Author: Rev. Lek Aik Wee

The Apostle Paul warns the believers in Corinth of the danger of being influenced by ungodly individuals in the church. Their guard would be down since they are also called “brother” in Christ. Such individuals are not true disciples of Christ. He names the fornicator describing an immoral person, covetous describing a defrauder for gain, idolator describing a worshipper of idols, railer describing an abusive slanderer, drunkard, extortioner describing one who is violent and forcefully steals. He tells them to keep clear of such ones who profess faith but without true faith.

The Apostle Paul says to the Corinthian Christians to separate themselves from the brother who refuses to repent of his known sin as fornication lest they be influenced to follow his evil ways. His direct advice is that they do not have company with him even on a social basis like eating a meal together.

The psalmist echo the words of the Apostle Paul in Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

He tells them that he has written to them in a previous letter to have no association with that particular man who committed incest. The word “fornicator” comes from the verb “to sell” which is from the verb “to pass through or carry over” (particularly as merchants) and thence to sell, describing a whoremonger or male prostitute.He tells them to be careful of immoral people, do not keep close company with them (MacArthur).

The Apostle Paul encouraged the believers in Corinth to live a life befitting of Christ in them. He urged them not to return to the way of the old man (described here as the old leaven) nor to yield to the flesh (leaven of malice and wickedness. The word “malice” means to live a life characterised by an evil habit of the mind.

There is forgiveness with God when God’s people are willing to confess and forsake their sin. Christ is the passover lamb that was slain for the remission of sins. His sacrifice on the cross is indeed effectual in taking away the dreadful disease of sin that plague His people.

The word “purge” means to “cleanse thoroughly”. Sin is to be rid, nipped in the bud. As the Apostle John exhorted God’s people in 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” The new lump is rid of the old leaven.

Barnes observed well, “The apostle here takes occasion, from the mention of leaven, to exhort the Corinthians to put away vice and sin. The figure is derived from the custom of the Jews in putting away leaven at the celebration of the passover. By the old leaven he means vice and sin; and also here the person who had committed the sin in their church. As the Jews, at the celebration of the passover, gave all diligence in removing leaven from their houses–searching every part of their dwellings with candles, that they might remove every particle of leavened bread from their habitations–so the apostle exhorts them to use all diligence to search out and remove all sin.”