1It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles, that one has his father’s wife. 2You are arrogant, and didn’t mourn instead, that he who had done this deed might be removed from among you. 3For I most certainly, as being absent in body but present in spirit, have already, as though I were present, judged him who has done this thing. 4In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together with my spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5you are to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
6Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole lump? 7Purge out the old yeast, that you may be a new lump, even as you are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed in our place. 8Therefore let’s keep the feast, not with old yeast, neither with the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
9I wrote to you in my letter to have no company with sexual sinners; 10yet not at all meaning with the sexual sinners of this world, or with the covetous and extortionists, or with idolaters, for then you would have to leave the world. 11But as it is, I wrote to you not to associate with anyone who is called a brother who is a sexual sinner, or covetous, or an idolater, or a slanderer, or a drunkard, or an extortionist. Don’t even eat with such a person. 12For what do I have to do with also judging those who are outside? Don’t you judge those who are within? 13But those who are outside, God judges. “Put away the wicked man from among yourselves.”
This passage illustrates how God expects detailed obedience. The sons of Aaron the high priest offered strange fire before the LORD. The fire was called “strange,” because God had not commanded them to offer such fire. According to Leviticus 16:11-14 (see also Exodus 30:9), the fire for the firepans ought to have been taken from the altar before the LORD. Since they took fire from another source, they were instantly consumed by fire that came out from the presence of the LORD. Despite prior instruction (Leviticus 1-9) and warnings about the consequences of disobedience, they chose to disobey (Leviticus 8:35; 9:7, 10, 16, 21).
Many more examples of God’s desire for comprehensive obedience can be cited. Jesus said, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others (Matthew 23:23).” Zacharias was struck with muteness right away when he “did not believe” Gabriel’s announcement that Elizabeth would miraculously conceive John the Baptist (Luke 1:18-25). Ananias and Sapphira died immediately when Satan filled their heart “to lie to the Holy Spirit” about the price of the sale of their land (Acts 5:1-11). Herod was straight away killed by the angel of the Lord “because he did not give God the glory” when the people shouted, “The voice of a god and not of a man (Acts 12:20-23)!” Elymas the magician was smitten with blindness for a time because he was “seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith (Acts 13:4-12).” A “so-called brother” was delivered “to Satan for the destruction of his flesh,” was supposed to be removed from the local church, and Christians were “not even to eat with such a one” since he was committing adultery with “his father’s wife (1 Corinthians 5).” Some of the Corinthians were “weak and sick,” and a number had died because they partook of communion unworthily (1 Corinthians 11:20-34).