Clean House: When Grace Confronts What We Tolerate - 1 Corinthians 5

Big Idea

• What you tolerate, you become

• Grace does not excuse sin, it transforms people

Section 1: The Scandal (vv.1–2)

• Public, known sin in the church

• Sin worse than what even pagans reject

• The church is:

  • Aware

  • Passive

  • Proud

• Pride disguises itself as tolerance

• Right response to sin is mourning, not celebration

Steps:

• Recognize sin honestly

• Refuse to redefine sin as acceptable

• Recover a heart that grieves what dishonors God

Section 2: The Judgment (vv.3–5)

• Paul exercises spiritual authority

• Discipline is commanded in the name of Jesus

• “Handing over to Satan” = removal from church covering

• Purpose is restoration, not punishment

• Consequences can lead to repentance

Steps:

• Embrace biblical accountability

• Trust God to use consequences for restoration

• Refuse comfort that enables destruction

Section 3: The Warning (vv.6–8)

• “A little leaven leavens the whole lump”

• Sin spreads when tolerated

• What is normalized becomes culture

• Identity: “You are unleavened”

• Christ is our Passover Lamb

• Remove the old, live in sincerity and truth

Steps:

• Identify “small” compromises

• Remove what does not align with identity in Christ

• Replace sin with truth and integrity

Section 4: The Clarification (vv.9–13)

• Not called to avoid unbelievers

• Called to address unrepentant sin in believers

• Distinction between inside and outside the church

• God judges the world, the church guards its integrity

• Fellowship communicates agreement

Steps:

• Engage the world with compassion

• Hold believers accountable with truth

• Refuse to affirm contradiction to Christ

Section 5: The Application (v.13, v.7, v.5)

• “Expel the wicked person” = decisive action

• Remove, not manage sin

• Identity drives action

• Goal is always restoration

• Alignment between belief and behavior

Steps:

• Identify what must be removed personally

• Stop justifying or renaming sin

• Pursue accountability and honest relationships

• Live in alignment with your confession

Final Challenge

• Stop tolerating what God calls you to remove

• Live as who you already are in Christ

• Choose truth over comfort

• Choose restoration over avoidance