How To Deal With Sin In The Church | Messy Church, Part 6

How To Deal With Sin In The Church | Messy Church, Part 6

Who are we to judge?

“I’m a brother/sister in Christ”

“I have the truth of Scripture and I love you enough to tell you the hard stuff.”

How do we deal with sin in the church?

Corinth was known for sexuality

Temples were dedicated to Aphrodite

Prostitutes roamed the streets

1. The Problem

1 Corinthians 5:1-2a

It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father’s wife. 2 And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn?

“Turning from sin and trusting in the good news that Jesus saves sinners aren’t merely a one-time experience but the daily substance of what Christianity is all about. The gospel is for every day and every moment. Repentance is to be the Christian’s ongoing posture that recognizes sin for what it is and seeks forgiveness, reconciliation, and growth.” – From Desiring God

“When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said ‘Repent,’ he intended that the entire life of believers should be repentance.” – Martin Luther

2. The Solution

1 Corinthians 5:2b-5

Let him who has done this be removed from among you. 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. 4 When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 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.

“Let him who has done this be removed among you” (1 Cor. 5:2b)

There is a big difference between struggling with sin and celebrating sin.

Repent or Remove

1 Corinthians 5:5

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.

“Be killing sin or it will be killing you!” – John Owen

Are you celebrating or struggling?

Are you unrepentant or repentant?

Psalm 51

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me…7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.8 Let me hear joy and gladness; l et the bones that you have broken rejoice.9 Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.11 Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.

What sin do I need to bring to light and repent of?

Matthew 18:15-20

– Tell them their sin, hope they listen/repent

.– If they don’t listen, take 2-3 others with you

– If they don’t listen, tell it to the church

– If they don’t listen, treat them as a tax collector

4 principles from Matthew 18/1 Cor. 5:

1. Context: family

2. Process: gradual

3. Motivation: love

4. Goal: restoration

1 Corinthians 5 is the end of the process in Matthew 18, not the beginning.

“removal”

3. The Warning

1 Corinthians 5:6-8

Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?7 Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. ForChrist, 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.

Passover:

– God’s people were enslaved

– God heard their cry and brought judgment

– Paint the blood of a lamb on the doorposts

– The angel of death would then pass over

– Reminder how serious sin was

– The innocent had to die in place of the guilty

1 Corinthians 5:7

Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. ForChrist, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.

Paul’s primary concern is not one man’s sin but the overall health of the church.

4. The Application

1 Corinthians 5:9-13

I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. 12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? 13 God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”

Application: 

1. You should associate with non-Christians and not expect someone who has no relationship with Jesus to act like Jesus.

2. Purge the evil among you!

1 John 1:9

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

3. Pray for, and pursue those, who are wandering from Christ.

Galatians 6:1

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.