1 Corinthians 5:9-13 (WEL) I wrote to you in a letter not to associate with fornicators—10 Yet not in every way with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, extortioners, or idolaters, for then you would need to go out of the world. 11 But now I have written to you not to associate with anyone who is called a brother who is a fornicator, covetous, idolater, verbally abusive, drunkard, or an extortioner. Do not even eat with such a one. 12 It’s none of my business to judge those outside [the congregation]. Don’t you judge those who are within? 13 But those outside, God judges. Therefore, remove that wicked person from among yourselves. [Deuteronomy 17:7, 19:19, 21:21, 22:21-24, and 24:7]
V9 I wrote to you in a letter not to associate with fornicators—
Fornication is any type of sex except between husband (XY) and wife (XX). It would include pornography, bestiality, etc.
A quote from Barclay (beware) from 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8: “It may seem strange that Paul should go to such lengths to inculcate sexual purity in a Christian congregation; but two things have to be remembered. First, the Thessalonians had only recently come into the Christian faith and they had come from a society in which chastity was an unknown virtue; they were still in the midst of such a society and the infection of it was playing upon them all the time. It would be exceedingly difficult for them to unlearn what they had for all their lives accepted as natural. Second, there never was an age in history when marriage vows were so disregarded and divorce so disastrously easy. The phrase which we have translated “that each of you should possess his own body in consecration and in honour” could be translated, “that each of you may possess his own wife in consecration and in honour.”
V10 Yet not in every way with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, extortioners, or idolaters, for then you would need to go out of the world.
Even though they are not to be our friends in activities or partying, we cannot avoid them altogether. Compare Exodus 23:2 and Proverbs 24:1. We are to be a witness. Compare Psalm 145:10-12 and 1 Peter 2:9.
Mark 2:16-17 (EHV) When the experts in the law and the Pharisees saw that he was eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples, “Why is he eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners?” 17 When Jesus heard this, he said to them, “Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
The time will come in the future when believers either die (then going to heaven) or the Rapture. In heaven, these people will not be present. See Revelation 21:28.
V11 But now I have written to you not to associate with anyone who is called a brother who is a fornicator, covetous, idolater, verbally abusive, drunkard, or an extortioner. Do not even eat with such a one.
We can witness the Gospel of Jesus Christ to them, but we are not to fellowship, etc., with them. If someone who is like this identifies as a Christian, then we are not to associate with them. We might have to work with them, but we don’t have to party with them.
Fornicators—any type of sex except with your spouse. This includes pornos.
Covetous—any person who lives as money, riches, etc., are the priority. It can include being covetous regarding people, too. Exodus 20:17 (EHV) You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, his male servant, his female servant, his ox, his donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.
Idolater—anything or anyone having more loyalty than Jesus Christ.
Verbally abusive—bullying, unreasonable demands without any feedback, mockery, criticizing body image, clothes, etc., verbally loud when disagreeing, remembering past faults, and so forth.
Drunkard—this is any addiction to something that clouds judgment and reason and is never satisfied. No addict uses something once; the addiction is never satisfied.
Extortioner—using some word, fault, disagreement, difficulty, etc., in a way to manipulate a person for an evil purpose.
Some cautions:
If it is a meal together for business, be careful.
If it is for evangelism, just be aware. We don’t want to taint our testimony.
If it is for evangelism, make sure you have a witness with you.
If it is with someone of the opposite gender, have your spouse as your witness.
May God give us wisdom.
V12 It’s none of my business to judge those outside [the congregation]. Don’t you judge those who are within?
Crimes that are not committed by believers, the government judges. Crimes committed by believers, the church, the people judge.
(Holman Commentary) “Paul concluded that he and the Corinthians had no right to judge those outside the church. Such people make no pretense of being Christians, and God alone will judge those. Even so, the church must judge those inside the church. Those in the church submit themselves to the authority of the body of Christ. Church discipline is a difficult and troubling process, and many churches try to avoid it. Yet, the church must take action when its members flagrantly violate the ways of Christ. Consequently, as much as the Corinthian church did not want to take action, they had to expel the wicked man.”
If a crime is against government law and the Law of Christ, then the church judges and reports the crime to the government.
V13 But those outside, God judges. Therefore, remove that wicked person from among yourselves. [Deuteronomy 17:7, 19:19, 21:21, 22:21-24, and 24:7]
Non-believers are judged by God (Revelation 20:11-15). This is ban and shun. Yet, if there is repentance with actions showing a sin is no longer done, then welcome with rejoicing back into the fellowship.
We learn:
- With whom we may fellowship, associate with for meals, etc.
- God is the Judge. Since it is so, we must carry out His will for church discipline.
Questions:
- With whom do you associate?
- Do fellow believers feel comfortable associating with you?