A Little Leaven

Good morning and welcome in everybody. Today, we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture, beginning in the book of 1st Corinthians. 

1 Corinthians 4:18-21 5:1-8 (KJB)  Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you. But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power. For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness? It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife. And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you. For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

First of all, fornication is defined in many places as consensual sexual intercourse between two people who are not married to each other. Other dictionaries define it as ANY type of sexual activity with others, outside of the bonds of marriage. It commonly refers to premarital sex but is often applied to many different types of sexual immorality. In this passage it appears that a man was having an incestuous relationship with his stepmother, which is something that is considered completely immoral even by unbelievers. What happened was the church became puffed up and arrogant, developing a tolerant attitude towards the sexual sin that was going on among them.The Apostle Paul didn’t want the church worshipping, fellowshipping or gathering together with others who were not actively repenting of sinful behaviors. We are called to walk in the light, so if people are going to abide in darkness, then you need to separate yourself from them.

2 Corinthians 6:14-18 (KJB)  Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Many false forms of Christianity want you to remain in a church, even though there is active sinful behavior that is going on among them. To stay in these groups is to forsake the separation clause spoken of in the passage above. If you are going to abide with the impenitent, it only proves that you love that group of people more than the will of God. Fornication is not supposed to be named once among the people of Christ Jesus. 

Ephesians 5:3 (KJB)  But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;

1 Thessalonians 4:2-5 (KJB)  For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:

God punishes fornication.

Jude 1:7 (KJB)  Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

1 Corinthians 10:8 (KJB)  Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.

Colossians 3:5-7 (KJB)  Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

Followers of Christ Jesus must flee fornication and depart from iniquity.

1 Corinthians 6:15-20 (KJB)  Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

God has provided a way to escape the temptations of fornication, and it is found in marriage between one man and one woman. Couples are supposed to provide for the needs of each other to subdue any sexual desires.

1 Corinthians 7:1-5 (KJB)  Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.

As taught by Jesus and the Apostles, people must repent, or they will perish. 

2 Corinthians 12:21 (KJB)  And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.

Fornication and other types of sin can happen because of who you choose to associate with. If people profess to be Christian and those around you are involved in fornication, have nothing to do with them, and the reason why is because we must come out and be separate saith the Lord. Poor associations can corrupt your entire faith, and in the end, it really only takes,….

…….A Little Leaven

Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you all, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.

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