My God and My Country

The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Church at Corinth

Chapter 5:1-13

1 It is heard certainly that there is fornication among you: and such fornication as is not once named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife.

2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather sorrowed, that he which hath done this deed, might be put from among you.

3 For I verily as absent in body, but present in spirit, have determined already as though I were present, that he that hath thus done this thing,

4 When ye are gathered together, and my spirit, in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that such one, I say, by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,

5 Be delivered unto Satan, for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

6 Your rejoicing is not good: know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened: for Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.

8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither in the leaven of maliciousness and wickedness: but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

9 I wrote unto you in an Epistle, that ye should not company together with fornicators,

10 And not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or with extortioners, or with idolaters: for then ye must go out of the world.

11 But now I have written unto you, that ye company not together: if any that is called a brother, be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner, with such one eat not.

12 For what have I to do to judge them also which are without? do ye not judge them that are within?

13 But God judgeth them that are without. Put away therefore from among yourselves that wicked man.

Brethren:

While we are to instructed to stay away from the practices of the world, we cannot fully detach ourselves from it in the course of our daily routines.

Make note, that our Savior associated with those that were considered the dregs of society. I would put forth the proposition, that as He stated He had come to save the lost, (Read Luke 19:10), and as such, made it known that as He might sup with them, He likewise taught them to seek repentance.

Since, therefore, we cannot avoid contact with the non-believer, we should at all times be an example to them of what a life in Christ entails.

My words do not come as close to the those of the theologian below, in expressing the context of this particular part of chapter five. Truly, I say to you, read it, for his words are much better than my own.

“Christians are to avoid the familiar conversation of fellow-christians that are notoriously wicked, and under just censure for their flagitious practices. Such disgrace the Christian name. They may call themselves brethren in Christ, but they are not Christian brethren. They are only fit companions for the brethren in iniquity; and to such company they should be left, till they mend their ways and doings. How he limits this advice. He does not forbid the Christians the like commerce with scandalously wicked heathens. He does not forbid their eating nor conversing with the fornicators of this world, etc. They know no better. They profess no better. The gods they serve, and the worship they render to many of them, countenance such wickedness. "You must needs go out of the world if you will have no conversation with such men. Your Gentile neighbours are generally vicious and profane; and it is impossible, as long as you are in the world, and have any worldly business to do, but you must fall into their company. This cannot be wholly avoided. This seems a paradox. Why should we shun the company of a profane or loose Christian, rather than that of a profane or loose heathen?

The reason of this limitation is here assigned. It is impossible the one should be avoided. Christians must have gone out of the world to avoid the company of loose heathens. But this was impossible, as long as they had business in the world. While they are minding their duty, and doing their proper business, God can and will preserve them from contagion.” Matthew Henry