1 Corinthians 5-6

What’s Happening?

Paul writes to a church that has been set apart for God but has not set itself apart from sin. The Corinthian believers have been united with Jesus, but they continue to live as if they belong to their former pagan world. Paul warns them that by tolerating sin—whether sexual immorality, greed, or injustice—they are polluting the holiness they were bought for and endangering both themselves and their community.

Paul begins with a scandalous case of incest. The Corinthians are not only tolerating it, but they also seem to think their leniency is wise (1 Corinthians 5:1-2). Paul warns them that this sin endangers both the guilty man and the whole church. Like yeast that spreads through an entire batch of dough, unrepentant sin will work its way through the whole community if not removed (1 Corinthians 5:6). Paul commands them to hand the guilty man over to Satan by removing him from church fellowship. This not only protects the church from contamination but helps the man realize the danger of his sin and run back to Jesus (1 Corinthians 5:4-5).

Paul then connects this to Israel’s story. Before Israel escaped Egypt, they ate bread without yeast and slaughtered a lamb. The yeast represented the corruption of Egypt they were leaving behind, while the lamb’s blood secured their salvation. Paul reminds the Corinthians that Jesus, the true Passover Lamb, has already been sacrificed (1 Corinthians 5:7-8). This means their salvation has come, and just like Israel, they must leave their old life behind (1 Corinthians 5:9-13). The yeast of sexual immorality is contaminating their new identity as a holy body of Christ. 

Paul then warns the Corinthians that their greed is another sin contaminating the holiness they were called to. As a people set apart for God, they will one day rule over his worldwide kingdom as judges (1 Corinthians 6:2-3). But instead of acting as the wise rulers they will become, the Corinthians squabble over petty matters. They even take each other to pagan courts, exposing their inability to settle disputes even among themselves (1 Corinthians 6:6-8). Paul says the sin of greed is contaminating their new identity as God’s wise co-rulers. The people they used to be, sexually immoral, greedy, and idolatrous, cannot inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). Who they are now in Jesus can. 

Climactically, Paul gets to the main reason why the yeast of sin must be removed from the church. They are one with God, so they cannot be one with sin (1 Corinthians 6:15-16). Paul reminds them that their bodies are not their own. They have been purchased by Jesus' blood, making them part of his body and a temple of God's Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). They are one with Jesus in body and Spirit. And since they have been set apart for God, they must set themselves apart from sin (1 Corinthians 6:18).

 Where’s the Gospel?

Paul’s call to holiness is about guarding and maintaining the purity and holiness Jesus died to give his church. Since the church is the body of Christ and the temple of his Spirit, it should never house sexual immorality. Jesus, our Passover Lamb, was sacrificed to free us from sin. He did not save us so we could return to the corruption we were rescued from. Just as God called Israel to leave Egypt behind, Jesus calls his church to leave sin behind (1 Peter 1:15-16).

Reading the discipline Paul gives to the man guilty of sexual immorality or the list of sins that prevent people from inheriting God’s kingdom may leave you scared or discouraged. You may see the ways you are impure and wonder how Jesus could ever join himself to unholy people. But the good news is that Jesus doesn’t. Jesus comes to his people to wash them clean of sin. Paul points out that these old identities of sin are what we were (1 Corinthians 6:11). But Jesus came and washed us and made us holy. He moves in with us because he makes us holy.

Holy union with God is better than any sin the world indulges in. If you’ve been cleansed and made a member of Jesus’ body, and if you are one in Spirit with the God who loves you so much he died for you, why would you tolerate anything that would spoil such a union (Hebrews 12:1,14)? This is why we flee from sexual immorality like we flee a fire. This is why we get rid of sinful behavior like our freedom from slavery depended on it. This is why we hand unrepentant members to Satan so that they race into the arms of Jesus. This is why we always repent as soon as we sin. Because being one with Jesus is better than being one with any sin.

See for Yourself

I pray that the Holy Spirit opens your eyes to see the God who calls his people to holiness. And may you see Jesus as the one who purifies his church and becomes one with her.

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