Exegetical Commentary Series First Corinthians 5 Immorality in the Church

In this fifth chapter of First Corinthians we are shown how the apostle Paul handled the difficult case of incest in the Corinthian church, a church he himself had helped to establish. Even Paul recognized that there was evil all around him, but there was also the presence of sin in man's flesh. He stated in Romans 7:20: "Now if I do that I would not, it is no more that I do it, but sin that dwells in me." He was honest enough to confess that sin dwells within all of us, and we are facing a tremendous daily struggle.

But victory is promised! The same apostle who acknowledged his own sin also triumphantly proclaimed that we are more than conquerors through Christ (Rom. 8:37).