Remove the Cancer of Sin.

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: 1 Corinthians 5

 

1 Corinthians 5:1-2

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.

(ESV)

 

Cancer is a deadly disease that if left untreated, spreads and becomes deadly. Two members of my family are cancer survivors and after having the cancer removed and chemo for one member, continue to be cancer free. Sin is spiritual cancer and part of everyone’s DNA from our ancestor Adam (Romans 3:23; 5:19). The good news for humanity is there is a treatment for this flaw in our DNA, the sacrifice of the Lamb of God for the sins of humanity (Romans 5:19). More at the end of this post on how you can experience this change in your spiritual DNA.

 

The Apostle Paul has become aware of a detestable sin of sexual immorality of a brother in the Church with a man having his father’s wife, a sin even detestable to the pagans (1 Corinthians 5:1). What really alarms Paul is the arrogance of the Church towards this detestable sin with the Church not mourning it and failing to remove the sinner from the congregation (1 Corinthians 5:2). Paul is not present with the Corinthians but is with them in spirit and has already pronounced judgment on the one sinning (1 Corinthians 5:3). Paul then instructs the Church to deliver the sinner to Satan for the destruction of the flesh so his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord (1 Corinthians 5:4-5).

 

The boasting of the Corinthians is not good for it has led to them ignoring the leaven of sin that has entered the Church that threatens to infect the entire lump of the Church (1 Corinthians 5:6). Paul instructs the Church to cleanse out the old leaven of sin so they can function as a body of believers freed from sin through the sacrifice of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 5:7). Paul encourages the Church to celebrate their salvation through the removal of the leaven of sin and function in sincerity and truth (1 Corinthians 5:8).

 

While Paul had previously written to the Corinthians, telling them not to associate with the sexually immoral, greedy swindlers, or idolaters, they do need to associate with such people outside the Church since not associating would require them leaving the world (1 Corinthians 5:9-10). Instead, Paul is telling the Corinthians not to associate with such sinners who bear the name of brother or sister in the Church (1 Corinthians 5:11). It is God who judges those outside the Church with believers to judge those inside the Church (1 Corinthians 5:12-13).

 

The Church is the body of Christ and like a doctor discovering cancer in someone’s body, Paul has discovered the cancer of sin within the congregation of the Church in Corinth. Like a doctor discovering cancer in someone, the doctor knows the survival of the patient requires the removal of the cancer either through surgery, chemo, or a combination of both. Paul calls for the extreme measure of delivering the sinful man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, or cancer of sin, to save his spirit for the day of the Lord. The Church in Corinth exists in a world of sin and cannot avoid association with sin but must guard against sin infiltrating the Church by removing it once discovered.

 

Like the Church in Corinth, the Church today exists in a world of evil and sin. Modern culture asks the Church to condone the cancer of abortion, Gay marriage, transgenderism, and racist philosophies like critical race theory (CRT). While the Church cannot simply remove itself from the culture in which it exists because of its mission to spread the Gospel and make disciples (Acts 1:8; Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20), it must guard against the cancer of sin infecting the Church. The Church accomplishes this by not tolerating these sins while proclaiming the Gospel to those practicing these sins. Those practicing these sins are invited into the Church to hear the message of the Gospel but must understand the Church will not condone their sin.

 

If you are reading this post and have not prayed to accept Jesus as your personal savior, freeing you from the cancer of sin, I invite you to do so now by praying with me and experiencing the change in your spiritual DNA available to all by the grace of God (Ephesians 2:8-9).

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

May God challenge and bless everyone reading this post.