1 Corinthians chapter 5

This chapter addresses with a slightly uncomfortable yet unfortunately the

matter which is of extreme importance at this time. It speaks on how
important it is for the church to deal with discipline and matters of sexual
immorality and other matters.
Here a member of the church who is (note still doing) sleeping with his
fathers wife and doing sexual immorality that not even the pagans
tolerate.
It is an act that not even the barbarians or any group of people around the
world accept but here it is done by a member of the church of Corinth just
shows how shameful it is. And yet instead of mourning and removing the
particular person, the church of Corinthians do nothing. Not only that but
they were also proud of this particular persons sin. They would have
believed it showed them as an open minded church to the whole world.
As Corinth was a city famous for such incest practices by the Greek
culture, they would have believed that this will make them more
acceptable and pleasing to the public around them.

Many times the new forms of churches in this era also accept many such
detestable practices and dilutes the word of god to show the world that they
are open minded.

It is a disheartening fact that many at times churches has just become

a laughing stock in front of the world by the deeds and issues that
happen within. People forget who the church belongs to and its purpose

But it is important to remember that the Church of God is a Holy and

Divine institution belonging only to God. The commandments given
by the lord cannot be diluted or bended to accommodate anything or
anyone given however influential or powerful they are in this world.
It is important for the church to remove such people and poison from
the church without any hesitation. Paul also writes, and if anyone does not
obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with
him, that he may be ashamed. Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish
him as a brother.(2 Thessalonians 3:14-15.

Another important subject of this chapter is the matter of removing a

person from the fellowship or "disfellowshipping" a person.

The main objective of this is not to just remove the person but to make
sure he repents from his sin and return back. The church has to make sure
that once the person is removed, has to continue praying for the person that he
repents his sin and returns back from it. (Though nowadays once removed
people just go to another church like nothing has happened and churches are
willing to accept them if they are influential or rich etc.). I quote Church
discipline is not a group of 'pious policemen' out to catch a criminal.
Rather, it is a group of broken hearted brothers and sisters seeking to
restore and erring member of the family." Even when the person is
removed the aim should be to pray that he may be corrected and humbled by his

sufferings and be brought back to the church as how the lost son was reunited
with his father.

It is also important to remember that once you are out of the church and
out of Gods presence, if you dont repent as said in verse 5 to be handed
over to satan for the destruction of his fleshso that his spirit may be
saved. You will face the consequences and sufferings and will not enjoy
Gods protection from against this world.