1 Corinthians 5 Lesson

DISCIPLINE

In 1 Corinthians Chapter 5,Paul is addressing some serious concerns that have arisen within the church at Corinth

Paul draws a distinction between two groups of people:

1. The immoral people of the world,
2. The immoral people within the church.

He makes sure to point out that we are not to stop associating with people of the world who are lost in sin.  For how else will they come to know Christ unless somebody teaches them?

The Bible teaches us that there are different rules for those who are within the church and those outside of the church.

Paul writes about a “so-called brother” that had sexual relations with his father’s wife. 

For this person, Paul writes that he:

• “Decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” – 1 Corinthians 5.

That is an interesting scripture to think about. 

It shows how God allows Satan to wreak havoc in our lives and how He can use those difficult experiences to benefit our souls. 

LEARNING THROUGH ADVERSITY

In Paul’s letter to the Romans, he wrote about the growth we experience by persevering through adversity:

• “And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance ; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope.” – Romans 5:3-5.

This passage tells us that God uses suffering to teach us. 

Through our tribulations, we develop:

1. Perseverance,
2. Character,
3. And hope.

And while nobody likes adversity while they are going through it, it is a great teacher!

Another reason that God allows us to experience suffering is to discipline us. 

Consider the following verse from the Book of Hebrews:

• “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by Him; for those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives.” - Hebrews 12:5-6.

Life is hard!

As much as we wish this were not the case, that is a fact of life that we must manage.

All of us make mistakes and get caught up in sin. (Romans 3:23)

As we have read, God allows Satan to reign on Earth as part of His plan to shape us into the people He created us to be. 

Of course, we know that Satan will ultimately be defeated and banned to Hell for all eternity (Revelation 20:10)

It is as if God is saying that sometimes when things get bad enough, He will allow people to struggle in the hopes that they will turn back to Jesus before it is too late.   

CONCLUSION

God loves us!

He loves us so much that He sent His only Son to die on the cross for our sins (John 3:16). 

As a loving Father, He disciplines us for our own good. 

This may not always feel good, but it is always good for us!  

God disciplines us because He loves us; and for this reason, He is patient with us.  Peter wrote about this in his second epistle:

• “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” – 2 Peter 3:9.

When we are lost in sin, God is working behind the scenes to help us come to repentance. 

This can come in the form of discipline, adversity, or anything else that God chooses. 

He may allow Satan to wreak havoc in our lives for a while, in the hopes that we will realize the error of our ways and make the necessary corrections. 

How we react to God’s discipline makes all the difference. 

The Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans:

• "We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” – Romans 5:3-5.

What an amazing way to look at suffering! 

Paul wrote that we should rejoice when we suffer! 

For a lot of us, that is going to require some work, and that is ok.  One decision at a time, we will get there, with God’s help. 

Times of adversity are the perfect time to examine ourselves to see if there are parts of our lives that need to change.  Whatever we are struggling with, Jesus is the answer. 

And when we believe in Jesus, and put our trust in Him, our faith will be rewarded. 

We will conclude today’s lesson with the following scripture:

• “Do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by Him;for those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives.” –  Hebrews 12:5-6.