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Read it. Pray it. Share it. Live it.
Paul confronts a shocking situation in the church at Corinth: a man is in an ongoing sexual relationship with his father’s wife—his stepmother—and the church is tolerating it (v. 1; cf. Lev. 18:8). Instead of mourning over this sin, they are arrogant, acting as if it does not matter (v. 2). Paul says that when the church gathers, they must “deliver this man to Satan,” removing him from their fellowship so that his sinful “flesh” might be destroyed and his spirit may yet be saved on the day of the Lord (vv. 4–5). The goal is not revenge but loving discipline that aims at repentance and restoration (cf. 2 Thess. 3:14–15).
To explain why this matters, Paul uses the picture of leaven (fermented dough): “Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?” (v. 6). Just as a small amount of leaven spreads through the whole batch, tolerated sin can spread its influence through the entire church (vv. 6–7). Because Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed, the church is called to live as God’s “unleavened” people—set apart from sin—putting away “the old leaven” of malice and evil and walking in sincerity and truth (vv. 7–8; cf. Ex. 12:14–20; John 1:29).
Paul also clears up a misunderstanding from a previous letter. He did not mean believers must avoid all contact with unbelievers who are immoral—that would mean leaving the world entirely (vv. 9–10). Instead, they must not continue close fellowship with someone who claims to be a brother or sister in Christ but stubbornly lives in unrepentant sin, such as sexual immorality, greed, idolatry, reviling, drunkenness, or swindling (v. 11). Christians are not called to judge outsiders—that is God’s role—but they are responsible to address serious, ongoing sin inside the church: “Purge the evil person from among you” (vv. 12–13; cf. Deut. 17:7).
🌀 Reflection:
This chapter invites you to take sin seriously—not only in “other people,” but in your own heart and in your church family. Because Jesus, your Passover Lamb, has already died to free you from the old life, ask the Lord to show you any “leaven” you’ve been excusing or ignoring, and to help you walk in sincerity and truth for His sake (vv. 7–8).
💬 Mission Challenge:
Love someone enough to care about their holiness. If you know a fellow believer who is drifting into clear, unrepentant sin, gently reach out this week—pray for them, speak with humility, and point them back to Christ and His grace, aiming not to shame them but to win them back to the Lord.
Click here to return to the contents page for Phase 2.2 — The Savior, His Church, and the Mission.
Just Keith Harris 
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