I.                   Introduction

(http://www.the-highway.com/discipline_Mohler.html) The following was written in a blog by Albert Mohler, Jr.  Al is the President of the Southern Baptist convention and is a leading church historian and advocate of biblical truths in our country.

Evangelicals have long recognized discipline as the “third mark” of the authentic church. The identification of proper discipline as the third mark of the true church goes back at least to the Belgic Confession [1561]: “The marks by which the true Church is known are these: If the pure doctrine of the gospel is preached therein; if she maintains the pure administration of the sacraments as instituted by Christ; if church discipline is exercised in punishing of sin; in short, if all things are managed according to the pure Word of God, all things contrary thereto rejected, and Jesus Christ acknowledged as the only Head of the Church. Hereby the true Church may certainly be known, from which no man has a right to separate himself.” “The Belgic Confession.” Authentic biblical discipline is not an elective, but a necessary and integral mark of authentic Christianity.

A church without discipline would hardly have counted as a church.” Churches held regular “Days of Discipline” when the congregation would gather to heal breaches of fellowship, admonish wayward members, rebuke the obstinate, and, if necessary, excommunicate those who resisted discipline. In so doing, congregations understood themselves to be following a biblical pattern laid down by Christ and the apostles for the protection and correction of disciples.

No sphere of life was considered outside the congregation’s accountability. Members were to conduct their lives and witness in harmony with the Bible and with established moral principles. Depending on the denominational polity, discipline was codified in church covenants, books of discipline, congregational manuals, and confessions of faith. Discipline covered both doctrine and conduct. Members were disciplined for behavior that violated biblical principles or congregational covenants, but also for violations of doctrine and belief. Members were considered to be under the authority of the congregation and accountable to each other.

By the turn of the century, however, church discipline was already on the decline. In the wake of the Enlightenment, criticism of the Bible and of the doctrines of evangelical orthodoxy was widespread. Even the most conservative denominations began to show evidence of decreased attention to theological orthodoxy. At the same time, the larger culture moved toward the adoption of autonomous moral individualism. The result of these internal and external developments was the abandonment of church discipline as ever larger portions of the church member’s life were considered off-limits to the congregation.

A quick reminder of the context of this passage is appropriate as we dive in to this passage this morning.  Paul spent four chapters addressing the issue of divisions in the church, specifically divisions over teachers.  The Corinthians were puffed up over one teacher versus the other.  Paul reminded them that the one who destroys God’s temple will be destroyed by God.  In the passage at hand, Paul shifted gears and started addressing a different topic. Let’s take a look at our passage for today.  I’ll go ahead and start in verse 1 of Chapter 5, even though we discussed verses 1 and 2 last week.

1 Corinthians 5:1-8  It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father's wife.  (2)  And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.  (3)  For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing.  (4)  When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus,  (5)  you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.  (6)  Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?  (7)  Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.  (8)  Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

II.                Discipline is needed for the good of the brother (5:3-5)

As we get ready to look at this issue of church discipline, let us remember the specific issue that Paul was addressing was the issue of incest.  There was a man who was sleeping with his step-mother.  Paul said the only option is to remove this person from the church.  This week, we’re going to see the reason for that instruction. 

The first reason that Paul gives for removing the sinful brother is that it is good for him. 

1 Corinthians 5:3-5  For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing.  (4)  When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus,  (5)  you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.

There are a couple of things that need to be noticed here.  First, Paul’s statement that he was present in spirit and has already pronounced judgment on the one who did this thing is a statement of confirmation that this is what should be done.  Just in case there was any doubt in the Corinthians mind, Paul made it crystal clear what their action should be.  He basically said, “If I were there this is what I would do.” 

The second thing that is interesting to note is that Paul does not mention anything about the woman who is involved in this affair.  There are a couple of theories on the reason for that but most likely is that the woman was not a Christian.  This is supported by the statements Paul made later when he said, “For what have I to do with judging outsiders?”  That could be a passing reference to the woman involved in the affair. 

The third thing that we need to look at is the issue of judgment.  Paul said that he has pronounced judgment on the person who did this.  Some of you may, like I did when I first ready this, say, “wait a minute.  Didn’t Jesus say not to judge others?”  The answer is yes, Jesus did say that. 

Matthew 7:1-5  "Judge not, that you be not judged.  (2)  For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.  (3)  Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?  (4)  Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is the log in your own eye?  (5)  You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

The context of Jesus’ teaching was the Sermon on the Mount.  A sermon that he was delivering to a large group of people; a group that was made up of people who were followers of God, people who were not followers of God, and people who thought they were followers of God, but were actually children of the devil (namely, the Pharisees).

We must remember that the Bible does not contradict itself, ever.  So, Paul’s words that it is those inside the church that we are to judge (5:12b) and Jesus’ words not to judge (Mt. 7:1) are not in contradiction with each other.  Jesus’ warning not to judge was with the idea of looking only to others sin and not at your own, hence the warning to not ignore the log that is in your own eye while looking at the speck that is in your brothers (Mt. 7:3). 

This is the reason, I believe, the woman that was involved in the affair was not a believer.  That is why Paul didn’t address her.  Were she a Christian she certainly would not have been left out of Paul’s judgment.  There is another portion of Scripture that Paul called out a couple of women who were quarrelling with each other (Philippians 4:2) and commanded them to get along in the Lord.

The final thing that we’ll give our attention to is the statement that Paul made in verses 4 and 5.

1 Corinthians 5:4-5  When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus,  (5)  you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.

Verse 4 was designed to give the authority of Paul, and more importantly of the Lord Jesus, to the Corinthians to execute the judgment.  This gives us a little glimpse into what goes on when we gather together as believers.  We have the presence and power of the Lord Jesus among us!  There is tremendous responsibility in that! 

Verse 5 is where it gets interesting.  The proper thing to do, Paul said, is to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh.  Now that doesn’t sound like a good thing!  The question that probably naturally arises in your mind is “What in the world does that mean?” You probably came here today, if you have been reading ahead and hoping that I would explain it to you. Sorry to disappoint you.  I won’t disappoint you completely, hopefully, because I can give you a pretty good idea of what being handed over to Satan means.  Basically, we know that it has to do with the command in verse 2 to remove the person from among you.  The idea is that anywhere outside the realm of the church is the realm of Satan.  By handing this person over to Satan the church is simply saying that if you’re going to act like you belong to Satan then we are going to treat you like you do, as well.  Where I am going to disappoint you is in defining the destruction of the flesh.  The reason that I cannot explain it is because it’s confusing.  The thing that I can do is give you a couple of different schools of thought regarding the destruction of the flesh (as outlined by Leon Morris).

One view sees “the flesh” as the lower part of man’s nature, and takes the passage to mean the destruction of sinful lusts (thus, the NIV translates this phrase that the sinful nature may be destroyed).  However, it is difficult to see how handing a man over to Satan would have such a purifying effect; we would expect the reverse, the stimulation of those lusts.  Yet, it is possible that Paul had in mind the effect that being severed from the body and all the fellowship that goes along with it means.  The contrast between a present experience of the things of Satan and the nostalgic recollection of the things of God might cause a revulsion of feeling and conduct, the fleshly lusts being destroyed.

The other view is that “the flesh” is to be understood as physical, the reference being to sickness and even death.  The difficulty is in seeing how this could be effected by excommunication.  But Paul speaks of physical consequences of spiritual failings in other portions of Scripture.  Paul said that some are weak and have even died because they partook of the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy manner.  Ananias and Sapphira were struck dead because of lying to the Apostle Peter.  It may well be that Paul envisages the solemn expulsion of this offender as resulting in physical consequences.  It is the effect of being withdrawn from the secure realm of the church of God. 

On the whole the second view seems more likely.  The key to understanding this is to remember that Paul said the man was to be handed over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh so that his spirit would be saved on the day of the Lord.  We see biblical examples of physical affliction in the Bible.  Satan was allowed by God to afflict Job’s body but was not allowed to touch his soul.  Paul even talked about his thorn in the flesh being a messenger from Satan.  The difference with both of those examples is that there is no indication that the afflictions were a result of sin (in fact, exactly the opposite in the case of Job).  Ultimately it is for the salvation of the spirit that the flesh must be destroyed. Discipline is good thing.

III.             Discipline is needed for the good of the body (5:6-8)

1 Corinthians 5:6-8  Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?  (7)  Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.  (8)  Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

We talked at length last week about the need for this man to be removed from the church.  I spoke about verses 6 and 7 quite a bit so I won’t spend too much time on them this morning.  I do want to remind you, though, that each person’s sin affects the whole body.  That is why Paul is so adamant about putting this man out of their midst. 

Paul reminded the Corinthians of their true state.  Paul implored them to become a new lump, as they are already unleavened.  This is a tremendous truth that we need to focus on.  The Christian church is not just the old society patched up.  It is radically new.  The evil that characterizes worldly people has been taken away, and we are free from corruption!  Paul did not say, “you ought to be unleavened,” he said, “you ARE unleavened.” 

Throughout Scripture leaven represents sin and evil.  Paul, then, was saying that the Corinthians needed to act like the saints they are instead of the sinners they are acting like.  One of the most profound things I’ve ever heard one of my professors say is, “We need to stop saying that we are ‘sinners saved by grace’ and start saying that we are ‘saints who sin.’ This is what we really are.”  We need to keep that in mind.  We, like the Corinthians, really are unleavened. 

In order for the body to meet together and have it be a celebration the evil must be removed.  Therefore, in verse 8 Paul says what we must celebrate the festival with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.  Sin hinders joy.  If we are to be a celebratory people we must remove the evil from ourselves and from our midst.   

IV.            Conclusion

When Jesus returns He is going to be looking for a pure and spotless bride, one without blemish or wrinkle.  It is because of His sacrifice on the cross that we are able to be that way.