Going Beyond Rebuke (Part 1 of 2)

Recognizing the Need to Go Beyond Rebuke

Looking through the entirety of 1 Corinthians chapter 5, the primary emphasis is the idea of going beyond rebuke. Rebuke is simply telling somebody that what they are doing is sinful, wrong, and that they need to stop—biblically correcting and convincing them of their sin or need for repentance. But in chapter 5, there is something significant about a person's sin that causes us to go past rebuke into extreme actions, particularly with respect to someone who is sexually immoral, fornicating in an extreme degree.

Last week, we saw the context of what deserves rebuke: preferences for some Christians over others that create divisions, cliques, and rivalries. There is nothing biblically wrong with preferring the company of certain brothers and sisters, but when that preference excludes or neglects others—especially pastors or spiritual leaders—it deserves rebuke. Stop creating divisions. Restore emphasis on the gospel, determining to know nothing except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

But the situation at Corinth is even worse than divisions. There is a lack of gospel focus. When you lose gospel emphasis, you forget how wretchedly sinful you are and how desperate for Christ. This enables pride, rivalries, and divisiveness. The more you think highly of yourself, the less you think of others, creating divisions.

As we continue through 1 Corinthians, we recognize more significant issues when individuals lose focus on the gospel: "I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified" (1 Corinthians 2:2). Paul derives all church behavior—from spiritual gifts to marriage—from the gospel foundation: Christ crucified to appease God's wrath, bringing us into right relationship with God.

The more we neglect this, the more issues arise—not just divisiveness, but worse sins.

Losing Gospel Focus Increases Sinful Activities

The first point: Losing gospel focus increases sinful activities.

1 Corinthians 5:1-2
"It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father's wife. And you are arrogant! Are you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you."

This sin is flagrant, brazen, out in the open—reported to Paul without need for investigation. It is sexual immorality so extreme that not even pagans tolerate it: a man sharing his father's wife, whether stepmother or not. Even today, amid pushes for erratic freedom, societal norms deem this disgusting and despicable.

From a Christian perspective, it is fornication, sin. From a worldly perspective, it is morally unacceptable. Unbelievers have common grace providing moral restraint, yet this professing Christian exceeds it. They understand forgiveness but lose focus on why: Christ under God's wrath for our sins.

Without beholding Christ daily, even knowing "I'm forgiven" risks falling into sins like drunkenness or sexual immorality—plaguing generations, easy to hide in large churches where people fly under the radar bearing the name "brother" or "sister."

We may be horrified by "a man has his father's wife," but don't fool yourself: lose gospel focus, and you could fall into various sins. As John Calvin said, the human heart is a factory of idols. Every sin in Scripture is within our capability.

Losing Gospel Focus Creates Tolerance of Sin

As we lose gospel focus, it increases our tolerance of sin. It is known, reported, yet "you are arrogant" (plural: y'all are arrogant). Shouldn't you mourn?

Imagine: sin known, yet the church is prideful, not grieved. Losing gospel focus tolerates heinous fornication unbelievers reject—and even celebrates it.

If sin grieves you—not legalistically, but saddened for a brother's struggle—that shows gospel focus. Many avoid confessing sins due to ungodly reactions: judgment, gossip. This creates secrecy. The opposite extreme: tolerance, "don't sweat it."

Be grieved: sad to the point of tears, wanting to help. But with gospel focus comes action.

Action: Remove the Unrepentant Sinner

Paul says: "Let him who has done this be removed from among you."

1 Corinthians 5:4-5, 11, 13
"When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is with you in the power of our Lord Jesus, you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord... not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one... purge the evil person from among you."

This seems hasty—skipping Matthew 18 steps? Perhaps prior steps occurred; it was reported. But for "so-called brothers" (nominal Christians) living in open, unrepentant sin, purge them. No ribeye dinners.

How intolerant? Intolerant enough to remove. How loving? Loving enough to deliver to Satan for destruction of the flesh, so his spirit may be saved.

This contradicts "love," but keeping them precipitates the myth they're okay. The most loving act: put outside church protection into Satan's jurisdiction. They heard the gospel; now focus it on them as unbelievers. (Spoiler: In 2 Corinthians, restoration happens—the prescription works.)

Ignoring flagrant sin isn't love. Love concerns eternal status, engaging with the gospel. Without Christ crucified, these statements are meaningless.

Satan's Role in Destroying the Flesh

God did not die to save this person ultimately, and there was no privilege or opportunity to use Satan to this person's advantage, then much of this wouldn't make sense. Why deliver this person over to Satan? Why is that the specific prescription? Because no one is more effective at devouring man's flesh than Satan.

Why was the curse on the snake in Genesis to eat dust? In the interaction where Adam and Eve disobey God's command not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the serpent—Revelation identifies as Satan—tempts Eve, casting doubt: "Did God really say that?" Eve eats, gives to Adam who was with her, and he eats. God calls them to account. Adam blames the woman God gave him; Eve says the serpent deceived her. God curses the serpent immediately:

On your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life. (Genesis 3:14)

Why eat dust? Man is dust: "You were taken from dust, you are dust, to dust you shall return" (Genesis 3:19). The curse reveals Satan's flesh-eating, flesh-destroying nature. No one is more effective at eating and destroying flesh than he is.

Outside the Covenant Community

This draws out assumptions. When outside fellowship—covenant community—where God promises to save us and we experience blessings and privileges, several things happen. Hebrews 6 demonstrates the beauty of covenant community, even for unbelievers who taste the heavenly gift and see the powers of the age to come. Unbelievers among us experience the church's general benevolence—if they have need, we care for them.

But the covenant community is a fortress protecting Christians from satanic forces. To be put outside means removal from that care and protection. Leaders guard souls, watching over you. Removed from this, those who will not repent or are unbothered by sin are purged. For the genuinely saved, Satan will address their flesh, but they will be ultimately preserved.

Perhaps this person isn't a Christian yet. Forceful removal and Satan's work might scare them into taking their profession of faith seriously.

Removing the Leaven

Verses 6 through 8: A little leaven leavens the whole lump. Private sins aren't innocent—they ruin the whole. The goal isn't a sinless church, but one focused on the gospel to purge leaven from malice and evil.

Purge with sincerity and truth. Sincerity: Be real about your sin, your need for Christ, community, and gospel. Truth, in the New Testament, has a gospel-specific connotation—God's definition of reality. Confession (homologeo, "say the same") means agreeing with what God says about your sin and need for the gospel.

One unbothered by sin, insincere and untruthful, creates negative effects for the whole church. Tolerating such lifestyles impacts everyone more.

Renew Focus on the Gospel

The response is to renew focus on the gospel. This draws dividing lines in associations with those bearing the name Christian. Paul says he's not telling you not to associate with the sexually immoral of the world, greedy, swindlers, or idolaters—otherwise, you'd have to leave the world.

You'll encounter unbelievers, as Jesus did eating with tax collectors and sinners, with purpose: calling to repentance and salvation. But associations should reflect gospel focus.

Don't withdraw to isolation—Antarctica won't save you. Judge those bearing the name brother or sister who are unrepentant: sexually immoral, greedy, idolaters, revilers (abusive), drunkards, swindlers. Don't associate; don't even eat with such a person.

In relationships: If claiming to be Christian but sexually immoral, abusive, or reviling, purge them—don't pursue marriage thinking it fixes things. Marriage improves with gospel effort, not automatically.

Purge the evil person from your midst. Focus on the gospel, intolerance of sin, and pure Christian associations. This makes much become automatic.