5:1
The Corinthians considered themselves so advanced, yet the hollowness of their claims was shown up by the fact that there was gross sexual immorality going on among them. A man was sleeping with his father’s wife. The surrounding culture was not exactly free of sexual immorality, indeed it revelled in it. But even that culture looked down on such acts. We really do need to remember that we are sinners. We have been forgiven, a work of transformation has started in our lives. Hopefully we have made some progress and are continuing to make progress, but we are still sinners. We are not perfect yet. Now, of course, one can go to the other extreme, and become overly obsessed with our sinfulness, but it is at least as dangerous to forget our sinfulness. Pride comes before a fall.
5:2
What made things worse was that the Corinthians were proud! They were puffed up. Instead they should have taken action. They should have been in mourning. Things will go wrong for we are a church of sinners, but when they do we need to face up to the reality of the situation. Moreover, they should have taken action against the sinner. It is clear from the New Testament that firm and clear action was taken against sinners, and against heretics. This is something we have lost today. Of course, we can go to the opposite extreme and that is very dangerous, but we are failing because we do not take any action.
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