February 24, 2021

“I wrote to you in a letter not to associate with sexually immoral people. I did not mean the immoral people of this world or the greedy and swindlers or idolaters; otherwise you would have to leave the world.” – 1 Corinthians 5:9-10

Why are we surprised when the people of this world act like worldly people? Why are we disappointed when people who do not know Christ act in a way that is anything but Christ-like? We live in a sinful world and because of that, we are surrounded by sinful people. The only way for us to avoid sinful people would be for us to leave this world.

The church in Corinth had it completely backwards. They were putting up with blatant immorality among brothers and sister, turning a blind eye to all sorts of evil. However, when Paul wrote to them commanding that they not even associate with those immoral people, they began to shut out the rest of the world while allowing the sinfulness in their own fellowship to continue. As Paul urges the Corinthians to hold one another accountable and do away with blatant sinfulness, he reminds them that this teaching was never meant to be applied to their relationships in the secular world around them.

As the church, we must associate with immoral people. We must live near, work with, and even befriend those who are living in sin. We must be in the world but not of the world because lost people do not need to see a reflection of themselves, they need to see Jesus.

Father, give us the power and wisdom to live in this world without becoming worldly. Let us live closely to the lost around us so that they could experience the love and Salvation of Jesus Christ.

In Christ’ Service,

Pastor Shane Cannon