers, scattered abroad, There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to
judge another? (James 4:12). James is clearly speaking of a condemning kind of judgment; the brethren
are not to exercise that, with one another.
And Paul brings out later in his letter to the Romans that this kind of judgment is the jurisdiction of the
Lord alone. He writes, Who are you to judge anothers servant? To his own master he stands or falls
(Rom 14:4).
Remember that Paul spoke of just that in our letter, when the Corinthian believers were judging him - and
what did Paul say? He who judges me is the Lord - in fact, the Lord will judge all believers - as the
master does, his servants.
So now we know that Paul does not mean believers are to exercise a condemning judgment of those inside
their assemblies - not of the believers in it; nor of the unbelievers. So what does Paul mean by judge those
on the inside?
What Paul is talking about is discernment. The believers are to exercise discernment in their dealings with
the members of their assembly. This includes discernment concerning actions that may need to be taken for the sake of a member, or for the sake of their assembly - just as we have seen Paul did, with the
incestuous man in Corinth, and the unruly brethren in Thessalonica.
So the believers are discern the truth, and to come to decisions using righteous judgment. How are they to
do that? Through the Holy Spirit. The Spirit will enlighten their understanding - not to how things seem,
but to how things really are - and He will also give them the wisdom for how to deal with those things.
In this way, God retains His rightful place as the Judge, while believers submit themselves to His
judgments, learning to exercise discernment and wisdom in their assemblies, for the benefit of all involved.
And from what we have seen today in the church letters, would you not agree that the Lords judgments are
wise - and merciful - and loving?
As we considered judging those on the inside, theres one more insider that we have not yet considered;
who would that be? Lets see - we looked at unbelievers, in the assembly; we looked at other believers;
who did we miss? Ourselves! Above all, we should constantly be seeking the Lords light to rightly
discern our own thoughts and motives, as well as our words and actions.
We are so quick to judge others, arent we? And so slow to judge ourselves. Paul will write later in our
letter, if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged (1 Cor 11:31).
Id like to look at one final example concerning judgment, that we find in the church letters. We dont know
the precise issue in this case, but what we see is the outcome of it. This took place in Corinth, at a later
time.
Turn to Second Corinthians chapter 2. Paul was expressing his great relief after a crisis in Corinth, in
which the assembly was hoodwinked by some false teachers, who came in from the outside. It would seem
that one of the members of their assembly had become a real proponent of this teaching.

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When the assembly in Corinth finally came to their senses, and realized that they were being deceived, they
took action against this man, probably at Pauls recommendation. In this case, the man completely
repented; and this caused Paul to make a recommendation, to the church.
[Second Corinthians 2:4-11]
v. 4 Paul is talking about a previous letter he sent to the assembly, in which he expressed his great dismay
over the crisis in Corinth.
v. 5 Notice Paul is speaking of just one man here - he - as well as the assembly. He is saying that the
man did not grieve him as much as the man had grieved the whole assembly, who had chosen to follow him
and the false teachers.
v. 6-7 Paul is referring to the action taken by the church against the man, once they realized the deception.
They most likely expelled him from their assembly. His sorrow makes it clear that he had then repented.
In light of that, Paul is urging the believers in Corinth to forgive him.
v. 8-11 Paul is exhorting the believers to receive this man back with brotherly love. When Paul speaks of
Satan taking advantage of them, he is speaking of how Satan tries to bring division between believers
through a lack of love. Division weakens the church; love unifies and strengthens it.
In a similar way, the putting out of the incestuous man from the assembly - tough love - might result in his
genuine repentance, and salvation. So through Gods love, we see that mercy triumphs over judgment
(James 2:13).
Reading: 1 Cor 6; Rev 1:5-6, 2:26-27, 3:21, 4:1-11, 5:8-10; Mt 19:27-28; Eph 2:19-22.