Did Paul say the Corinthian church had to deal with the sin in their midst?
Yes. Paul concluded that the Corinthian church could not ignore the gross immorality in its midst. Even though absent in body, he judged the matter already and insisted they had to deal with it. The church was to confront the offending couple as a body of believers gathered in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Les teaches that Paul was not willing to let the sin in Corinth slide. Paul says, even though he is absent in body, he is present in spirit, and he has already judged the one who committed this deed. Paul declares there is no room for argument: the church has to deal with it. Les explains that the remedy is not to turn a blind eye and say, “Let them live,” but to take the couple, confront them as a body of believers, and act in the name of the Lord Jesus when gathered together. This is a corporate matter for the church, not a private matter to be ignored. Les also applies this to modern society, noting that the moral climate is falling away and that similar sins can occur in local churches while no one thinks anything of it. He stresses that gross immorality or gross covetousness must be addressed by the church, not ignored.
For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,
More Questions
How could Paul judge the man in Corinth if he was not there?
Paul taught that although he was absent in body, he was present in spirit, and on that basis he had already judged and reached a conclusion about the man who committed this deed.