Good Monday to you my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
How do you respond when you encounter something that is so vile, so wrong it is repulsive to you? Of course, wickedness is all around us, no matter where you live in the world, and all forms of media communication and entertainment seem filled with violence and sexual immorality, so it’s almost impossible to avoid the darkness of our world, isn’t it? Some people have said it’s almost suffocating.
Yet my friends, do you remember Jesus said that His people would be “…the light of the world… the salt of the earth…” (Matt. 5:13,14) What does that mean to you and how do you see that happening in your city, your neighborhood these days?
In our journey we’ve been spending time with the apostle Paul lately, as he is writing the letter we know as 1 Corinthians. Paul is in the city of Ephesus, and he has received visitors from Corinth who have brought him some very disturbing news of what is happening among the small group of Christians in that great, but very dark and immoral city of Corinth.
In 1 Cor. 4:14 Paul makes a strong and challenging statement: “I am writing this not to shame you but to warn you as my dear children.” Paul loved them. About three years before he was writing this letter Paul had spent 18 months in Corinth presenting the Gospel of Jesus. These people in Corinth, who had courageously responded and trusted Jesus, were not children they were adults, and as they learned the truths of Jesus from Paul, they viewed Paul as their spiritual father, thus his choice of words.
They greatly respected Paul and longed for him to return to visit them again and continue teaching them in the ways of Jesus. But Paul was very concerned about what he had heard and he was wanting to warn them of great danger ahead if they did not change their ways!
It appears Paul may have sent this letter, to those dear Corinthian Christians, with his friend Timothy as the courier, for Paul writes: “For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church. I urge you to imitate me.” (1 Cor. 4:16,17) Now we know Timothy was not Paul’s biological son, not even an adopted son. Rather Paul had invited Timothy to travel with him on these great missionary adventures (Acts 16:1-5) and Paul was like a spiritual father to Timothy, teaching him what Paul was learning as the Holy Spirit taught Paul. Perhaps you recall Timothy was from the city of Lystra and was the son of a Messianic Jewish mother and a Greek father.
In Paul’s second letter to Timothy, he makes this comment about Timothy’s spiritual heritage: “I am reminded of your sincere faith, Timothy, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded now lives in you also.” (2 Tim.1:5) Isn’t that a wonderful affirmation of the spiritual influence Timothy’s mother and grandmother had on this young man? May I ask, what is the spiritual heritage for you and your family? What contribution are you making to that important spiritual heritage, my friends?
When Paul said “Timothy will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church. I urge you to imitate me.” Paul was not being boastful, but rather challenging them to look closely at Paul’s life to see if his words match with his life. That’s integrity isn’t it my friends?
As we watch Paul dictate this letter, I presume Timothy is scribing the words onto the parchments, and now I imagine a very concerned look has come over Paul’s face. It seems to be a combination of frustration and compassion, anger and mercy, disappointment and love. It’s time for Paul to address one of many very disturbing things reported to him by those who came from Corinth with the heartbreaking news of what was happening among the Christians in Corinth.
Paul speaks and Timothy winces in pain as he writes Paul’s words: “It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that does not occur even among pagans: A man is having an affair with his father’s wife! And you are proud! Should you not rather have been filled with grief and put out of your fellowship the man who did this?” (1 Cor. 5:1,2)
By Paul’s choice of words, we presume this affair is not between a man and his biological mother. Perhaps she is a stepmother? Perhaps the man’s biological mother died, and his father remarried. Whoever she is, this woman is married to her ‘lover’s’ father. We don’t know if the people involved were of Jewish background or had any knowledge of the Jewish Scriptures, but Paul sure did! Leviticus 18:8 commands: “Do not have sexual relations with your father’s wife; that would dishonor your father.” God repeats this command in Lev. 20 with explanation of His holy expectation of His people: “Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the LORD your God. Keep My decrees and follow them for I am the LORD who makes you holy.” (Lev. 20:7,8) “If a man has sexual relations with his father’s wife…both the man and the woman are to be put to death, their blood will be on their own heads.” (Lev. 20:11) Of course regardless of who the woman was, the man was not married to her and thus this was sexual immorality in the sight of God, especially vile because this immoral man was one of those who claimed to be a Christian in Corinth.
Paul advises strong action: “hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.” (1 Cor. 5:5) I presume Paul has already taught them the clear step by step process Jesus had taught about dealing with blatant, unrepentant sin among Christians. Do you recall Jesus had said: “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, [and repent and reform their ways] you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two other [Christians] along, so that every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church [ekklesia]; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan…” (Matt. 18:15-17) Now that’s very strong language isn’t it my friends? What did Jesus mean when He gave these clear instructions and how does it relate to what Paul was facing with the Corinth situation?
Well, it’s so important and I need a little more time than I have left today, so join me right back here tomorrow and we’ll dig in deeply and get some answers. And one more thing… over these next several days Paul will be dealing with issues in Corinth, 2000 years ago, that simply could NOT be more relevant to our time in almost every society of our world today, so don’t miss the next few days and bring your Bible with you, my friends.
I know you love these songs I include almost every day, and I’ve found one that I hope will encourage you as we consider the darkness of our world and Jesus’ promise to help us be salt & light our world so desperately needs. You’ll love the simplicity of this dear couple and their baby who sing this song…
Today’s Scripture is 1 Cor. 4:14-5:5.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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