Purity and Discipline in the Church

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The Corinthian church struggled with various moral and doctrinal issues, and Paul’s letters address these challenges directly. Before this chapter, Paul has been correcting divisions and misunderstandings about Christian living and worship. Now, he tackles a particularly grievous sin that was openly tolerated, which threatened the church’s purity and testimony. Understanding the cultural shock of such immorality and the covenant call to holiness helps us grasp why Paul insists on decisive action. This chapter marks a crucial moment where church discipline is shown as essential for spiritual health and communal holiness.

What You'll Learn

• Why Paul condemns a specific, scandalous sin that even Gentiles would reject, emphasizing the church’s call to higher holiness.
• How unchecked sin can spread through a community like leaven, affecting the whole body of believers.
• The purpose of church discipline is not punishment alone but the restoration and ultimate salvation of the sinner’s spirit.
• The significance of Christ as our Passover lamb, calling believers to live in sincerity and truth, free from malice.
• The distinction between judging those inside the church and leaving judgment of outsiders to God.
• Practical instructions on separating from unrepentant sinners to protect the church’s purity and witness.

Church discipline preserves holiness and protects the community from the destructive power of sin.

Bible Translation Note: All Scripture on this page is quoted from the King James Version (KJV) and presented in full without alteration.

1 Corinthians 5:1 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife.

1 Corinthians 5:2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.

1 Corinthians 5:3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,

1 Corinthians 5:4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,

1 Corinthians 5:5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

1 Corinthians 5:6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

1 Corinthians 5:7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

1 Corinthians 5:8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

1 Corinthians 5:9 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:

1 Corinthians 5:10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.

1 Corinthians 5:11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.

1 Corinthians 5:12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?

1 Corinthians 5:13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

1 Corinthians 5:1

It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife.

Study: Paul exposes a grievous sin in the Corinthian church—one so scandalous it was not even named among Gentiles: a man living with his father’s wife. This highlights the church’s failure to uphold covenant purity and the seriousness of tolerating blatant immorality. By naming this sin, Paul underscores the need for holiness that sets believers apart from surrounding cultures.

1 Corinthians 5:2

And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.

Study: Instead of mourning over this sin, the Corinthians were proud, showing spiritual blindness and arrogance. Paul points out that their pride prevented them from taking necessary action to remove the offender, revealing how sin can harden hearts and disrupt community repentance.

1 Corinthians 5:3

For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,

Study: Though Paul was absent physically, he exercised apostolic authority by judging the offender in spirit. This shows the seriousness of the offense and Paul’s role in guiding the church’s discipline, emphasizing that spiritual leadership transcends physical presence when protecting the church’s holiness.

1 Corinthians 5:4

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Study: Paul instructs the church to act in the name and power of Jesus Christ, uniting their authority with his apostolic judgment. This invocation of Christ’s name affirms that church discipline is not human judgment but a spiritual act grounded in Christ’s lordship.

1 Corinthians 5:5

To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

Study: Delivering the offender to Satan for the destruction of the flesh means removing him from the protective fellowship of the church to face the consequences of sin. The goal is spiritual salvation, showing that discipline is redemptive, aiming to restore the sinner by humbling the flesh.

1 Corinthians 5:6

Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

Study: Paul warns that boasting over tolerating sin is harmful because even a small amount of sin (leaven) corrupts the entire community (lump). This agricultural metaphor illustrates how sin’s influence spreads, threatening the church’s unity and holiness.

1 Corinthians 5:7

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

Study: Believers are called to purge the old leaven—symbolizing sin and corruption—to become a new, pure lump. Paul connects this to Christ as our Passover sacrifice, reminding the church that holiness flows from Christ’s atonement and calls for a transformed life.

1 Corinthians 5:8

Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Study: Paul contrasts the old leaven of malice and wickedness with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth, urging the Corinthians to celebrate their spiritual feast with purity. This reflects the covenant call to live authentically and morally in light of Christ’s sacrifice.

1 Corinthians 5:9

I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:

Study: Paul clarifies a previous instruction not to associate with fornicators, emphasizing the need for separation from sin within the church community. This sets the stage for distinguishing between tolerating sin in the church and interacting with the world.

1 Corinthians 5:10

Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.

Study: He explains that the command does not apply to all sinners in the world, as avoiding all sinners would isolate believers completely. This distinction helps maintain a witness to the world while preserving church purity.

1 Corinthians 5:11

But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.

Study: Paul specifies that believers must not associate with anyone claiming to be a brother who lives in ongoing sin such as fornication, greed, idolatry, slander, drunkenness, or extortion. This underscores the seriousness of unrepentant sin within the covenant community and the need for clear boundaries.

1 Corinthians 5:12

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

Study: Paul challenges the Corinthians to judge those inside the church rather than judging outsiders, emphasizing the responsibility of the community to maintain holiness and accountability among its members.

1 Corinthians 5:13

But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

Study: God judges those outside the church, so believers must remove the wicked person from their fellowship. This final command highlights the covenant community’s role in discipline and the assurance that ultimate judgment belongs to God.

In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul addresses a serious case of immorality within the Corinthian church, urging them to confront and remove a man living in blatant sin. He teaches that tolerating sin corrupts the entire church community, using the metaphor of leaven to illustrate its spreading influence. Paul emphasizes that church discipline is necessary not only to protect the community but also to bring about repentance and salvation for the sinner. The chapter balances judgment with grace, calling believers to holiness grounded in Christ’s sacrifice.

Lord Jesus, help us to honor Your holiness by confronting sin with love and courage. Give us wisdom to protect the church from corruption and grace to restore those who repent. May Your Spirit guide us to live in sincerity and truth, reflecting Your sacrifice daily. Amen.

• Pray for humility and courage to address sin lovingly within your church community.
• Memorize 1 Corinthians 5:6 to remind yourself of sin’s corrupting power.
• Reflect on areas in your life where you need to purge 'old leaven' and seek God’s cleansing.
• Discuss with a trusted believer how to support church discipline that restores and protects.
• Read about Christ as the Passover Lamb in Exodus 12 to deepen your understanding of holiness.
• Journal about how Christ’s sacrifice calls you to live in sincerity and truth this week.
• Worship God for His mercy in forgiving and restoring sinners through His grace.

1 Corinthians 5 calls the church to confront and remove blatant sin to preserve holiness and protect the community. Paul teaches that tolerating sin corrupts the whole body, but discipline aims to restore the sinner’s spirit. Grounded in Christ’s sacrifice, believers are urged to live sincerely and judge rightly within the church, trusting God to judge outsiders. This chapter highlights the balance of grace and truth necessary for a healthy, holy church.

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