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"I wrote to you in my epistle..."

Text: 1 Corinthians 5:9

A LOST EPISTLE

Paul mentioned that he had written an epistle to the Corinthians in this text. This is known as “the lost epistle”.

“I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company
with sexually immoral people. Yet I certainly did
not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world,
or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters,
since then you would need to go out of the world.
But now I have written to you not to keep company with
anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous,
or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner-
not even to eat with such a person.”
1 Corinthians 5:9-11

1. “I wrote to you in my epistle”

a) This epistle has never been found.

b) Thus, it is called “the lost epistle”. (That would have been the original 1 Corinthians.)

2. Contents of the Lost Epistle

a) There was strong admonition given.

b) The believers were admonished not to keep company with sexually immoral people!

3. A further explanation given here

a) There may have been misunderstanding as to what Paul meant.

b) An explanation is now given in this text.

4. The people of the world were briefly described here (1 Corinthians 5:10)

a) A brief description of some of the people of the world.

i) The people in the world have different standards of morality from Christians.

ii) True believers are “unleavened bread” (sincerity and truth).

b) Keeping company with people of the world.

i) It is impossible to live in this world without keeping company with some of doubtful morality.

ii) Paul did not teach dissociation with the people of the world.

5. People who profess faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 5:11)

a) True believers cannot be in close fellowship with “brothers” who have doubtful moral values.

b) Those who are conscientious would not even “eat” with people with bad or immoral values.