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. 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. 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, 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, 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. 6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? (1 Corinthians 5:1-6 KJV)
Sexual Immorality Defiles the Church
Here, the apostle Paul brings attention to a serious moral failing within the Corinthian church. He reports that it was widely known—even among nonbelievers—that someone in their community was guilty of sexual immorality (1 Corinthians 5:1). The offense was particularly shocking: a man had taken his father’s wife, an act so disgraceful that even the Gentiles found it detestable. Whether this was his stepmother or biological mother, whether she was still married to his father or not, the act was considered incestuous and deeply offensive. Even pagan cultures, which were often morally lax, viewed such behavior with horror and disgust. That this happened in a Christian church—especially one founded by the apostle Paul—only made the scandal more appalling. This reminds us that even churches planted by apostles are not immune to serious corruption.
Paul is deeply concerned, not only with the sin itself but with the church’s reaction. Instead of mourning over this shameful act, the Corinthians were proud (1 Corinthians 5:2). It’s possible they admired this man for his gifts or status—he may have been eloquent, educated, or influential—and so they ignored or downplayed his immoral behavior. Pride often blinds us to sin, both in ourselves and in those we admire. Genuine humility is necessary to recognize and respond to wrongdoing. Some among them might even have been using the scandal to boast about their own righteousness or to criticize opposing factions within the church. Division in the church had led some to rejoice in another’s sin instead of mourning it. Paul insists they should have grieved this offense and removed the guilty man from their fellowship. Scandalous behavior must not be tolerated in the body of Christ.
Paul then gives them specific instructions. Though physically absent, he had already judged the case through the Spirit’s guidance and urged them to act accordingly (1 Corinthians 5:3-5). The man should be excommunicated—removed from the church—and delivered over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord. This action was to be done in the name of Jesus, with the authority of Christ, and in the presence of the gathered church. Some believe this referred to ordinary excommunication, where the sinner is cut off from church fellowship. Others interpret it as a supernatural act of apostolic authority, where Paul handed the man over to Satan to experience physical affliction that would bring him to repentance. Either way, the goal was redemptive, not punitive. Church discipline aims at restoration and salvation, not simply punishment.
Paul stresses that this is not only about the individual’s welfare but about protecting the church as a whole. He warns them that “a little leaven leavens the whole lump” (1 Corinthians 5:6). One person’s sin, if unchecked, can corrupt the entire community. The sinful influence spreads quickly, especially when the sinner is someone of influence or status. The church must act to preserve its purity and testimony. What happened in Corinth could easily spread if not dealt with firmly and publicly. Paul alludes to this again in 2 Corinthians 12:21, where he fears he might find many still living in sin.
In short, Paul calls the Corinthian believers to take sin seriously, not only for the sake of the offender’s soul but for the sake of the whole church. Church discipline, when exercised rightly and in love, serves both to restore the sinner and to protect the integrity of the Christian community.