Pastor Barry's  "Chapter & Verse"  Day 292

October 19;      I Corinthians 5:7;       138/260(III);        ‘Purge Out the Leaven’

 1 Corinthians 5:7 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. 

There was a man in the Corinthian church involved in immorality.  Paul instructs the church to deal severely with this man and remove him from the congregation.  This verse, referring to this man involved in immorality, tells the church to purge out the old leaven.  What is the significance of that?  Leaven has a fermenting action that illustrates the corrupting power of sin.  By removing the immoral man, the church will eliminate the corrupting power of sin, before it is allowed to spread to others.  The Lord loves everyone, but the Lord through Paul instructs the church to remove this man.  The Lord desires us as Christians to live in a manner that brings honor to Him and draws the lost. Though his chapter does not tell us, when this happens the man should be confronted by a member.  If the man involved in sin repents and changes his ways that is what should happen.  If that does not happen, the one in sin should be confronted by one or two more members of the church and if that still does not cause change, the man should be brought before the church.  If none of these confrontations causes repentance and a change, the person must leave.  There is a good ending to this.  In 2 Corinthians, Paul tells us that the man did repent and change.  He encourages the church to forgive the man and restore him. Paul goes on to tell them refusing to forgive the man is too harsh of a treatment.  Removing the sin is needed, but the Lord’s love is ever ready to restore.