“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolators nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” 1 Corinthians 6:9-11
The Corinthian church to which the Apostle Paul addressed two letters was in the most important city in Greece during that day. It was a centre of worldwide commerce, degraded culture with much of the immorality he speaks of in the above quote and filled with idolatrous religion. In many ways, that ancient city mirrors much of our world today, large metropolitan cities and smaller, modern islands like our own. There was much religion alongside atheism, materialism, consumerism, immorality of all kinds. Corinth was a modern, popular city of its time, pagan and immoral. A Bible note says that “from the 5th century BC, “to Corinthianize” meant to be sexually immoral.” This first letter was written about AD 55.
The first letter to the church there reveals that many serious problems had developed. Division, abuse of the sacraments, disorder during worship services, theological problems, extremes of both gross moral laxity and unhealthy asceticism. Even as Paul firmly and clearly spells out the moral and congregational standards the church must uphold by its God-given authority, it is in this letter also that we find his teaching on love, in 1 Corinthians 13. Here too in this strong letter asserting the moral authority of the church, is found the great Resurrection chapter, 1 Corinthians 15. The moral authority of the Church of Christ is founded on love and the revelation of God in Christ, the Saviour of all who believe, who was crucified and rose from the dead. To this Saviour, to this hope and forgiveness, with love and compassion, the worst of sinners are called. The world rejects all this.
I thought the statement by the Catholic Archbishop of Castries on the recent ruling by the court balanced a re-affirmation of the church’s position on sexual behaviour outside of marriage with a clear call “to treat every person with charity and dignity, avoiding any form of harassment or marginalization….let us continue to proclaim the Gospel of truth and love…while remaining faithful to the moral values that sustain healthy families and communities.” Even in churches where members must be “disfellowshipped” for behavior that goes against Biblical teachings of the church, there must always be a door left open for a repentant member to return. Jesus forgave the woman caught in adultery even as He warned her, “Go and sin no more.” (John 8:11).
The church, across its denominations, so often has the reputation of being Pharisaic, unforgiving, authoritarian, even as rumours of scandals within, real or imagined, abound. In Romans 7, the Apostle Paul reminded those to whom he wrote of the sin that afflicts us all, including himself: “For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do…it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me…for the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice,” (Romans 7:15-24). And John writes: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:8,9).
To hold firmly the theological and moral positions of the Church, based on Biblical Scripture, which the Church accepts as the revealed Word of God and to show compassion to those who are caught in all kinds of immoral lifestyles, is not to compromise the faith. In this same letter, Paul reminds church members “And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:11).
Within Christianity, theological differences exist regarding salvation. Some believe that men and women can save themselves by good works, no matter the moral quality of their lives. Others believe that at some point persons “make a decision” for Christ and are saved. Some look to Christ Jesus alone for salvation while others believe in the intercession of “saints” and angels. The high mark of Christianity is that Christians believe that Jesus Christ is a human Incarnation of a Triune God, who exists as Father, Son and Spirit. Jesus is the Son of God. His death on the Cross is seen as a death of Atonement for all His people whom the Father has given Him. Some believe that Christ died for all the world. These theological disputes and differences have gone on for all of Church history. Non-Christians have no interest in these.
Paul writes to the Ephesians that God the Father “chose us in Him (Christ) before the foundation of the world…having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will…in Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace…” (Ephesians 1:4-7). And here in Ephesians 2:1-10, Paul affirms clearly: “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast….”
This passage reaffirms our helpless addictions to all kinds of sins. We who are Christians are saved only by the grace of God. How much more then we must show compassion to those caught in immoralities and other lawless activities. We certainly do not approve of what is condemned by our religious teachings. But how we meet difficult moral situations in our families, among friends, work colleagues or in the wider society, will show the quality of our faith, and how much we understand the mercy God has extended to us.
Paul ended his letter to the Corinthians: “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with love.” (1 Corinthians 16:13, 14). Not with sentimental compromises, but even as we support the moral authority of the Church of Jesus Christ, how we do so will say much about us, and the kind of witness-disciples we are.