Levend Water
The Apostle of the Reconciliation - Charles H. Welch
Index - Page 91 of 159
RECONCILIATION AND FAILURE OF THE LAW 91
While he epistole may refer to a former epistle as it does in 2 Corinthians 7:8, yet here, standing by itself, it means
`this epistle' as it does in 1 Thessalonians 5:27; 2 Thessalonians 3:14; Romans 16:22.
The idea of the passage seems to be somewhat as follows:
In this epistle, by expressly speaking of the `taking away' and `delivery to Satan' of the incestuous man, and also
under the figure of the purging out of the leaven, I have written to you not to mix yourselves up with fornicators.
(This word which the A.V. renders `to company' occurs in Hosea 7:8, `Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the
people; Ephraim is a cake not turned'. The same figure, that of a cake, is employed, and the same action, mixing
with the unsanctified, is in view). I do not, however, mean that you are to have no association with the fornicators
of this world, or with the covetous or extortioners, or with idolaters, for seeing that every Corinthian was involved in
the obscene worship of Venus, such a line of action would necessitate leaving this world altogether. What I have
now written is not to do with the outside world, but with the brethren. If any man that is called a brother be guilty
of these things, then shun him, but do not think that I pass judgment on the world at large. For what business have I
to judge those that are without? Do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth (5:9-
13). Having made it clear that his words apply only to those within the church, the apostle concludes with a
quotation from the Greek version of Deuteronomy 17:7, `Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked
person' (1 Cor. 5:13).
Before passing on to chapter 6, we will show the general setting of these chapters. In the structure given on page
169, chapters 5 to 14 come under one heading. Here we can sub-divide a little.
1 Corinthians 5 to 14:40
The Body. Physically, Spiritually and Ecclesiastically
A 5:1 to 6:13.  What Paul had heard.
B 6:13-20.
The BODY. Physically.
A 7:1-40.
What Paul was asked.
C 8:1-13.
Idols, food, an idol nothing. Offend not.
D 9:1-27.
Paul's example. `Not used power'.
E 10:1-17.
The BODY. Spiritually.
C 10:18-32.
Idols, food, an idol nothing. Offend not.
D 10:33 to 11:1. Paul's example. `Not seek own'.
B 11:2 to 14:40. The BODY. Ecclesiastically.
Fuller details later.
While speaking on the matter of judging, the apostle draws attention to the ridiculous and utterly unbecoming
position of those who were destined to judge the world, and to judge the angels, in going to law about the trifles of
this life, and that too before heathen men. Why did they not set one of the humble members of the church to act as
umpire between them? Their true line of action should have been to suffer wrong and suffer themselves to be
defrauded rather than take a believing brother before a heathen judge.
The Body. Physically.
There is a marked difference between the troubles that vexed the churches of Galatia and those at Corinth. In the
epistle to the Galatians the apostle had to fight for liberty, and to speak strongly against the tendency to re-impose
shackles of any kind. Here in the Corinthian epistle it is the other way. The tendency is for Christ's liberty to be
interpreted as licence. There is probably a quotation or an allusion to their own letter to Paul in the words, `All
things are lawful'. True, says the apostle, but all things do not profit, or bring together. All things are lawful,
nevertheless, as Christ's freeman I will not be brought under the dominion of any. The Corinthians evidently still
retained much of the pagan philosophy in which they had been reared, and believed that `the very existence of an
instinct or a faculty was enough to justify its satisfaction'.