1) Pride causes divisions in the church by exalting men and themselves, while humility is the cure modeled by fathers who provide examples and discipline children.
2) Paul addresses a case of sexual immorality in the church and instructs the church to separate from the sinning brother to purify the church and restore the brother through discipline.
3) Paul discusses church discipline and believers judging disputes among themselves with the right attitudes of humility, patience, and forgiveness.
2. III. THE CURE FOR CHURCH DIVISIONS (4:6-21)
A. Pride is the problem (4:6-7)
1) Pride exalts men (6)
2) Pride exalts self (7)
B. Humility is the cure (4:8-21)
1) The Spectacle (8-13)
2) The Father (14-21)
* Fathers “begat” children (14,15)
* Fathers provide an example (16,17)
* Fathers discipline the children (18-21)
3. 1 Corinthians 5:1-13
This chapter deals with the issue of church discipline
- Think of your church and issues you may face among the
membership
- Think of the purposes of Paul’s instruction toward church discipline
- Think of the right attitude toward discipline
4. I. THE SIN (5:1,6)
A. Nature of the Sin (1)
B. Effect of the sin (6)
II. THE ATTITUDE (5:2)
A. The wrong attitude
B. The right attitude
III. THE ACTION (5:2c-13)
A. Separate from the sinning brother (2c-9)
B. Not from the Unsaved (10-13)
IV. THE PURPOSE of discipline
A. To have a pure church (7)
B. The destruction of the flesh (5)
i.e. the old nature
If not repented, the loss of life (1 Jn 5:16, 17)
C. Restoration of the sinning brother (5) (cf. 2 Cor 2:6-8)
5. I. THE PROBLEM (6:1)
II. THE IGNORANCE (6:2,3,9,15,16,19)
A. Believers will judge others in the future (2,3)
1) We will judge the world (1) (cf. Rev. 2:26, 27; 20:4)
2) We will judge the angels (2) (cf 2 Pet. 2:4)
B. Believers should judge amongst themselves now (4)
6. I. THE PROBLEM (6:1)
II. THE IGNORANCE (6:2,3,9,15,16,19)
A. Believers will judge others in the future (2,3)
1) We will judge the world (1) (cf. Rev. 2:26, 27; 20:4)
2) We will judge the angels (2) (cf 2 Pet. 2:4)
B. Believers should judge amongst themselves now (4)
III. THE SOLUTION (6:5-8)
A. Arbitration among the brethren (5)
B. Attitude among the brethren (6-8)
1) Suffer Wrong from the brother (7) (cf. Mt 5:39-40)
2) Do not Retaliate (8) (cf. Rom. 12:17, 19)
7. I. FALSE ARGUMENTS (6:12)
A. “I can do whatever I want”
1) Is it expedient? (12a)
2) Is it enslaving? (12b)
3) Is it edifying? (10:23)
B. “God gave me the equipment”
II. PROPER CONCEPTION (6:14-17)
A. Our bodies are important to God (14)
B. Our bodies are members of Christ (15-17)
1) Physical fornication involves Christ (15, 16)
2) Physical fornication is spiritual adultery (17)
III. SPIRITUAL REMEDY (6:9-11; 18-20)
A. Salvation (9-11)
B. Flee Fornication (18)
1) Joseph did (Gen 39:10)
2) David did not (2 Sam 11)
C. Yield to God’s ownership (19, 20)
8. 2 Perspectives
Christ’s
Paul’s
Do they conflict?
9. I. CHRIST’S TEACHING ON DIVORCE
A. Problem of divorce
1) Divorce was wide spread (Mt 5:27 32)
2) There were liberal and conservative views (Mt 19:3)
B. Grounds for Divorce
1) Christ’s general rule (Mt 19:4-6)
2) Christ’s one exception (Mt 19:9)
God desires reconciliation (Hosea & Gomer)
Sometimes reconciliation is impossible (Jer 3:8)
II. PAUL’S TEACING ON DIVORCE (1 COR 7:1-40)
A. To the singles (1b)
B. To the Christian couples (2-11)
C. To the spiritually “mixed” couples (12-16)
D. Some practical considerations (17-40)
To the Unmarried – be cautious
To the Married – be content
To the Divorced – move forward (1 Jn 1:9) without guilt (biblical or not)
To all – solutions are not external but internal (change of heart – not divorce)
10. I. PRINCIPLES OF CHRISTIAN LIBERTY EXPLAINED (8:1-13)
A. Balanced with LOVE (1-3)
1) Love, not knowledge alone builds others up (1)
2) One-sided Knowledge is incomplete (2)
3) Love unites one to God (3)
B. Balanced with UNDERSTANDING (4-7)
1) An idol is NOTHING (4)
2) There is ONLY ONE GOD (4b-6)
3) Not everyone has this knowledge (7)
C. Balanced with WISDOM (8-13)
1) Realize differences in maturity (8)
2) Realize others need our example (9-11)
3) Surrender rights to avoid offense (12-13)
