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哥林多前书：5:1-2：风闻在你们中间有淫乱的事。这样的淫乱连外邦人中也没有，就是有人收了他的继母。2你们还是自高自大，并不哀痛，把行这事的人从你们中间赶出去。
保罗这封书信前面几章谈论的是第一个主题——哥林多会众成员的结党纷争，接下来保罗谈论书信的第二个主题。第二个话题，是教会的一个男性公然和自己“父亲的妻子”（很可能是继母）同居行淫乱的事。即使是哥林多的外邦人非基督徒，都认为这属于恶劣的行为。保罗说教会的会众自高自大很骄傲，因为他们是如此的爱和宽容，以至于他们愿意继续接纳这个人，尽管他公然的持续不断犯这种罪。
在《马太福音》18章15-20节，耶稣教导我们，当我们的弟兄犯罪的时候，真正体现我们的爱的方式，是不要对他的罪视而不见。我们对他的爱体现在指出他的罪，并让他悔改。如果他悔改了，那就是赢得了你的弟兄。如果他不悔改，就另外带一两个人同去。如果他仍然不悔改，就将此事告诉教会。如果他还不悔改，你就告诉他这个悲哀的事实——他已经成为非信徒。因为他的不信，他在上帝面前不得赦免。
如果你曾经对某个人说过这样的话，你就知道做起来会有多难。我就曾经说过，而且每次都为此痛心不已，留下眼泪。但这样做是出于爱，你这样做是出于对那个人和他的灵魂的爱。你这样做是在按照耶稣的命令要他悔改。人们时常拒不听从。但以我的经验，在多数情况下强烈的宣讲律法，会起到预期的后果，让一个迷失的灵魂重新回到耶稣这里。也许不会是马上，但一定是及时的。真正的爱不是容忍罪的发生，而是呼唤人为罪悔改。也许这样做的时候感觉不像是爱，但耶稣说，这就是爱。
祷告：主耶稣，请你赦免我没有对那个陷在罪中的弟兄说当说的话。请给我勇气，让我在必要的时候说出必要的话，让我的弟兄悔改。请赐给我一颗明辨是非的心，让我知道什么时候该忍耐，什么时候该坚定。请赐给我一颗爱心，在必要的情况下愿意去做艰难的事情。也请赐给我信心，让我相信你的话语是大有能力的，能够改变人心。我这样祈求是奉你的名，阿们。
1 Corinthians 5: It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping with his father’s wife. 2 And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have gone into mourning and have put out of your fellowship the man who has been doing this? (EHV)
Paul moves on to the second major topic of his letter. The first dealt with divisions in the congregation. The second is a case of discipline in which a man in the congregation was living in open adultery with his “father’s wife,” probably his step mother. Even the pagan unbelievers in Corinth would have recognized this as bad behavior. Paul says they were proud. They were proud that they were so loving and tolerant that they were willing to accept this man in spite of his blatant and persistent sin.
In Matthew 18:15-20, Jesus taught us it is the loving thing to do NOT to look the other way when our brother sins. The loving thing to do is to show him his sin and to call him to repentance. If he repents, you have won your brother over. If he does not repent, you take one or two with you. And if he still does not repent, you bring the matter to the church. If he still does not repent, you tell him the sad truth. He has become an unbeliever. He is not forgiven before God because of his unbelief.
If you have ever spoken those words to someone, you know how hard it is to do. I have, and every time it has brought tears to my eyes. But you do it out of love. You do it out of love for that person and his soul. You do it to call him to repentance according to Jesus’ command. Often, people refuse to listen. But in more cases than not, my experience has been that this strong preaching of the law has brought the desired results of bringing a wandering soul back to Jesus. May not immediately, but in time. The loving thing to do is not to tolerate sin, but to call people to repentance for it. It may not feel like the loving thing to do, but Jesus says it is.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, forgive me for not speaking to my brother who is caught in a sin. Give me courage to speak the words necessary to call my brother to repentance when it is necessary. Giving me a discerning heart to know when to be patient, and when to be firm. Give me a heart of love that is willing to do the hard thing when necessary. Give me confidence that your Word is powerful and can change hearts. I ask this in your name. Amen.