1 Corinthians 5:9-13
9 “I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people;10 I did not at all mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the greedy and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to leave the world. 11 But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is a sexually immoral person, or a greedy person, or an idolater, or is verbally abusive, or habitually drunk, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a person. 12 For what business of mine is it to judge outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? 13 But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the evil person from among yourselves.”
Verse 9: Paul refers to a previous letter he had written to the Corinthians, in which he instructed them not to associate with sexually immoral individuals. This instruction reflects the importance of maintaining a holy and separate lifestyle as believers.
Verse 10: Paul clarifies that his instruction does not apply to unbelievers who engage in immoral behavior. He acknowledges that it would be impossible to completely avoid contact with such individuals, as they are part of the world. Instead, Paul is specifically addressing the behavior of those within the church community.
Verse 11: Paul emphasizes the importance of maintaining a standard of holiness within the church. He instructs the Corinthians not to associate with fellow believers who persist in a lifestyle of sexual immorality, greed, idolatry, slander, drunkenness, or swindling. This is not meant to be a harsh judgment, but rather a means of protecting the integrity and witness of the church.
Verse 12: Paul clarifies that it is not the role of believers to judge those outside the church. However, within the church community, there is a responsibility to hold one another accountable and address issues of sin and immorality. This is done with the intention of promoting repentance, restoration, and the overall health of the body of Christ.
Verse 13: Paul concludes by reminding the Corinthians that it is ultimately God’s role to judge those outside the church. However, within the church, there is a need to address and deal with unrepentant sin. He quotes from the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 17:7) to emphasize the seriousness of the matter, urging the Corinthians to remove the wicked person from their midst.
