Unleavened Living: Church Discipline and Moral Purity

1 Corinthians 5 issues a strong call for moral integrity within the church, demanding vigilance against sin and complacency. Paul’s disciplinary instructions challenge us to hold each other accountable, recognizing that a community's spiritual health can be jeopardized by the unaddressed sins of individuals. The metaphor of leaven reminds us of our call to purity, sincerity, and truth, living as the new creation in Christ. While we live in the world, we are not to adopt its moral standards, but embody the values of God's kingdom, applying judgement appropriately within and outside the church.

Verses 1-5: Confronting Immorality within the Church

Paul brings up a reported case of immorality in the Corinthian church, where a man has his father's wife. Rather than mourning and removing the guilty person, the community is proud. Paul, though absent in body but present in spirit, has already passed judgment. He instructs the church to deliver the man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.

Verses 6-8: The Leaven Illustration

Paul warns the Corinthians that a little leaven leavens the whole lump. He urges them to clean out the old leaven, so they may be a new lump, as they are unleavened. Using the metaphor of the Passover, Paul encourages the believers to celebrate the feast not with old leaven or leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Verses 9-13: Judgment Inside and Outside the Church

Paul clarifies his previous instruction about not associating with sexually immoral people. He meant not the immoral people of the world, or the greedy, swindlers, or idolaters, else the Corinthians would need to exit the world. Instead, he instructs them not to associate with anyone bearing the name of brother if he is guilty of immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. He asserts that it isn't their place to judge outsiders, but they are to judge those within the church. God will judge those outside, and they must remove the evil person from among them.

In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul addresses a severe case of immorality within the Corinthian church. He reprimands the Corinthians for their complacency and prescribes strict church discipline. Using the metaphor of leaven, Paul exhorts the believers to moral purity. He also clarifies the church's role in judging its members and dealing with the outside world.

Church Discipline
Moral Purity
Responsibility within the Christian Community
Judgment within the ChurchImmorality within the Church
Excommunication of the sinful member
The illustration of leaven
Judgment inside and outside the ChurchPaul
The Corinthians
The immoral manCorinth

1. How does the church today deal with blatant immorality within its ranks?

2. What lessons can we learn from Paul's response to the situation in Corinth?

3. How can we apply the principle of not tolerating "a little leaven" in our personal lives?

4. How does the metaphor of leaven speak to you in maintaining your personal moral integrity?

5. How does this chapter inform the way we approach discipline within the church?

6. How do you reconcile the necessity of judgement within the church with the teaching to "not judge"?

7. What can we learn from this chapter about the Christian's relationship with non-believers?

8. How can we distinguish between judging people within and outside the church in modern day living?

9. How does Paul's instruction about not associating with immoral believers challenge you in your personal relationships?

10. How can we effectively balance grace and discipline in a Christian community?

11. What does it mean to celebrate the feast with "the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth"?

12. How does this chapter guide us in addressing the challenge of maintaining the purity of the church in a morally lax society?

13. How does the command to "remove the evil person from among you" apply to modern church settings?

14. How should we respond when a Christian brother or sister continues in blatant sin?

15. How does the balance between church judgement and God's judgement manifest in your church's teachings?

16. How can we cultivate an environment of accountability, correction, and restoration within our Christian community?

17. How does this chapter inform our approach to dealing with serious sins within our Christian circles?

18. In what ways can we ensure that the church remains 'unleavened' in a world filled with 'leaven'?

19. How does Paul's approach to handling immorality in the church inform your approach to similar situations in your life?

20. What implications does Paul's exhortation have for maintaining personal holiness within the body of believers?