1 Corinthians 5:1-5: a reflection

1It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles, that one has his father’s wife. 2You are arrogant, and didn’t mourn instead, that he who had done this deed might be removed from among you. 3For I most certainly, as being absent in body but present in spirit, have already, as though I were present, judged him who has done this thing. 4In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together with my spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5you are to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

Paul confronts the Corinthian church over a serious sin in their midst, and what troubles him is not only the sin but the church's complacency about it. You are arrogant, he says, and didn't mourn instead. They had grown puffed up and easy about a grave wrong among them, rather than grieving it and dealing with it. Paul calls them to take serious sin seriously, to mourn over it rather than tolerate it lightly, and to act, always with the aim of the person's restoration, that the spirit may be saved. The problem was a complacency that treated serious sin lightly instead of grieving it; and the aim of addressing it was not destruction but the ultimate saving of the one who had gone astray.

Notice what Paul rebukes: not only the sin, but the complacency about it. The church had grown arrogant and easy, tolerating a grave wrong in their midst without grief. Paul calls them to mourn over it, to take it seriously, to act rather than tolerate it lightly. Yet even his firmness has an aim of mercy: that the spirit may be saved, that the person might ultimately be restored. Serious sin is not to be treated lightly or complacently, as though it did not matter; it is to be grieved and addressed. But the aim is not mere condemnation; it is the saving of the one who has gone astray. To grieve serious sin and address it, with the aim of restoration, is what Paul calls for, against a complacency that treats it as nothing.

That is worth taking to heart, for we are called to grieve serious sin rather than treat it lightly, always with the aim of restoration. We can grow complacent about serious sin, in ourselves or in our community, treating it lightly, tolerating what ought to be grieved; but Paul rebukes such complacency and calls for grief and action, aimed always at the person's ultimate restoration. Serious sin matters; it is to be grieved, not shrugged off. Do not grow complacent about serious sin, treating it lightly; grieve it and address it, with the aim of restoration, as Paul called the Corinthians. Grieve serious sin rather than treating it lightly or complacently, always aiming at the restoration of the one who has strayed, as Paul rebuked the Corinthians' arrogance and sought that the spirit might be saved; for serious sin is not to be shrugged off but grieved and addressed, and the aim of dealing with it is not condemnation but the saving and restoring of the one who has gone astray.

Lord, Paul confronts the Corinthian church over a serious sin in their midst, and what troubles him is not only the sin but the church's complacency about it. You are arrogant, he says, and didn't mourn instead. They had grown puffed up and easy about a grave wrong among them, rather than grieving it and dealing with it. Paul calls them to take serious sin seriously, to mourn over it rather than tolerate it lightly, and to act, always with the aim of the person's restoration, that the spirit may be saved. Show me what Paul rebukes: not only the sin, but the complacency about it. The church had grown arrogant and easy, tolerating a grave wrong without grief. Paul calls them to mourn over it, to take it seriously, to act. Yet even his firmness has an aim of mercy: that the spirit may be saved, that the person might ultimately be restored. Serious sin is not to be treated lightly, as though it did not matter; but the aim is not mere condemnation; it is the saving of the one who has gone astray. Take that to my heart, for I am called to grieve serious sin rather than treat it lightly, always with the aim of restoration. I can grow complacent about serious sin, in myself or in my community, treating it lightly, tolerating what ought to be grieved; but Paul rebukes such complacency. Serious sin matters; it is to be grieved, not shrugged off. Keep me from growing complacent about serious sin; help me grieve it and address it, Lord, with the aim of restoration, that the one who has strayed might be saved.