Bible Pathways 11/25/04
November 25
Read I Corinthians 5 - 9
In Today's Reading:
Immorality and other sins condemned; guidelines for marriage and Christian conduct
It was reported to Paul that one member of the church in Corinth was committing fornication or adultery with his father's wife (I Corinthians 5:1), which seems to mean that he had an ongoing sexual relationship with his stepmother. This was also a violation of the Law which said: The nakedness of your father's wife shall you not uncover (Leviticus 18:8). Whether his father was still alive is not indicated. Paul admonished the church to immediately excommunicate the offending member: In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ . . . 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 (I Corinthians 5:4-5).
Our uppermost consideration should be how our lives affect our relationship with God, and equally important how they affect our church, families, and Christian friends.
When leaders of a church body allow obvious ongoing sin among its members, it encourages a sinner to excuse his own sin and to continue to influence others to follow his immoral lifestyle.
If we believe what God has said in His Word about sin, we know that there is accountability for it. Consequently, the decision to say or do nothing, merely in the interest of harmony, is in opposition to what the Holy Spirit led Paul to write: I have written to you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer (reviler), or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one no not to eat. . . . put away from among yourselves that wicked person (5:11-13). And such were some of you (6:11). The key word here is were because all who have truly received Christ as Savior and Lord should have forsaken their sinful ways.
Because of the inevitable results of sin, Paul wrote: Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the Kingdom of God (I Corinthians 6:9-10).
Word Studies:
5:11 a railer = one who is verbally abusive, a reviler; 6:9 effeminate = homosexual; abusers of themselves with mankind = sodomites; 7:1 not to touch a woman = not to have sexual relations with a woman as in marriage; 7:5 Defraud not one the other = do not deprive each other of marital rights; 7:12 let him not put her away = let him not leave her or divorce her; 7:32 without carefulness = free from anxieties.
Cross References:
For I Corinthians 6:16: See Genesis 2:24. I Corinthians 9:9: See Deuteronomy 25:4.
Prayer Needs:
Pray for The International Shortwave Radio Broadcast in memory of Edgar Sargent · Government Officials: Gov. Robert Ehrlich, Jr. (MD), Rep. Felix Grucci, Jr. (NY), and Sen. Jack Reed (RI) · Country: Botswana (1 million) in southern Africa · Major languages: English and Setswana · Limited religious freedom because of local chiefs · 49% animist; 21% Protestant; 4% Roman Catholic · Prayer Suggestion: Lift up your prayer of thanksgiving for the marvelous blessings of God (Psalm 18:1-3).
Memory Verse for the Week: II Corinthians 4:17
