The city of Corinth had the reputation of complete debauchery. It was Las Vegas on steroids. By the time of Paul, the reputation was significantly worse than reality due to Roman rule which was cleaning things up. But Corinth was a port town, a place for all the sailors to spend their money on wine, women and song. However, according to the Roman statesman and philosopher Cicero, there were certain sexual relationships that were just wrong. He condemns the type of relationship we find in 1 Corinthians. The man in the Corinthian church had crossed the world’s line of appropriate debauchery.
But to focus on the level of debauchery is wrong, as if there is a level of sin that is ok. The issue is that there was unrepentant, boastful sin on public display in the church. A frequent issue exists in the Church through the ages, a separation between Spirit and flesh. The thinking is as long as you are spiritual, as long as you believe in Christ and are saved, it doesn’t matter what sensual sin you committed. Hedonism, the pursuit of pleasure, sensual self-indulgence, was found in some Christian thought because they believed they were saved by grace so they could do anything they wanted in this world. Even today, there are churches and Christian who live this way. But this is wrong thinking. See for example what Paul tells the Romans in chapter 6, especially note verses 1-2, 11-14 and 15.
The Corinthian church had someone in it that was committing a sin, one that brought disrepute to themselves, the Church at large, and most importantly to Christ. The people living in Corinth may have been gapping in horror at the church. The fact that the people in the church were not gapping in horror was the shocker to Paul. Paul focuses first on the issue of incest (or possibly sleeping with a step-mother) but ends the chapter with a lot of other sins. Sin is sin and should not be tolerated in the Church when it is blatant and unrepentant. But if repentance of that sin happens, we also need to forgive and accept. Be sure to read the end of the story.
Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.Cleanse me with hyssop,
and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit,
to sustain me. -Psalms 51:1-2,7,10,12
