How does 1 Corinthians 5:9 connect with Matthew 18:15-17 on church discipline? Setting the Stage • 1 Corinthians 5 opens with a shocking case of public immorality. • Paul reminds the church, “I wrote you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people.” (1 Corinthians 5:9) • Jesus had already outlined a process for dealing with unrepentant sin: – “If your brother sins against you, go and confront him privately.” (Matthew 18:15) – “But if he will not listen, take one or two others along.” (Matthew 18:16) – “If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church.” (Matthew 18:17 a) – “If he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.” (Matthew 18:17 b) What Paul Means by “Not to Associate” • The Greek word sunanamignymi pictures close mixing or habitual company. • Paul applies it to anyone who calls himself a believer yet lives in open sin (1 Corinthians 5:11). • He clarifies that the church’s separation is from professing believers, not from unbelievers in the world (1 Corinthians 5:10). • The goal is purity of fellowship (Ephesians 5:3-7) and the sinner’s restoration through godly sorrow (2 Corinthians 7:10). Tracing the Matthew 18 Pattern in Corinth Step 1 – Private Confrontation • Likely attempted already; the sin was notorious, yet unchanged. Step 2 – Small-Group Confirmation • Witnesses would have verified the charge (Deuteronomy 19:15 echoed in Matthew 18:16). Step 3 – Public Announcement • Paul writes to “the whole assembly” (1 Corinthians 5:4) because the matter was now church-wide. Step 4 – Separation • Jesus: “treat him as a pagan.” • Paul: “remove the wicked man from among you” (1 Corinthians 5:13) and “deliver this man to Satan” (1 Corinthians 5:5). Shared Purposes • Protect the holiness of Christ’s body (1 Peter 1:15-16). • Call the sinner to repentance (Galatians 6:1). • Guard weaker believers from corruption (1 Colossians 15:33). • Preserve the church’s witness before outsiders (Titus 2:10). Complementary Differences Matthew 18 – Focus: interpersonal offense; pace: gradual; leadership: entire congregation only at the end. 1 Corinthians 5 – Focus: public scandal; pace: urgent; leadership: apostolic directive from the start. Together they show that discipline must be tailored—gradual for private sin, immediate for flagrant public sin. Further Scriptural Threads • 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 14-15 – “Keep away … yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.” • Proverbs 27:5-6 – “Better an open rebuke than hidden love.” • Hebrews 12:11 – Discipline “yields the fruit of righteousness” afterward. • 2 Corinthians 2:6-8 – Once repentance is evident, reaffirm love and restore. Practical Takeaways for Today’s Churches • Follow Jesus’ step-by-step process; rush only when the sin is public and ongoing. • Make every stage redemptive: correction aims at restoration, never mere punishment. • Maintain consistent fellowship boundaries; “no association” means withdrawing normal Christian intimacy, not practicing hostility. • When repentance comes, welcome quickly—grace wins the day. |
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