Putting Away the Wicked by Brother Duke Hansen

         The scripture text we will be reading from will be in 1st Corinthians chapter 5. We will be reading the first 13 verses.

        1 It is reported commonly that there us fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.

        2 And ye are puffed up, and have not mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.

        3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,

        4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ when ye are gathered together, and my spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ.

        5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

        6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

        7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

        8 Therefore let us keep the beast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

        9 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:

        10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs fo out of the world.

        11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.

        12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?

        13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

        The same spirits which were at work in the church of Corinth during Paul's missionary journeys are ever present and at work today. The spirit of deception is rather tricky and our flesh works with it quite well. Blindness is another term for deception. There is coming a day of judgement for all of us. Works and deeds according to what the word of God says.

        Looking at verse 2 and the term "puffed up" is another way of saying really mad. Paul was taking to the church to task regarding the rampant fornication. The current Christian culture in this town will get you on a fast track to hell. Many are blind and deaf to the meaning of what the world actually is currently.

        Verse 3 Paul starts to speak about judging already. If you are a true Christian, you are to judge. You judge yourself first and then others. Mercy is not forced anymore than repentance and forgiveness.

        It does not take a lot of leaven to raise your bread. As a Christian, we need to discipline to purge out the old leaven. Making excuses for carnal behavior such as social drinkers, gossipers, lasciviousness, these are facets of Christian culture today. The most sincere you can ever be with is yourself. The biggest lie we can tell ourself  is " I'm fine" to people around us and about our actions.

        Paul is breaking down in this scripture selection fornication outside the world and within the church there in verses 10 and 11. Those who are without will be judged by God directly without is of the world. The question Paul poses in verse 12, do you not judge within the house? We find it inconvenient and difficult to talk about judgment regarding our actions.

        The book of Malachi was the last communication that God gave to the people of Israel before the appearance of John the Baptist. Ask yourself, what do you think we need saved from if there is no consequence? Mal 3:1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the LORD, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of Hosts. The one preparing the way referenced here is John the Baptist. The reference of a refiners fire and fullers' soap in verse 2 is Jesus. 

        Why is failure such a big deal? It hurts your pride. Judgement is a move that pushes us toward repentance, Judgement of yourself is the only thing that matters. Blessings int he world are merely material things and sometimes they are fleeting. The altar is the judgement seat of Christ. Judging yourself unworthy of the gospel is by listening to the word of God and you don't follow it.

        Accepting the judgment first will then bring the mercy. Moses' faith transferred to Joshua while in the wilderness. Greater things will not occur if there is not regular judgement of ourself and a complete separation of from the world. 

        Malachi explains in verse 10 of chapter 3 that you cannot out give God. He is always going to be ahead of us. When you sew into darkness, you will reap darkness. The division in verse 18 is those who will serve God and those who will not.