Theme: Purity in Christ
Scriptures:
- 1 Corinthians 5:1-13
- 1 Corinthians 6:9-11
Objectives: (From the D6 Fusion Sunday School Lesson book)
Know: God desires His church to be pure, withdrawing fellowship from those who continue in sin.
Think: Live with the awareness that purity is vitally important, both in my life, and in the church.
Do: Repent of personal sin, and support the church’s efforts to encourage repentance in others who profess Christ.
Notes and questions:
B1 Which are pure?
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C1 Depends on the definition.
C2 Is this a definition?
C3 There is a blessing: Matthew 5:8 NRSV Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
C4 Our actions may be pure, but God considers the attitude and motivation as well. We may give to others but if our attitude is wrong, say, to bring honor to ourselves, our gift will not be considered good. God can still use such gifts, but it is not a pleasing sacrifice. Proverbs 16:2 NRSV All one's ways may be pure in one's own eyes, but the LORD weighs the spirit.
C5 Philippians 1:9-11 GW I pray that your love will keep on growing because of your knowledge and insight. (10) That way you will be able to determine what is best and be pure and blameless until the day of Christ. (11) Jesus Christ will fill your lives with everything that God's approval produces. Your lives will then bring glory and praise to God.
D1 Prayer that love will continue to grow.
D2 Growing because of increase of knowledge and insight (understanding, discernment).
D3 With that love (for God) from spiritual growth, it will result in a greater ability to make a decision that pleases God.
D4 When we do what pleases God, it leads into purity and being blameless.
D5 Doing things God’s ways and in honor to Him will bring spiritual blessings.
D6 This brings God glory and praise.
C6 So we need a definition and a standard of purity.
D1 What would be a good definition?
D2 What would be a good standard?
B2 2 Corinthians 5:1-13,
C1 Based on this passage, how have these individuals and church not met the good standard of God?
C2 Why is fornication wrong in God’s view?
D1 Love is
E1 a choice
E2 loyalty, faithfulness
E3 commitment
E4 a oneness
F1 The oneness between spouses is different than
F2 Oneness as Christians with God: John 17:20-23 NKJV I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; (21) that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. (22) And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: (23) I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.
D2 Fornication
E1 Usually is based on fleshly desires, not love.
E2 In the case in 1 Corinthians 5, there are loves that are not lawful before God, and most governments, as incest.
E3 The Bible has this relationship to be adultery
F1 Father living: Genesis 35:22 GW While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went to bed with his father's concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard about it. Jacob had 12 sons.
F2 Father living or dead: Leviticus 18:8 GW Never have sexual intercourse with your stepmother. She is related to you through your father.
F3 Probably living: Leviticus 20:11 GW Whoever has sexual intercourse with his father's wife has violated his father's marriage. Both he and his father's wife must be put to death. They deserve to die.
F4 Father living or dead: Deuteronomy 27:20 LEB 'Cursed be the one who lies with the wife of his father, because he has dishonored his father's bed.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'
D4 This relationship is later recorded that he Corinthians and the individuals repented: 2 Corinthians 7:8-11 NRSV For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it (though I did regret it, for I see that I grieved you with that letter, though only briefly). (9) Now I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because your grief led to repentance; for you felt a godly grief, so that you were not harmed in any way by us. (10) For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation and brings no regret, but worldly grief produces death. (11) For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves guiltless in the matter.
C2 Does this passage mean that he will be damned by God? 1 Corinthians 5:5 NKJV Deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
D1 No
D2 It is for discipline.
D3 It is my understanding that this was done with Apostolic authority. We can’t do this today. 1 Timothy 1:20 NKJV Of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.
D4 Is there a place for church discipline for impurity today?
D5 When a church disciplines today, what attitude are we to have?
C3 How do we avoid situations like the Corinthian church faced?
C4 How does this illustration by Ironside (in his comments on 1 Corinthians 5:5) help us?
The story is told of a man who wanted to hire a coachman. He lived in a mountainous region and the road to his home ran along a precipice. A number of men applied for the position. He said to one of them, "Tell me, are you an adept at handling fractious horses?"
"Yes, I am," he said.
"Can you drive a six-horse team?"
"Yes."
"How near can you drive to the edge of the cliff without going over?"
"I have a steady hand and my eye is pretty true; I can get within a foot of it and not go over."
"You step outside," said the man, and he called another and asked him the same questions.
He said, "I am an expert in handling horses; I can drive right along the edge and not go over."
"Step outside," and he called another and asked the questions.
"If you want a man to drive on the edge of the precipice," said this man, "you do not want me. When I drive, I keep as far away from the edge as I can."
"You are the man I want. I will take you."
Christian, be careful of the edge of the precipice. Do not get near it, for the first thing you know you will go over, and this will mean not only the ruin of your own testimony, but the sad thing is, you are liable to drag others over with you. Keep away from the edge, and do not resent it if those who watch for your souls as those who must give account try to impress upon you the solemnity of these things.
C5 What can we follow in our lives from this verse? Psalms 1:1-6 NKJV Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; (2) But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. (3) He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper. (4) The ungodly are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away. (5) Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. (6) For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish.
C6 Consider: Hebrews 2:18 NKJV For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted. What other verses can you think of?
C7 How do we know true from false repentance?
D1 Tears?
D2 Promises?
D3 King Manasseh is probably the best example of Biblical repentance. In 2 Kings 21, Manasseh was doing these: offered his son to be burned up as a sacrifice, killed lots of innocent people, and apparently other stuff so evil it is not recorded except to say he was more wicked than those who lived in the land before Israel came. In 2 Chronicles 33, the Assyrian king came into Judah, captured this evil beast, put a hook through his nose, made him walk to Assyria, and threw him into the dungeon where he prayed to God to forgive him. God restored him to his kingdom where he rid the land of all the evil things he could find. Then, he never did the evil again, which must be the standard of repentance.
C8 What can we learn about purity from this picture?
B3 1 Corinthians 6:9-11,
C1 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 NKJV Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, (10) nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. (11) And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
C2 What is the warning?
C3 What can we be thankful for in this passage?
C4 Are believers being judgmental and intolerant to point out errors?
B4 James 5:19-20 NKJV Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, (20) let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.
B5 Purity is required
C1 For public things as
D1 Paying taxes
D2 Employment and business
D3 Obey the law (as much as possible, for if the government passes a law that Christians must renounce Jesus, we must not).
D4 Drive according to the law
D5 Live at peace with all people as much as possible
D6 Do not deny Christ
D7 Not be ashamed of the Lord Jesus and following the rules He established
C2 For private things
D1 How we treat our family
D2 How we treat our spouse
D3 How we treat our animals
D4 How we act at home
D5 For devotions, etc.
C3 For personal things
D1 How we think
D2 What we look at on the internet, etc.
B6 A few verses about honor for all of us
C1 John 5:44 NKJV How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God?
C2 Romans 13:7 NKJV Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.
C3 1 Timothy 5:3 NKJV Honor widows who are really widows.
C4 1 Timothy 5:17 NKJV Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.
C5 1 Peter 2:17 WEB Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.
C6 1 Peter 3:7 NLT In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered.
B7 Next week
C1 Truly Content
C2 Theme: Content in Christ
C3 Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 7:1-40
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