Church Discipline

The "Fellowship of the Bean" is studying First Corinthians. I am preparing to lead the discussion on 1st Corinthians 5. Here's the first few verses of the chapter:

It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father's wife. And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.(1 Corinthians 5:1-2 ESV)

The situation involves a man who is blatantly sleeping with his stepmother. This sin is prohibited explicitly in Leviticus. Both the Greek and Roman cultures abhor this relationship. The Corinthians are so prideful that they are challenging Paul's authority and apostleship instead of taking care of business. The congregation should not have been arrogant against Paul, they should have been in mourning as a congregation for the grievous sin among them.

Charles Hodge, the astute president of Princeton Theological Seminary between 1851 and 1878, makes the following observations in his commentary.

Chrysostom says the idea is, that they should have acted as they would have done had a pestilence appeared among them which called for mourning and supplication in order that it might be removed. It is a right inherent in every society, and necessary for its existence, to judge of the qualification of its own members; to receive those whom it judges worthy, and to exclude the unworthy. The right is here clearly recognized as belonging to the church. It is also clear from this passage that this right belongs to each particular church congregation. The power was vested in the church of Corinth and not is some officer presiding over that church. The bishop or pastor was not reproved for neglect of discipline; but the church itself, in its organized capacity. (Hodge, p. 82-83)

First Corinthians is a letter written to the entire congregation at Corinth. Paul is exhorting the whole congregation, not the elders alone, but the entire membership of the Corinthian church is to be held accountable for the sin among them.

Holiness is a corporate responsibility. I'm not sure what this looks like. It is easier to see love as a corporate responsibility: carrying one another's burdens, showing hospitality, and doing all the one anothers. But how do we stand up for God's holiness as a congregation? How do we show love to one another and yet encourage each other to purity? I'm not sure, but Paul is chiding everyone in the congregation for not taking action. We are together to grieve for the sin among us and hold each other accountable.

I'm reminded of the incident in Numbers 25. A man was blatantly sinning against God in front of the whole nation of Israel and the nation did nothing. How do we take action like Phinehas did in Leviticus 25? Phinehas alone took action to uphold God's holiness in the congregation and was rewarded with a covenant of peace.