Restorative Discipline: Why Confronting Sin Matters
Is it ever loving to confront? Paul thought so. This sermon challenges the modern discomfort with correction and reminds the church that kindness is not the absence of truth, but the courage to restore with love.
-
1 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. 2 And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.
3 For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing. 4 When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.[a]
6 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7 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. 8 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.
9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 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. 11 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. 12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church[b] whom you are to judge? 13 God judges[c] those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”
When Love Demands Confrontation: Church Discipline and Restoration
“It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans: A man is sleeping with his father’s wife. And you are proud! Ought you not rather to mourn?” 1 Corinthians 5:1-2
Isn’t it true that a loving father, if he’s loving, disciplines his own children from time to time? As we see in the Word of God, the nature of God is reflected through this passage, a loving Father who disciplines His children.
In the early chapters of 1 Corinthians, we encounter a local church that was failing to discipline individuals who were committed to a sinful lifestyle, despite professing the name of Jesus Christ.
So, why explore this challenging text?
As our church journeys through a series on 1 Corinthians, we’re following where the text takes us. But there’s a second reason: if you live long enough as a Christian, at some point in your journey, you will encounter the knowledge and understanding required in 1 Corinthians 5 and associated passages.
(READ MORE: How to Read Difficult Scripture)
When we began this series, we highlighted the problems occurring in the Corinthian church: divisions, cliques, believers suing one another, the misuse of spiritual gifts, and sexual immorality. Paul begins with this shift in topics as he engages chapter 5.
The Problem: Arrogance That Enables Sin
Paul reported that there was a man in the congregation engaged in an adulterous relationship with his stepmother, which was a type of sexual immorality that even the pagans refused to tolerate. But that wasn’t the only problem. The greater problem was that the church at Corinth was enabling it. The church was turning its head, and nobody wanted to rock the boat to deal with this, so the man could be restored properly. (READ MORE: Acting in Love)
Paul characterized the issue this way: “And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you” (1 Corinthians 5:2-3).
Biblical arrogance is rooted in pride. When a person operates outside God’s will in a way that they resist it, saying, “I will do it my way rather than God’s way.” The church at Corinth was choosing to handle things their way rather than God’s way.
Apparently, this man’s sin was very public. Everybody in the church knew what was going on. In the midst of public sin, the church merely chose to stand there and turn its head. Paul’s corrective rebuke wasn’t only directed toward the man involved in the adulterous relationship. It was even greater for the local church because they were ignoring this situation.
They should have been grieving over this sin and its impact on the individual, his family, the potential effect on his soul, the repercussions on the local church, and the reproach it brought upon the name of Jesus Christ.
The Power of God to Restore
Paul began leading the church to move in a proper, God-honoring direction by lifting up the power of God and His ability to restore:
“For though absent in body, I am present in spirit, and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on him who did such a thing. When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus, and my spirit is present with the power of our Lord Jesus, you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 5:3-5
When Paul said “my spirit is present,” he meant something very practical. He was essentially saying: “I’m praying for this man in this way. I’m inviting you to pray for this man in this way. I’m advising that you take this specific action. As you take this action, we are moving in one spirit together as we align with the heart and will of God.”
Notice this was done “with the power of our Lord Jesus,” the power above all powers, the name above all names. The man’s soul was in danger. He professed the name of Christ but lived a lifestyle completely counter to that of a life in Christ. Paul expressed the love of Jesus for the man so he could come home and be restored in Christ.
The Goal: Restoration, Not Judgment
Church discipline is not judgmental. It’s not vindictive; It is restorative. It is rooted in the love of God to keep Christ’s body from living in hypocrisy so that this man would be restored.
The reality is that the church struggles to call out sin. We don’t like doing it, and we shy away from it. We don’t want to cause tension or be misunderstood. We don’t want to rock the boat. However, the Apostle Paul instructed Christians that this is precisely what they must do in the community of faith.
The goals of church discipline are:
Redemption
Protecting other believers
Honoring Jesus Christ
Removing the person from the church body will allow them to be on their own for a time, which will result in them being buffeted, ultimately leading to a repentant heart that turns back to the Lord Jesus Christ.
The aim is for the purpose of final salvation. This act by the church is rooted in love for the man and love for the church.
The Right Spirit for Confrontation
The Bible talks about the right spirit we’re to move in as a church family when we walk something like this out. Jesus said in Matthew 7:3-5 to be aware of the log in your own eye when you gently remove the speck in your brother’s eye. This illustrates the spirit we’re to move in; aware of our own sin and very gentle.
In Galatians 6:1, the Apostle Paul gave instruction: “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.”
As we practice loving, Christ-centered confrontation, we’re tempted in several ways:
To be more offended by the sins of a brother or sister than our own sins.
To pride, when we say “I could never do that. I’m above that.”
To lose sight of the fact that any of us, put in the wrong place at the wrong time, in the wrong mood, in dark circumstances, are capable of crossing inappropriate boundaries.
We are to guard against looking at others with a microscope and ourselves with a telescope.
Christians Can and Do Sin
Let’s validate that Christians can and do occasionally sin. By definition, trusting in Christ entails a commitment to stop living for the sins that were part of our old nature. However, getting caught off guard because of our fallenness will happen occasionally, and that doesn’t mean we’re no longer in Christ. (READ MORE: How God’s Word Transforms Us)
The word for “restore” in Galatians 6:1 is the Greek word from which we get restoration of broken bones and mending of nets. To restore means to make something whole and functional again, which is the heart of Jesus.
We’re not talking about harshness or being judgmental. We’re ultimately talking about the love of Jesus for human beings. He doesn’t love you because you’re good. No, Jesus loves you because He’s good, and that’s why you can be confident in His love for you. (READ MORE: How God’s Love Transforms the Way We Love Others)
When and How to Exercise Church Discipline
“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.” 1 Corinthians 5:11
The Apostle Paul wasn’t talking about someone who stumbles into sin. He was talking about someone committed to a lifestyle. This isn’t someone who lapses into sin, but someone whose identity is marked by the pattern, such as a greedy person, a drunken person, or an adulterer. They engage in habitual, systemic, and unrepentant sinful behavior.
He wasn’t referencing the Christian who, one evening, has too many glasses of wine and repents. He wasn’t talking about someone who had a moment of dishonesty, realized it, confessed, and repented. He was referring to individuals professing the name of Christ whose lifestyle is characterized by a pattern of sin.
Kindness vs. Niceness
Many Christians say, “Isn’t it like Jesus just to be nice?” But there’s a crucial distinction between niceness and kindness.
Bishop Jeff Greenway wrote:
“The word ‘nice’ doesn’t appear in the Bible. This may be surprising because many of us have been taught Christians are supposed to be ‘nice.’ Be polite. Don’t be confrontational. Let it go. Don’t make waves. Keep your mouth shut. Don’t offend.
“I want you to be kind. The words ‘kind’ (250) and ‘kindness’ (56) are found more than 300 times in the Bible, and a careful reading of each use reveals that what God calls us to is much more than being dysfunctionally ‘nice’ to one another. God calls us to ‘be kind.’”
Bishop Greenway elaborates further on this distinction by referencing Barry Corey, president of Biola University, in his book Loving Kindness:
“In his book, Loving Kindness, Barry Corey, the president of Biola University, helps distinguish between ‘niceness’ and ‘kindness.’ He writes:
‘Whereas aggression has a firm center and hard edges, niceness has soft edges and a spongy center. Niceness may be pleasant, but it lacks conviction. It has no soul. Niceness trims its sails to prevailing cultural winds and wanders aimlessly, standing for nothing and thereby falling for everything.’
‘Kindness,’ on the other hand, has what Corey calls, ‘a firm center with soft edges.’ Kindness has conviction, courage, and a solid backbone. It’s also after something more than being accepted or getting along. It’s a radical commitment to speaking truth. It expresses costly love. Kindness isn’t blandly pleasant, and it’s definitely not safe. Kindness takes risk. It walks lovingly toward difficulty and risks derision. It doesn’t shrink in the face of conflict.
‘Niceness’ avoids conflict and retreats from the prospect of adversity. It prefers the comfort of the status quo. Kindness doesn’t revel in tumult, but it has the fortitude to persevere in love in spite of it.”
Church discipline is a part of discipleship.
“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.” 1 Corinthians 5:7
Why did the Apostle Paul weave Passover language into this text on church discipline? Because he didn’t want anyone to lose hope. In the Passover, the death angel came, and the blood of a lamb was spread over the doorposts, and the death angel passed over. Christ is your Passover. In Christ, there is no condemnation for a life that’s truly in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1).
In 2 Corinthians, the Apostle Paul instructed the church to invite the man back into fellowship. Why? He had been buffeted by the enemy, and he repented. He broke off the relationship. He was restored in Christ, and his eternity in Christ was restored. The love of God pursued and restored him.
If there’s hope for him, there’s hope in Christ for you. Christ is your Passover.
Discipline is Discipleship
Discipline is a part of discipleship. Church discipline is a part of discipleship. Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9).
Jesus didn’t say blessing comes to peacekeepers. A peacekeeper glosses things over and enables a false peace. A peacemaker, on the other hand, will do the difficult thing, let things get messy, in order to have a true and enduring peace.
The goal is restoration. The goal is protection. The goal is to honor Jesus Christ. Ultimately, the goal is for every person to experience the transforming love of God, which leads to repentance and new life in Christ.
TL;DR
In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul confronts the Corinthian church not just for tolerating blatant sin, but for failing to mourn over it.
Godly confrontation, when rooted in love, is essential to the health and holiness of the church.
We can distinguish confrontation in niceness and kindness; discipline is part of discipleship.
Confronting sin, when done in humility, truth, and grace, is both redemptive and God-honoring.
