Church Discipline: Love, Holiness, and 1 Corinthians 5 Unraveled

In this sixth installment of the UnFiltered Church sermon series from First Christian Church in Brazil, IN, we delve into 1 Corinthians 5, where Paul addresses the critical topic of church discipline. This episode unpacks the Corinthian church’s struggle with pride and tolerance of sin, specifically a shocking case of sexual immorality (1 Corinthians 5:1). The sermon highlights how church discipline, rooted in love, aims to restore believers to holiness, not to condemn them. Drawing from Hebrews 12:6-11 and Matthew 18:15-17, the message emphasizes God’s desire for His people to live as a holy, set-apart community, reflecting Christ’s transformative grace.

Key Topics Discussed:

The Corinthian Crisis: Paul confronts the church’s prideful tolerance of sin, particularly a man’s relationship with his stepmother, which even pagans found shocking (1 Corinthians 5:1-2).

What is Church Discipline?: Discipline is a loving process to correct sin, restore believers, and protect the church’s integrity, as seen in Hebrews 12:6-11.

Judging Rightly: Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 7:1 and Matthew 18:15-17 clarifies that discipline involves confronting sin within the church, not hypocritical judgment or judging outsiders (1 Corinthians 5:9-13).

The Leaven of Sin: Paul warns that unaddressed sin spreads like leaven, urging the church to live in sincerity and truth (1 Corinthians 5:6-8).

Restoration and Holiness: Discipline is about shaping lives in God’s grace, encouraging believers to live out their identity in Christ, who is our Passover Lamb.

Timestamps:

Introduction: Setting the stage for 1 Corinthians 5 in the UnFiltered Church series.

The Corinthian Crisis: Exploring the shocking sin and the church’s prideful response.

Defining Church Discipline: Its purpose, rooted in love, with insights from Hebrews 12:6-11.

Jesus’ Process for Discipline: Unpacking Matthew 18:15-17’s three-step approach.

The Leaven of Sin: How unaddressed sin impacts the church (1 Corinthians 5:6-8).

Judging Inside, Not Outside: Paul’s call to accountability within the church (1 Corinthians 5:9-13).

Final Challenge: Embracing discipline as a path to love, restoration, and holiness.

Additional Notes:

The sermon draws on quotes from Charles Spurgeon, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and John MacArthur to underscore the importance of discipline for holiness and the church’s witness.

Listeners are challenged to reflect on personal sin, community accountability, and living as God’s chosen people.

For further study, explore related sermons on 1 Corinthians at The Gospel Coalition or SermonAudio.

Connect with Us:

Website: fccbrazil.org

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Podcast: Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify for more sermons in the UnFiltered Church series.