While We Were Yet Sinners

The third and final part to my series on sexual immorality, over two months late. All Scripture used comes from the New King James version.

Part 3 – Sexual Immorality Inside of the Church

* It is to be noted that the term “brother” is most often used in this piece, however, what is written applies to women just as well as men.*

What is to be done when a brother or sister is sinning sexually in the Church is more direct and somewhat, if you will, harsher than those who sin outside of the Church. In 1 Corinthians 5:9,10, Paul writes, “I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world.” As Christians, we have a crucial commission given to us by Jesus Christ. We are to preach the Gospel to all people who do not know the saving Grace and Power of our Lord Jesus Christ. So, just as Paul says, we must interact with those people. We cannot avoid them. However, Christians, who know the saving Grace and Power of Jesus Christ, are, essentially, to know better. We have been saved by Christ, and washed in His blood. We are told to repent by our Savior and God Himself. He makes it clear that we must pick up our crosses and follow Him. We have no excuse to go against the commands of our God, Who sacrificed all on the cross, when His Word tells us quite explicitly what those commands are. The only ignorance we could possibly have in these situations of sexual sin is self-induced, or willed, ignorance. And that is no justification of the sin at all. Christ didn’t die so that we could go out and have orgies. He died to spread the Gospel, and that Gospel does not include unrepentant sexual immorality.

First, we much remember Christ’s words in Matthew 18:15-17.

15 “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ 17 And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.

Even though this example is for a brother sinning against another brother, this is to be used with any unrepented sin. It may be that, in fact, the brother may not realize his hypocrisy or sin. King David did not recognize his sin with Bathsheba until he was confronted and convicted by Nathan. However, once confronted, the sin could not be ignored anymore. Your brother may not fully recognize his sexual immorality, and so therefore need the voice of repentance to convict him in his life.

Furthermore, Paul also gives us instructions on what we should do:

1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles—that a man has his father’s wife! 2 And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you. 3 For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed. 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5 deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. 

6 Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7 Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. 8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth

9 I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. 10 Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11 But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person.

12 For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? 13 But those who are outside God judges. Therefore “put away from yourselves the evil person.”

• 1 Corinthians 5

Here we must note how harshly sexual immorality is judged within the Church. Paul writes in the first verse, “It is actually reported.” Meaning, Paul was surprised, for in this letter, he is forced to address an issue that should not have been to begin with. The word of God – the Gospel and the very same word he preached – condemned this sort of sexual immorality. Why should he have to address this issue again, when Christ commanded us to repent of our sins, and among them – which is made incredibly and explicitly clear throughout the Scriptures even prior to the formation of the complete Bible – is sexual immorality? Not even just that, but he said that even the Pagans – yeah, the people who had the temple prostitution, homosexuality, etc. – condemned and would not dare participate in such as vile acts as this Christian brother was. He should not have had to even bring this matter up in foresight or conversation, and yet this disgusting, abominable atrocity was going on in the Church.

Today, the same sort of thing still goes on. How many brethren do we have who claim to love Christ as their Savior, and yet openly practice homosexuality, masturbation, pre-marital sex, and other various immoralities? I’m not talking about that thorn in the flesh that some Christians may have in the area of sexual immorality – so as long as that thorn is not embraced – I mean that the brother practices the sin without repentance, or even denies the fact that it is sin. This must be seriously dealt with. First, in the matter of convicting such sin, as Jesus has taught us to do. But, if the brother does not listen, then we are only commanded to turn from our brother, just as we are commanded to also by Christ, and by Paul as well.

3 And I wrote this very thing to you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow over those from whom I ought to have joy, having confidence in you all that my joy is the joy of you all. 4 For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have so abundantly for you.

5 But if anyone has caused grief, he has not grieved me, but all of you to some extent—not to be too severe. 6 This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man, 7 so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. 8 Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. 9 For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things. 10 Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, 11 lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.

• 2 Corinthians 2:3-10

Yet, still, there is one more thing that we are to remember. Paul does not mean for us to completely forsake our brother. After all, we are to love as Christ love, and we are to forgive in such a manner as well. Once a brother’s sins are made known to him publicly, his guilt is brought to light, and he is sufficiently punished, we are to make known that we have not forsaken him in our hearts. The love of Christ is within us, and even if our brother sins, that love still thrives within our hearts for him – not what what he has done, however. Once our brother has repented, we cannot be hesitant to forgive him. So if a brother is to repent, he is to be welcomed back to the congregation and favor thereof with open arms and open hearts. Any further punishment would be too severe and clearly unbiblical.

In conclusion, sexual sin is no joking matter. Both within and outside of the Church, it is to be addressed seriously and soberly. We are to be direct in our approach, and ultimately, just as our Savior Jesus Christ has done, so should we. Whether we are addressing the sin of an unbeliever, or the sin of a brother, we are always to remember that we are walking the narrow path that Christ first plowed for us and we are to receive each person in such a manner, with the same perfect instructions and the truth of the examples we have been given.