1st Corinthians, chapters 5 - 8

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Chapter 5 Paul writing (Sosthenes possible scribe)

It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among You, & of a kind that does not even occur among pagans: A man has an affair with His father's wife. And You boast & are proud! Shouldn't You rather have been filled with grief & have put out of Your fellowship the man who did this? Even though I am not physically present, I am with You in spirit. And I have already passed judgment on the 1 who did this, just as if I were present. When You are assembled in the Name of Our LORD Jesus & I am with You in spirit, & the power of Our LORD Jesus is present, hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed & His spirit saved on the Day of the LORD.

Your boasting is not good. Don't You know that even a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough ("from" Hos 7:4,6-7a)? In Hos 7 God said that HE would heal Israel if not for Ephraim & Samaria; vv. 4, 6-7a have, They are all adulterers, burning like an oven whose fire the baker need not stir from the kneading of the dough till it rises. Their hearts are like an oven; they approach a king with intrigue. Their passion smolders all night; in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire. All of them are hot as an oven. S.a. Gala 5:9. Get rid the old yeast (Stop being entertained by the sin nature) that You may a new batch without yeast-- as You really are. For Christ Our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed. Therefore let Us keep the occasional Festival perpetually, not with intermittent malice & wickedness, but continually with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity & truth.

I have written You in My letter not to associate with sexually immoral people-- not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy & swindlers, or idolaters. In that case You would have to leave the world. But here now I am writing You that You must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat. What business is it of mine to judge those outside the Church? Are You not to judge Those inside? GOD will judge those outside. Expel the wicked man from among You (Deu 17:7c; 19:19b; 21:21b; 22:21e,24d; 24:7c).

Chapter 6 Paul writing (Sosthenes possible scribe)

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If any of You has a dispute with another, dare He take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the saints? Do You not know that the saints will judge the world? And if You are to judge the world, are You not competent to judge trivial cases? Do You not know We will judge angels? How much more than the things of this life! Therefore, if You have disputes about such things-of-this-life matters, appoint as judges even men of little account in the Church! I say this to shame You. Is it possible that there is nobody among You wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? But instead, 1 brother goes to law against another-- & this in front of unbelievers! Now this is not the way to resolve the formerly mentioned divisions (you know, those abiding loyalties that limit a pastor's feeding to milk). Again, this is about disputes between believers-- the forum should be in the church-- in private, else they might be exhibited to visiting unbelievers.

The very fact that You have lawsuits among You means that You have been completely defeated already-- as your trust-in-God has been eclipsed by your mistrust of each other. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? Instead, You yourselves cheat in retribution & do wrong, & You do this to Your brothers as a testimony, so that the wicked remain wicked. Do You not know that the wicked will not inherit the Kingdom of GOD? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the Kingdom of GOD. I.e., none of the messaged visiting unbelievers-- recall what we saw in ch. 5, that we are to hand this believing man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed & His spirit saved on the Day of the LORD. And that is what some of You were-- & what those visiting unbelievers will remain. But You were washed already, You were sanctified, You were justified in the Name of the LORD Jesus Christ & by the Spirit of Our GOD.

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As some believe, "Everything is permissible for Me"-- but truth be known, not everything is beneficial. Again, "Everything is permissible for Me"-- but I have decided, I will not be mastered by anything. Also as some believe, "Food for the stomach & the stomach for food-- but ultimately GOD will destroy them both. Not all called "food" is fit for the stomach, but some is corrupt-- the stomach is not for that corrupt food. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but physically, for marital sex, yes, but spiritually for the LORD, & the LORD for the body. By HIS Power GOD raised the Lord from the dead, & HE will raise Us also. Do You not know that Your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ & unite them with a prostitute? Never! Do You not know that He who unites himself with a prostitute is 1 with her in body? For it is said, The 2 will become 1 flesh (Gen 2:24c). But He who unites himself with the LORD is 1 with HIM in spirit.

Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside His body, but He who sins sexually sins against His own body. Do You not know that Your body is a Temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in You, whom You have received from GOD? You are not Your own; You were bought at a price. Therefore honor GOD with Your body.

Chapter 7 Paul writing (Sosthenes possible scribe)

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1st, this "remaining as is" part to tumultuous Corinth

Now for the matters You wrote about-- the usual advice: It is good for a man not to marry. But since in Corinth there is so much immorality, each man should have His own wife, & each woman Her own husband. And there's just 1 place for sex-- within marriage! The husband should fulfill His marital duty to His wife, & likewise the wife to Her husband. The wife's body does not belong to Her alone but also to Her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to Him alone but also to His wife. Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent & for a time for this 1 reason: so that You may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt You because of Your lack of self-control. I say this as a concession (suggestion), not as a command. I wish all men were as I am-- steadfastly understanding that the "benifits" of marriage are trivial in comparison to benifit of performing one's gift. But each man has His own gift from GOD; 1 has this gift, another has that.

1. Advice based on understanding: Now to the yet unmarried believers & the believing widows I do not command, but say: It is good for Them to remain unmarried, as I am. But if They cannot control themselves, They should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion. As to that special God-given gift of remaining 100% focused: In HIS glorious mercy HE will rescind the gift so that you will not corrupt what HE has given-- though that is a tremendous gift, to be able to devote yourself entirely to GOD (no divided interests-- see vv. 32-34 below, & note how the same message is repeated to the women).
2. But now a Commandment of the LORD: To the already married believing couple I give this command (not I, but the LORD): A wife must not separate from Her husband. But if She does anyway, She must remain unmarried or else be later reconciled to Her former husband. And a husband must not divorce His wife.
3. Back to advice: To the rest also already married (but believing & unbelieving spouses), I say this (I, not the LORD): If any believing brother has a wife who is not a believer, & she is yet willing to live with Him, He must not divorce her-- i.e., despite their being unequally yoked; later in the Bible it is said that unmarried believers should not unequally yoke with unbelievers. And likewise if a believing woman has a husband who is not a believer & he is willing to live with Her, She must not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, & the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through the husband. Otherwise Your children would be unclean, but as it is, They are holy-- & many churches confirm this by baby dedication (often commemorating the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus (see 1stPet 1:2), which is not to say the vessel cannot become unholy through disobedience. But if the unbeliever spouse leaves, let him do so. A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; GOD has called Us to live in peace. How do You know or not know, wife, whether You will save Your husband? Or how do You know or not know, husband, whether You will save Your wife? Extend "in sickness & in health..." to include the possibility of conversion.

Nevertheless, each 1 should retain the place in life that the LORD assigned Him to & to which the LORD has called Him. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches. Was a man already circumcised when He was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when He was called? He should not be circumcised. Some people proclaim that this was Paul speaking to the original unified church, as in All the believers were together & had everything in common (Acts 2:44); that now We have multi-denominations reaching-out to the world. "Therefore" each denomination has the right/necessity to choose/believe/emphasize as they see fit. That's disgusting, in view of All scripture is GOD-inspired/breathed & is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting & training in righteousness, so that the Man of GOD may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. Because,Circumcision is nothing & uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping GOD's Commands is what counts. Each 1 should remain in the situation which he was in when GOD called Him. Were You a slave when You were called? Don't let it trouble You-- although if You can gain Your freedom without bloodshed, do so. For He who was a slave when He was called by the LORD is now called to be the LORD's Freedman; similarly, He who was a free man when He was called is now called to be Christ's slave. You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. Brothers, each man, as responsible to GOD, should remain in the situation GOD called Him to.

Now about virgins (never-married women): I have no command from the LORD, but I give a judgment as 1 who by the LORD's Mercy is trustworthy-- remember the 2 advisements above. Because of the present crisis in Corinth, I think it is good for You all to remain as You are. Are You married? Do not seek a divorce. Are You unmarried? Do not look for a wife. But if You do marry, You have not sinned: & if a virgin marries, She also has not sinned. But Those who marry will face many troubles in this life, & I want to spare You this.

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Now about when the time is growing short

What I mean, brothers, is that the time is growing short-- this also is advice. From now on Those who already have wives should live as if They had none; Those who mourn, as if They did not; Those who are happy, as if They were not; Those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; Those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.

I would like You to be free from concern. An:

• unmarried man is concerned about the LORD's Affairs-- continuously how He can please the LORD. But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world-- how He can please His wife --& His interests are divided. An
• unmarried woman or a never-married virgin is also concerned about the LORD's Affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the LORD in both body & spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world-- how She can please Her husband --& her interests are also divided.

I am saying this for Your own good, not to restrict You, but that You may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the LORD.

If anyone thinks He is acting improperly toward the virgin He is engaged to, & if She is getting along in years & He feels He ought to marry, He should do as He wants. He is not sinning. They should get married. But the man who has settled the matter in His own mind, who is under no compulsion but has control over His own will, & has made up His mind not to marry the virgin-- this man also does the right thing. So then, He who marries the virgin does right, but He who does not marry Her does even better.

A woman is bound to Her husband as long as He lives. But if Her husband dies, She is free to marry anyone She wishes, but He must belong to the LORD. In My judgment, She is happier if she stays as she is (widowed)-- & I think I too have the Spirit of GOD. This last, about the widow remaining unmarried, is a repeat of Paul's advice given above in <1> 1.

Chapter 8 Paul writing (Sosthenes possible scribe)

1st, love GOD (fully connect); 2nd, become known by GOD (be built in the faith)

Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all possess knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. The man who thinks he knows does not yet know as he ought to know. But the man who 1st loves GOD, the foundation being freely laid, is then known by GOD-- he is God-puffed (God-breathed on & built solidly).

So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world & that there is no GOD but 1-- 1 can "love" an idol, but the idol "puffs" upon sand. For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many "gods" &  many "lords"), yet for Us there is but 1 GOD the FATHER, from whom all things came & for whom We live-- we were created & we are given the solid foundation as we love HIM; & there is but 1 LORD, Jesus Christ, through whom also all things came & through whom We live-- we were created & we are puffed solidly upon the foundation.

But not everyone knows this. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat such food they think of it as having been sacrificed to an idol, & since their conscience is weak (they are just built upon sand), it is defiled. But food does not bring Us near; We are no worse if We do not eat, & no better if We do. We must love HIM & be known by HIM.

Be careful, however, that the exercise of Your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak-- those whose conscience is yet weak/defiled. Watch in your freedom to eat anything, that you do not tread upon their already weak conscience. For if anyone with a weak conscience sees You eating in an idol's temple, won't he be emboldened to eat what has been sacrificed to idols? So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by Your knowledge of freedom. When You sin against Your brother in this way & wound their weak conscience, You sin against Christ. Therefore, if what I eat causes My brother to sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall. This is about not letting idol worshipers see believers eating food sacrificed to idols (it gives a false testimony); Paul gave "similar" advice about not eating food contrary to someone's beliefs (it might cause them to reject the Gospel)-- see Roma 14 - 16 Chapter 14 <1>.