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

I spent a couple of hours this afternoon discussing the issues of our times with a good friend over a long lunch. One of the topics we touched on was on the scandals that plague the church. You and I would like think that the word scandal should not be associated with the local church but, whether it is a story of embezzlement or sexual immorality or…..sadly, very little shocks us today. And that’s where the problem begins because many inside and outside of the church have lost confidence in the institutions like the church in our culture over the last few years.

When was the last time your world was rocked by a scandal?

In the opening verses above, Paul begins by revealing the truth about a very public ongoing scenario of sexual immorality as a man in the Corinthian church was co-habitating with his own step-mother – something that even the people of the city could not stomach. It is not just sexual immorality among two people, it was “among you” – the Corinthian church. So, Paul’s first message of repentance is directed to the church and its leaders. While the sexual immorality is absolutely serious, it is a symptom of the problem of pride within the church.

Hopefully, few of us (are/have been/will be) personally involved in a scandal, but this doesn’t mean that we turn a blind eye, does it? While it is painful, confrontation is often the most loving act we can take.