1 Corinthians 5:1-2 ESV
“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. And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.”
Let’s update this to the church in America in 2020. What is
the situation today in the church regarding sexual immorality within the
gatherings of the church? I could quote you some statistics on that subject,
but you can look them up for yourselves.
The statistics reveal a high number (as high as 70%) of
Christian men who regularly view porn, and 35% to 40% of pastors who struggle
in this area, as well. And, “struggle” usually means to regularly give in to the
sin. And, the number of women and children viewing porn is on the rise, as
well.
Obviously, I can’t verify those numbers. But I can look at
the moral and spiritual condition of the American church, at large, and it is a
good indication that these statistics are pretty accurate.
For, the church, at large, has gone the way of the world, no
doubt. And, the gospel of Jesus Christ has been perverted to allow for “believers”
to continue in their sinful lifestyles with no requirements for repentance,
obedience, or submission to Christ. Thus, the church, overall, is on a massive
moral and spiritual decline.
The church in America, at large, is not acting as though
they are the light of the world and the salt of the earth, and as though they
are commissioned of God to take his true gospel message to the ends of the
earth. And, pastors, for the most part, are no longer leading their flocks to
holiness and righteousness, but they are, instead, coddling them in their sins.
The church, overall, is not mourning over the fact that so
many men in the church, who are supposed to be leading us spiritually, have
fallen “off the wagon” and are sucking their thumbs instead of leading their
families and the church to holiness, purity, faithfulness and righteousness.
They are not mourning the fact that so many church goers are
addicted to porn, are committing adultery on a regular basis, and that
marriages and families are being destroyed, and that children are being
sacrificed on the altars of their parents’ false gods.
Instead, what you hear about these churches is how fantastic
their bands are or how entertaining their worship services are, or how “cool”
their pastor is, and how much “fun” he is, or what great programs they have (or
had) for the children to entertain them, or how non-threatening they are so
that the world now feels at home in the gatherings of the church. This should
not be!
Why is the church not mourning over this? Why are they not
grieving over the sinful condition of the church, and its moral and spiritual
decline, and over ruined lives and broken marriages and abused spouses and
children?
And, why are these immoral sins allowed to run rampant in
the church? Why are they not being dealt with spiritually? Why are so many
pastors afraid to confront people in their sins and to call them to repentance
and to hold them accountable for their sinful practices and for the damage they
are doing to other people’s lives? Why is the message, instead, “Stay in your
own lane”?
1 Corinthians 5:6-8 ESV
“Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”
If even one person, especially one leader, within the church
is allowed to continue in addictive sinful behaviors, which are harming others,
and the people are aware of this, then that gives permission to the other
church members to do the same, for bad company corrupts good character.
But, the church of today goes way beyond that. Now they are literally
telling their people that God does not require repentance or obedience or
submission to the Lordship of Christ as part of God-given faith necessary for
salvation and for eternal life with God (Rom. 6:1-23; Rom. 8:1-17).
And, not only are they telling them they don’t have to stop
their sinful lifestyles, and that they don’t have to obey the Lord, but they
are attacking the true gospel of salvation and they are convincing their people
that obedience to Christ and to his commandments, and forsaking our sinful
lifestyles, is “works-based salvation” and that works will not save them.
This old leaven needs to be purged out of the church and it
needs to be replaced with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
1 Corinthians 5:9-13 ESV
“I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. ‘Purge the evil person from among you.’”
And, this is “where the rubber meets the road,” i.e. the
point at which a theory or idea is put to a practical test. Are we willing to
have people not like us or “defriend” or “unfollow” us for speaking the truth
in love on this subject of sexual immorality in the church?
And, are we willing to not hang out with people in the
church we know are addicted to porn, or who are committing adultery against
their spouses, or who are living in open rebellion against the Lord in various
other ways? And, are we willing to confront them with their sinful practices
and hold them accountable to change and to be conformed to the image of Christ?
[female to female, and male to male]
We, as the body of Christ, need to not look the other way on
these issues. We, the body of Christ, need to confront these issues, and call
people to repentance and to obedience to Christ. And, we must not coddle people
in their sins, but we must be willing to be hated in order to see others be
free.
Broken
Cord
An
Original Work / August 29, 2018
Your bond is broken
With your Lord and Savior
And, your testimony is
Separate from Him.
Your words not matching
Your actions today.
Repent of your sin and
Bow down and pray.
Live what you testify
In truth always.
Purity’s lacking in
Your life and witness,
For you profess one thing,
But other you do.
Not moral, spiritual.
Still of the flesh.
Not living in truth to
What you confess.
Lying about it
Puts you in a mess.
Living a lie is your practice,
‘tis true of you.
Masquerade righteousness –
None of it true.
Your heart is not given
To your Lord God.
Because of how you live,
You are a fraud.
Turn from your sin and
Give your life to God.
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