Deal with it

Hello everyone,

How are you doing on this day? I hope well and bubbling in the Lord. We thank God for His mercies and His goodness.

Primary Text

“It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, impurity of a sort that is condemned and does not occur even among the heathen; for a man has [his own] father’s wife. And you are proud and arrogant! And you ought rather to mourn (bow in sorrow and in shame) until the person who has done this [shameful] thing is removed from your fellowship and your midst!” 1 Corinthians 5v1-2 (AMP)

“I also received a report of scandalous sex within your church family, a kind that wouldn’t be tolerated even outside the church: One of your men is sleeping with his stepmother. And you’re so above it all that it doesn’t even faze you! Shouldn’t this break your hearts? Shouldn’t it bring you to your knees in tears? Shouldn’t this person and his conduct be confronted and dealt with?” 1 Corinthians 5v1-2 (MSG)

Here, Paul continues his letter to the Corinthians, making mention of the sin he had heard was going on in their midst – something that even the unbelievers would not tolerate. He is basically telling the church that they need to deal with it. On the one hand, it should cause them sorrow that such a thing is happening in their midst, and on the other hand, they should deal with it. He later goes on to say “[About the condition of your church] your boasting is not good [indeed, it is most unseemly and entirely out of place]. Do you not know that [just] a little leaven will ferment the whole lump [of dough]?” (1 Corinthians 4v6, AMP). In our individual lives as well, we need to be careful not to allow the seemingly “little” things to fester and grow – a thought here, a thought there, a bad feeling here, anger there – do not give the devil a foothold (Ephesians 4:27). A little leaven will leaven the whole loaf. It can spread like a cancer. For example, James 1v13-15 (NIV) says “When tempted no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.”

Supplementary Text

“[My heart was touched and I fervently sang to him my desire] Take for us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vineyards [of our love], for our vineyards are in blossom.” Song of Solomon 2v15 (AMP).

Prayer

Father, we thank You for Your Word. We pray Lord that the little foxes that spoil the vine in our lives, the leaven that would leaven the whole lump, please God remove from our lives by the power of Your Spirit, in Jesus name, amen.