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  I Hearing That There Is Sexual Immorality Among You   1 Corinthians 5:1-3: "I hear that there is sexual immorality among you, such as is not even found among the Gentiles, that someone has taken his father ’ s wife. And yet you have become arrogant; why have you not mourned and expelled the one who committed this from among you? For though I am absent in body, I am present in spirit (to pneumati), and I have already judged the one who committed this as if I were there." It is absurd that serious moral deviations, such as sexual depravity, exist within the church. Surprisingly, however, the Corinthians seem to have taken this lightly. Paul clearly stated his position on this situation: "Expell this sexual immoral man." Just as a little leaven makes the whole dough rise, old leaven must be cast out for the sake of the holiness and purity of the church community. Paul ’ s message was to expel this sexual immoral man from the church community. However, the Cor...

  We are foolish for Christ ’ s sake, but you are wise in Christ.   1 Corinthians 4:9-10: “ I think that God has placed us, the apostles, at the end as those destined for death; we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and to men. We are foolish for Christ ’ s sake, but you are wise in Christ (en Christou). We are weak, but you are strong; you are honorable, but we are lowly. ” Paul is explaining to them the suffering he has endured. He is saying that he has become lowly in the eyes of people and appears as though he were destined for death. He is saying that this happened because of Christ. However, Paul is telling the leaders of the Corinthian church that since they have become wise through Christ, they should not look at him or the ordinary believers of the church as foolish. The phrase “ en Christou ” ( ἐ ν Χριστ ῷ , “ in Christ ” ) before “ we are weak ” was not translated. That is, it should be translated as “ in Christ we are weak. ” Likewise, bein...

  For I desire that you become kings   1 Corinthians 4:7-8: "Who distinguishes you from others (diakrinei)? What do you have that you did not receive? Since you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it? You are already full, you are already rich, and you have become kings without us. For we desire that you become kings, that we may reign with you." Paul points out the pride of the Corinthian church. Diakrinei ( διακρ ί νει ) refers to the belief (of ministers) that they are superior to others. Paul is asking them, "Do you boast that you alone received the gift while others did not?" It implies that the leaders of the Corinthian church were wealthy and reigned like kings. Paul praises the leaders for fulfilling their role as royal priests well, but he is telling them to reign with the saints. It is saying that not only ministers are royal priests, but that all believers, including Paul himself, must serve as royal priests. 1 Peter 2:9: ...