Why is mourning over sin important according to 1 Corinthians 5:2? Setting the scene 1 Corinthians 5 opens with a shocking report: a man in the Corinthian fellowship is living immorally “with his father’s wife.” Instead of being appalled, the church is “proud.” Verse 2 rebukes that attitude: 1 Corinthians 5:2: “And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have been stricken with grief and removed from your fellowship the man who did this?” Paul’s contrast is stark—pride versus grief—because genuine sorrow over sin is the catalyst for everything that ought to follow. What “mourning” means here • The Greek word penthéō pictures deep lament, the kind felt at a funeral. • It is more than a twinge of regret; it is heart-level anguish that recognizes how sin offends the holiness of God and harms His people. • This grief is communal. Paul expects the whole church, not just the offender, to feel the weight of the transgression. Why mourning over sin matters • Shows we grasp God’s holiness – Isaiah 6:5: “Woe to me… for my eyes have seen the King.” Encountering holiness produces sorrow over unholiness. • Guards the purity of Christ’s body – Ephesians 5:27: the church is to be “holy and blameless.” Grief moves us to protect that calling by addressing sin instead of ignoring it. • Sparks corrective action – In the same verse Paul links grief to discipline: “remove from your fellowship the man who did this.” Mourning motivates loving confrontation and restoration (cf. Matthew 18:15-17). • Promotes true repentance and salvation – 2 Corinthians 7:10: “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation without regret.” If the congregation feels sorrow, it helps the sinner feel it too, opening the door to repentance. • Demonstrates love for the offender – Discipline birthed from grief seeks the person’s rescue, not their ruin (Galatians 6:1). Pride lets sin fester; mourning rushes to help. • Protects the church’s witness – 1 Peter 2:12: believers are to live honorably before outsiders. Public sin left unchecked discredits the gospel, while a community that mourns and repents displays its transforming power. Additional biblical witness • Psalm 51:17 – “A broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.” • Ezekiel 9:4 – God marks those who “sigh and groan over all the abominations.” • Joel 2:12-13 – “Return to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning… for He is gracious.” • Matthew 5:4 – “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” • James 4:8-10 – “Be miserable and mourn and weep… humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.” Practical takeaways • Cultivate sensitivity to sin by soaking in God’s Word and character. • When confronted with sin—our own or another’s—let Scripture, not culture, define the response. • Allow grief to lead swiftly to prayerful, loving action: confession, accountability, and, when needed, church discipline. • Remember the goal: restoration and the glory of Christ in a pure, vibrant fellowship. |
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