I hope I'm posting in the right spot. I tried to find whether this has been discussed and couldn't find it. This scripture has really been weighing on me and confusing me lately. I've discussed it with pastors and other wise people. I feel like no one wants to delve into what it may really means because it's hard to think about. But I want to know how to correctly interpret it, not just ignore it. I know you can't just pull a scripture out of context and also that there could be so many different factors in determining how to apply a verse. I've seen a lot of discussions on this verse. I always hear people saying that Jesus ate with sinners. But did he eat with Christians who were in sin and refusing to repent? I don't think the verse is talking about associating with non-Christians. I've also heard people argue that every Christian does the things in the list in this verse. But I feel like it's referring to unrepentant sin....things that when Christian people are confronted about, they still won't repent of. And what about family members? And what about people who have professed the name of Christ in the past but no longer attend church and their lives don't seem to reflect a relationship with Christ? Do we then treat them as we would unbelievers so this verse doesn't apply to them? I'm so confused. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
1 Cor. 5:11- But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people.
Thank you for offering this to us for discussion.
We might look at what John Chrysostom had to say about this particular passage. He was a Church Father that wrote a complete set of commentaries on the Epistles of Paul in Greek in the 4th century. They are available here:
http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/2201.htm (Note: they were translated in the 19th century, so the English is a little arcane. Maybe one day someone will translate them into modern English.)
I offer my understanding of this passage for whatever its worth:
First, I think it is helpful to remember that Paul was dealing with a very difficult situation with the Corinthians. Corinth was the Las Vegas of the day - the Sin City of Greece. Paul had to write two Epistles to them to keep them from falling back into their own ways and the Apostolic Father, Clement, wrote at least one Epistle to them for the same reason.
Verse 10 refers to associating with non-Christians. Paul makes clear that it is impossible to avoid associating with
fornicators, the
covetous, the
rapacious, or
idolators in day-to-day secular affairs,
for otherwise ye are obliged to go out of the world (especially in Corinth, it would seem). "For how is it possible," writes John Chrysostom, "for a man having care of a house and children and engaged in the affairs of the city, or who is an artisan or a soldier ... to avoid the unclean who are to be found every where" (Homily XVI on First Corinthians).
I believe you are right - Verse 11 does not relate to non-Christians; they are covered in v.10. Here Paul is referring to those who openly practice these things without remorse, while remaining in the Church. Not only do they not have remorse, but they seem to actually be proud of their deeds.
It is actually heard that there is fornication among you, writes Paul at the start of the chapter.
And ye being puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who did this might be taken away from among you! Paul makes clear, however, what should happen to those who remain in the Church, but lead unrepentant, wanton lives. Quoting the Law (Deuteronomy 17:7 LXX), Paul commands:
And ye shall remove the evil one from among yourselves.
You pose a very interesting observation, I think: Did Jesus associate with Christians who were in sin and refusing to repent? I can't think of any clear examples of this in the Gospels, but we do have the example of the rich young man (Matthew 19:16-26, Mark 10:17-31). Although the rich young man doesn't fit Paul's image of the secular Corinthians, he is nonetheless a sinner because he refused to accept the Lord's request to
sell what thou hast and give to the poor, come take up the cross and follow me. He is not a Christian, but we know he was a devout Jew, having observed all the commandments from his youth. We know from the Gospels, however, that the young man did not follow Christ, but rather
went away grieved; for he had great possessions. The Lord did not go running after him saying, "Wait, come back!" He made no accommodation. He told the young man what to do; the young man didn't do it; and Jesus let him go. By comparison, we have the parable of the Prodigal Son, wherein He implies that He will, in fact, literally run after a repentant sinner.
And what about family members? And what about people who have professed the name of Christ in the past but no longer attend church and their lives don't seem to reflect a relationship with Christ? Do we then treat them as we would unbelievers so this verse doesn't apply to them?
I think perhaps it is more useful to not dwell so much on how to apply the specific guidelines that Paul wrote for the Corinthians to our particular situation, but rather to meditate on the Gospel messages which Paul's instructions reflect.
If any man come to me, said the Lord,
and hate not his father, and mother, and wife; and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple (Luke 14:26). In other words, we must avoid all people which take our focus away from the Lord, even if they are own family. Writing in the 5th century, Cyril of Alexandria explained:
Some may say, "Lord, do you despise the laws of natural affection? Shall we then make enemies of those who are members of our household?" This is not what the Savior means. It is plain by what He said that He permits us to love, but not more than we do Him. For He demands for Himself our chief affection, and that very justly. For the love of God in those who are perfect in mind has something in it superior both to the honor due to parents, and to the natural affection felt for children ...Now the fear of death has terrified many. When persecutions arose [i.e. martyrdoms], some denied the faith. To work in us, therefore, a mind incapable of being broken, and make us careless of every worldly matter for our love of Him, He commands us to hate even our relatives according to the flesh, and our own self also, if, as I have just said, the situation requires it [Gr. the season calls us thereto] (Homily 105, Commentary on the Gospel According to St. Luke).
