1 CORINTHIANS 5

1 CORINTHIANS 5 March 11, 2010

Are you a member of a church? Or, any “Christian” organization. Do you claim to be a believer and follower of Jesus Christ? Paul tells us there are some requirements. God has said “Be Holy as I am Holy”.

Paul is using the Corinthian church as an example of the holiness we should require of ourselves. First, as individual believers and then as members of the “Body of Christ”. We have accountability. We have responsibility.

If there is grievous sin among us, we should be filled with grief, we should confront and repent and we should remove the sinner.

In this chapter Paul points out a problem with sexual immorality. A son is apparently living with, married to his step mother. This is not permitted. But, he also lists some other sins. The greedy, idolaters, slanderers, drunkards and swindlers are all listed in this chapter of the letter. Paul says, “Do not associate with such a person, do not even eat with them and expel these wicked men from among you”.

Watered down morality is a problem! It is the God of heaven that created all of this and us.

Read this Psalm.

Psalm 24
Of David. A psalm.
 1 The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it,
   the world, and all who live in it;
 2 for he founded it upon the seas 
      
and established it upon the waters.
 3 Who may ascend the hill of the LORD ? 
      
Who may stand in his holy place?
 4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, 
      
who does not lift up his soul to an idol 
      
or swear by what is false.
 5 He will receive blessing from the LORD 
      
and vindication from God his Savior.

This is a praise to the Lord. It is more than that, it is a statement of our responsibility. We are to keep ourselves Holy. The how and what of this all comes from the Lord. We are not the judge. We are His. We are to live by His rules. Living by just some of His rules does not count. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.