1Cor 5:1-2, 2Cor 2:6-8 | PNT | STEP | Impurity in the Church SUMMARY OF I CORINTHIANS 5: The Incestuous Person. The Discipline Commanded. The Old Leaven to Be Purged Out. Heinous Offenders Not to Be Recognized Socially in the Church. [There is] fornication among you . Licentiousness was one of the besetting sins of the Gentiles at this time. Purity of life was almost unknown. So far was unchastity from being held in disrepute that temples were everywhere dedicated to Aphrodite (Venus), and in Corinth at the time when Paul wrote there stood one with a thousand priestesses, harlots, a gigantic brothel in the name of religion. It is not wonderful that time was required to cleanse the church, formed of converts from these heathen, from impurity. Not so much as named among the Gentiles . There was in the church a still worse case than the Gentiles would condone; a man had taken, probably after the death of his father, his father's wife, his own step-mother. This sort of incest was condemned by Greeks and Romans (Cicero, "Oratio pro Cluentio").

1 Corinthians 5:1-2

Impurity in the Church SUMMARY OF I CORINTHIANS 5: The Incestuous Person. The Discipline Commanded. The Old Leaven to Be Purged Out. Heinous Offenders Not to Be Recognized Socially in the Church. [There is] fornication among you. Licentiousness was one of the besetting sins of the Gentiles at this time. Purity of life was almost unknown. So far was unchastity from being held in disrepute that temples were everywhere dedicated to Aphrodite (Venus), and in Corinth at the time when Paul wrote there stood one with a thousand priestesses, harlots, a gigantic brothel in the name of religion. It is not wonderful that time was required to cleanse the church, formed of converts from these heathen, from impurity.

Not so much as named among the Gentiles. There was in the church a still worse case than the Gentiles would condone; a man had taken, probably after the death of his father, his father's wife, his own step-mother. This sort of incest was condemned by Greeks and Romans (Cicero, "Oratio pro Cluentio"). And ye are puffed up. In the face of such a scandal, such a disgrace upon the church of which he is a member, ye are still puffed up, instead of being humiliated and covered with a sense of shame. To manifest sorrow was your duty, and to take such steps that the evil doer might be taken away from among you by means of church discipline. The early church mourned those who fell into licentiousness or other grievous sins as dead (Origen), and if they repented, received then as risen from the dead.

2 Corinthians 2:6-8

Sufficient to such a man [is] this punishment. The excommunication of the offender (1Co 5:4,5).

Which was [inflicted] of the many. Literally, by the majority. This shows that the whole church took action, and implies that there were dissenters. The command of Paul was endorsed by the action of the church. So ought the decision of the officers of a congregation always be submitted for approval. Ye [ought] rather to forgive [him]. The Apostle sternly commands excommunication of the offender, but tenderly enjoins forgiveness of the penitent sinner. I beseech you that ye would confirm [your] love toward him. The object of the discipline was to save (1Co 5:5). Since it had had the desired effect, the offender should be restored.