The immoral situation was that a man in the Corinthian church was having his father's wife.
The Bible says this was reported commonly and was a kind of fornication not even named among the Gentiles. Les Feldick sets this in Corinth, which he describes as the most morally corrupt city in the Roman Empire, where believers were still living in carnality and the church was not addressing the sin.
1 Corinthians 5:1 — Paul directly identifies the offense, saying a man had his father's wife and that the immorality was so bad it was not named even among the Gentiles.
Paul wrote to the church at Corinth about an issue that was 'reported commonly.' He said there was fornication among them of a kind that was not so much as named among the Gentiles, 'that one should have his father's wife.' The passage shows the sin was public knowledge and that it shocked even pagan standards. Paul also warned the Corinthians not to take the members of Christ and join them to a harlot, reminding them that 'he which is joined to an harlot is one body' because 'two, saith he, shall be one flesh.'
Les Feldick teaches that the Corinthian church was 'beset with all kinds of problems' and specifically with 'gross immorality.' He sets the background by explaining that Corinth was probably the most lascivious, immoral, and morally corrupt city in the Roman Empire, with 1,000 female priestesses from Aphrodite's temple coming down into the city every night. Les says these were believers, but they were still carnal and fleshly minded. He emphasizes that Paul was grieved that a believer would stoop to such a low level, and that the church was just as guilty as the offender because it wasn't doing anything about the situation. Les also explains Paul's warning against taking the members of Christ and making them members of a harlot, and he points to II Corinthians 2 about punishment inflicted by the majority.
Les explains that Corinth sat on an isthmus as a double seaport and was probably the most lascivious, immoral, and morally corrupt city in the Roman Empire. From the temple of Aphrodite above the city, 1,000 female priestesses came down into Corinth every night. These believers came out of an idolatrous background where the marriage relationship had little moral integrity, and they were still carnal and fleshly minded.
The Bible says the case was reported commonly: a man had his father's wife, and the immorality was so bad it was not even named among the Gentiles. Les says Paul was grieved that a believer would stoop to such a low level, and he points to II Corinthians 2:6, where Paul refers to punishment inflicted by the majority.
Les says the church was just as guilty as the man in the gross immorality because they were not doing anything about it. Paul's congregation had not addressed the problem, and Les notes that Paul was grieved to see such a low standard among believers.
Les points to Paul's language about believers taking the members of Christ and making them members of a prostitute. Paul quotes Genesis to show that the person joined to a harlot becomes one flesh with her, which is why the Bible speaks explicitly about this sin.
No. Les says Paul did not put this guy lost again. The man was in dire straits because he was living in gross immorality, but the church was just as guilty for not acting. The punishment mentioned in II Corinthians 2 was inflicted by the majority.
What Does the Bible Say About Church Discipline and Sin?
Hello and welcome to Through the Bible with Les Feldick. An Oklahoma rancher and farmer, Les Feldick has been teaching homestyle Bible classes for 20 years in Iowa, Oklahoma, and Texas. Les Feldick's unique style of Bible teaching has made the books of the Bible come to life. When Les is teaching, it's so interesting that people say time just seems to fly by. And now, here is Les Feldick.
Corinth as a Morally Corrupt City
Les sets the scene by explaining Corinth was probably the most lascivious, immoral, and morally corrupt city in the Roman Empire, which helps explain why sexual immorality was such a problem in the church there.
The Church Was Just as Guilty as the Offender
Les says Paul did not put the guilty man lost again, but the man was in dire straits because of gross immorality; the church was equally guilty for doing nothing, and he points to II Corinthians 2 about punishment inflicted by the majority.
Paul Grieved Over Unchecked Immorality
Les recalls from the first Corinthian letter that gross immorality was a grief to Paul because a believer had stooped so low and the church wasn't addressing it.
Corinthians Were Carnal and Fleshly Minded
Les notes none of Paul's churches were as carnal and fleshly minded as Corinth, which underlies the moral problems Paul addressed.
Believers Joined to a Harlot
Les explains Paul's warning that the man joined to a harlot is one body, going back to Genesis to show why this immorality was so serious.
Temple Prostitutes and the Body of Christ
Les describes the 1,000 priestesses of Aphrodite coming down into Corinth nightly, and Paul's shock that believers would take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute.
Pagan Background on Marriage
Les says the believers came from a pagan background where marriage fidelity meant little, explaining their confusion about marriage and the deep moral problems in the church.
1 Corinthians 5:1: It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.
This is the direct text where Paul names the situation: a man having his father's wife.
1 Corinthians 6:15: Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.
Paul warns believers not to unite Christ's members with a harlot.
1 Corinthians 6:16: What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.
Paul quotes Genesis to show that joining to a harlot makes them one flesh.
Genesis 2:24: Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
The foundational verse Paul cites for the one-flesh principle.
2 Corinthians 2:6: Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.
Les points to this verse when explaining the punishment inflicted by the majority.
No. Les Feldick says the church was beset with all kinds of problems and that the Corinthians were carnal and fleshly minded. The letter addressed many issues, but gross immorality was one of the chief problems, and Paul devoted a whole chapter to it.
Les Feldick says Paul did not put this guy lost again. The man was in dire straits because he was living in gross immorality, but the church was just as guilty because they weren't doing anything about it.
Les Feldick says the city had 1,000 temple prostitutes from Aphrodite's temple coming down into the city every night, and believers were joining the members of Christ to prostitutes. Paul used explicit language because this was their whole lifestyle.
Watch the Teaching: What Does the Bible Say About Church Discipline and Sin?