Notice in chapter 5 the distinction in the attitudes enjoined towards sinning Christians and sinning non-Christians. What special actions are demanded here of the local church, and why are such actions necessary? Answer: Those who are immoral, continually sinning especially sexual sin, must be punished. In the example here the sexually immoral person is ostracized from the church in order that he may feel guilt for his behavior and repent.
6:12-20. These verses stress the permanent significance of the Christian’s body. List the points mentioned here. What does it mean to glorify God in your body? What kind of actions are: a) appropriate, and b) undesirable or even unthinkable? Answer: I believe, based on this passage, that to honor God with your body means to flee from sexual immorality. As it says when the two become one in a sexually immoral way, it is defiling God in you.
6:1-11. What reasons does Paul give here for viewing the public washing by Christians of their dirty linen as a denial of the church’s mission in the world? Answer: I am not sure what Paul says to make this a denial of the church’s mission in the world. However, I do see that Paul is saying that because they have these lawsuits show that they are practicing greed, retaliation, and hatred. They should be practicing love, unselfishness, and “even a willingness to suffer loss.”
Notes:
5:2’Proud’ (arrogant or puffed up). Used often by Paul in this letter (4:18-19; 5:2; 8:1; 13:4).
5:5. Paul implies that physical affliction may follow excommunication.
5:6-8. Paul enforces his point by referring to the Passover practice of searching out and destroying all the old leaven before (not after) the Passover Lamb is eaten. See Exod. 12:14-15, 19.
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