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. (I Corinthians 5:1-2).
The word used here in Greek is the root of the word porn (porneia). That's a broad term that connotes all the ways human beings can corrupt God's good gift of sex. From same-sex relationships to adultery, from incest to the abuse of animals. The whole gamut of abuses the gift of sexuality outside its God-intended parameter, which is marriage.
Instead of moving their community to shame, Satan had somehow twisted their minds around to think that what was really a source of disgrace was a point of pride, something to celebrate. We're not sure exactly what they were thinking, but we might actually be meeting here for the first time the Gnosticism that would later post such a dangerous trap for Christians.
One of the weaknesses of the Church in our day and age is how seldom we are willing to love with the tough, tough love St. Paul shows here towards that man and towards the congregation. Excommunication tends to be rather rare, and that's not a sign of gentleness and love; it's a sign of apathy and indifference to the present and future misery of unrepented sinners.
-Pr. Will Weedon
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