“Unleavened”: 1 Corinthians 5:1-8, by CountrySlicker

¹ It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles—that a man has his father’s wife! ² And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you. ³ For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed. ⁴ In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, ⁵ deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

⁶ Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? ⁷ Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. ⁸ Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.  (1 Corinthians 5:1-8)

It seems odd that Paul would have to address sins among members of the church that are so bad that the heathen Gentiles would not be associated with the practices.  However, that is the situation that we find at the beginning of Corinthians chapter 5.  Paul has received reports that a member of the Corinthian church is having an affair with his stepmother.  Recall that Corinth was known for the partying, drunkenness, and loose sexual morals of its people.  So to say that this immorality is beyond even the Gentiles is really saying something.

To make the situation worse, the Corinthian church is “puffed up, and have not rather mourned”.  The Christians in Corinth are unconcerned and accepting of this sin within their fellowship.  This moral attitude is as concerning as the sin itself.  This particular activity is expressly forbidden in Leviticus 8:8… “The nakedness of your father’s wife you shall not uncover; it [is] your father’s nakedness”.  Yet, like the world in which they reside, the Corinthian Christians have adopted an attitude of tolerance.  They have decided to be open-minded and welcoming in the name of love.  Even if that requires them to ignore the Word of God.  The Corinthians have taken on the name of association with their Savior (Christians) and yet they pride themselves in adopting worldly (Godless) moral attitudes.  This is a glaring conflict that must be addressed by their spiritual father.

Without being physically present, Paul is able to judge this situation.  Wiersbe writes “While Christians are not to judge one another’s motives or ministries, we are certainly expected to be honest about each other’s conduct.”  Regardless of the circumstances, there is no justification for the sinful activity of this unrepentant man.  Accordingly, Paul instructs them to “deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus”.

This may seem like an extremely harsh position for a Christian to take against a brother.  Let’s first consider the choices and activities of the man who is involved in the sin.  The actions of this man are not representative of the Word of God.  In fact they are in direct violation with the explicit commands given by God.  This man is unrepentant of his sin.  He has expressed no remorse for his actions nor made any attempt to correct his own sinful behavior.  Yet, he is comforted by the spiritual protection and social comfort of the Christian fellowship.  The man is receiving a false sense of protection and comfort from Christians while serving his own fleshly, carnal desires.  Hence, Paul instructs that he is to be “delivered to Satan”.  Or, in other words… “place him in the world that he is serving with his actions”.  His actions are not serving God or the heavenly realm, but are instead serving the cares of the world.  As we cannot server two masters, Paul’s instruction serves to align this man’s environment with the master that he has chosen to serve, which is declared through his actions.

Also, we want to look at the motive in removing of Christian fellowship from this man.  Paul declares his desired outcome from this action… “for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.”  Paul recognizes that this man is being ruled by his own flesh, not the Spirit of God.  Paul desires to see a redeeming work in this man’s heart.  This work can only begin with the man recognizing and acknowledging that his current actions do not server God.  Guzik writes… “The goal of the discipline is clear – the salvation, not the destruction, of his spirit. Though this man’s conduct was clearly sinful, and needed severe correction, Paul does not write him off as forever lost – the effective use of church discipline may yet see him to salvation.”

In 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15 Paul wrote… “And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed.  Yet do not count [him] as an enemy, but admonish [him] as a brother.”  By being accepting of this man, the Corinthian Christians are not helping him.  By being accepting and tolerant of the man and his sin, they are providing a sense of approval that enables the man to justify his actions.  By placing the man outside of the fellowship, they are demonstrating their recognition of his actions as being worldly actions that are sinful and in conflict with the relationship with God that the fellowship is based upon.  The unrepentant man is therefore faced with the decision to acknowledge the sinful basis of his actions, repent, and make corrections or to carry on in his sinful actions that serve to separate himself from the fellowship and God.  The desire is that the sinful man will recognize that his actions are in conflict with the Word of God and acknowledge his need to repent (change his course of action; turn from his worldly actions and engage in service to God).  The flesh has a limited lifespan, however, the eternal condition of the spirit is determined based upon our decision to serve God or the world.

Having addressed the actions that need to be taken regarding the unrepentant man, Paul addresses the action of the Corinthian Christians in verses 6 through 8.  He states very clearly that the fact that they have gloried in their acceptance of blatant sin within the body of believers is not good.  Paul goes on to use leaven as an example of the effects of allowing sin to remain in the body of believers.  In verse 2, Paul wrote that the Corinthian Christians were “puffed up”.  It is fitting to use leaven as an example here.  Unleavened bread is typically very flat and more dense than leaven bread.  The leaven bread is essentially the same substance, but filled with small pockets of air throughout as a result of the presence of leaven.  Leavened bread is “puffed up”.  It may appear to have more substance or even to be more “well-rounded”; but in fact, it is filled with voids.

Allowing even a small amount of sin in a fellowship or the individual member of the body achieves the same effect… it puffs one up.  By being accepting of sinful actions, our own or of those with which we have fellowship, we may appear to contain more substance.  By being accepting and accommodating of everyone and “their choices” we are often considered by the world to be more loving and understanding.  In reality, we are simply puffed up… filled with voids in morality, voids in character, and voids in our relationship with God.

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16)  As Christians, it’s not our place to choose what scripture is acceptable and what scripture is to be rejected.  That is a trait of the unbelievers… to follow their own desires as they see fit.  The Christian is called to live a life dedicated to serving God.  This requires that we honor His Word and the teaching of His Spirit in our lives.  Not only in our words, but even more importantly in our actions.

Christ died on the cross to take the punishment for our sins so that the punishment that we deserved would pass over us.  He became the sacrificial lamb for our sins upon the cross.  In that context, Paul writes “Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth”.  Christ died to free us from our sins.  As such, we should choose to live free of sin.  We are to reject sinful behavior and certainly not glory in it whether it be in our lives or the lives of our brethren.

Our lives, and the church as a whole, should represent individuals who not only profess to be Christians with words but whose actions demonstrate the same position towards sin that God demonstrated.  A life dedicated to sincerity and truth will make no place for willful sin to exist unchallenged.  In 1 John 1:6 we are told that “If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth”.  The acceptance of unrepentant sin in the body of a believer and in the church (the body of Christ) only serves to weaken the body and to misrepresent God.

“Then Jesus said to them, “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.” (Mathew 16:6)

May you stand firm in sincerity and truth towards the Word of God; rejecting sin and seeking to live a life that reflects the purity of Christ Jesus.

God Bless,

CountrySlicker