May 24, 2026 "A Church That Does Not Hate Sinners, Yet Does Not Ignore Sin" (1 Corinthians 5:1–13)

1 Corinthians 5 New International Version

Dealing With a Case of Incest
5 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping with his father’s wife.
² And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have gone into mourning and have put out of your fellowship the man who has been doing this?
³ For my part, even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. As one who is present with you in this way, I have already passed judgment in the name of our Lord Jesus on the one who has been doing this.
⁴ So when you are assembled and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present,
⁵ hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh,^[a][b] so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.
⁶ Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough?
⁷ Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.
⁸ Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
⁹ I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people—
¹⁰ not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world.
¹¹ But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister^[c] but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people.
¹² What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?
¹³ God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you.”^[d]

A Church That Does Not Hate Sinners, Yet Does Not Ignore Sin

1 Corinthians 5:1-13 

 

Sometimes we do not deal with problems immediately. Like a little yeast, it moves into the entire loaf of bread. 

 

In 1 Corinthians, Paul brings up a case in which the church did not deal with the sin. Paul asks why the church did not grieve over this sin. This should be the first response when the church finds sin in its community. Sin keeps us from God. It damages and breaks the relationship between us in God 

 

We should not mock people who have committed sin. We should not judge lightly people for their sin, but we, as a church, need to deal with the sin. Nor should we condone the sin or ignore the sin pretending it did not happen. 

 

We need to love one another. We need to love sinners. However, we need to hate sin. 

 

Paul's response in verse 3 needs to be emulated by us. True love involves responsibility and this can require firm correction.  

 

1 Corinthians 5:3 ESV 

[3] For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing.  

 

When the church deals with sin, it must not be done to shame someone. It should not be done by our emotions or personal standards. We should not also use these sins as an excuse for fun or play. Gossiping can be fun and build up our weak egos, but it is not the nature of God. 

 

1 Corinthians 5:4 ESV 

[4] When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus,  

 

Paul's purpose in verse 5 is to bring restoration. It is not to destroy the person. The church must deal with sin differently than the world does. The church needs to call sin, "SIN!" However, the straight and clear goal must be restoration. 

 

1 Corinthians 5:5 ESV 

[5] you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord. 

 

We should not take a position in which are superior. We are afraid of conflict, so we call it peace. We take sin lightly and call it grace.  

 

Our church is a new community, and we live Holy lives as a response for what God has done. The Holiness of the church comes from Christ's sacrifice, and we must not treat it casually.

 

1 Corinthians 5:7-8 ESV 

[7] Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. [8] Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 

 

We need to ask ourselves, "Do we truly love that person enough to restore them?" True love is not neglect. True grace does not take sin lightly. Jesus did not simply cover our sin. The Lord offered His life to save us. He did not condemn us or push us away. He hated our sin, but loved us and He restored us. 

 

We should pray first when encountering sin with other people. We should find words which will promote correction and repentance. The church is a community that restores sinners to life.   

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