What does 1 Corinthians 5:6 teach about tolerating sin within the church?

The Text

“Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole batch of dough?” (1 Corinthians 5:6)

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Sin Spreads Like Yeast

• In Scripture, leaven is consistently a picture of pervasive influence (Exodus 12:15; Matthew 16:6).

• Just as yeast silently works through every corner of the dough, tolerated sin affects every member and ministry of a congregation.

• Paul’s illustration assumes literal reality: if even “a little” remains, the entire loaf is changed. No compartmentalizing is possible.

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Boasting That Blinds

• The Corinthian believers were “boasting” instead of mourning (v. 2). Pride dulled their spiritual discernment.

• Public sin left unaddressed signals that the church values image over holiness—opposite of God’s priority (James 4:6).

• Boasting in grace while ignoring obedience twists the gospel into license (Jude 4).

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Divine Mandate to Remove Leaven

• Verse 7 continues, “Get rid of the old leaven, that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you truly are.” Identity in Christ demands action.

• Church discipline (vv. 3-5) is not optional; it protects purity, aims at restoration, and preserves witness (Matthew 18:15-17; 2 Thessalonians 3:6).

• Refusal to act invites wider corruption (1 Corinthians 15:33; Galatians 5:9).

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Why Tolerating Sin Harms the Whole Body

– Undermines the credibility of the gospel message.

– Grieves the Holy Spirit, hindering corporate worship and power (Ephesians 4:30).

– Emboldens others to sin, thinking consequences are minimal (Ecclesiastes 8:11).

– Leads to God’s corrective judgment on the assembly (Revelation 2:14-16).

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Practical Takeaways

• Cultivate humility: mourn over sin rather than excuse it.

• Keep short accounts: address issues promptly before they spread.

• Uphold loving, biblical discipline aimed at repentance and restoration.

• Celebrate genuine repentance, welcoming restored members as “unleavened” in Christ.

• Regularly examine personal and corporate life in light of Scripture so that leaven never gains a foothold.

1 Corinthians 5:6 teaches that even minimal tolerance of known sin endangers the spiritual health of the entire church; therefore, decisive, loving action is required to maintain the purity and testimony Christ intends for His people.