1 Corinthians 5: Avoiding Sin

Sometimes it is difficult to know whether terms used in the Bible are being used in the same way we use them today. There are many words and phrases which may come under this scrutiny but we are going to examine fornication. Did Paul use it the same way we use it today. Today fornication can mean different things to different people but Websters Dictionary describes it as follows:

"consensual sexual intercourse between two persons not married to each other"

That definition is pretty straight forward, but how was it seen in Paul's time? In the scriptures fornication is often used for any unlawful sexual relations between two people and it seems to be interchangeable with terms like adultery. Fornicator is also the title occasionally given to a person who has apostised or fallen away. Remember that in the Bible any sexual relationship between two unmarried people is unlawful. During the times of the Apostles it was against civil law and also as it remains to this day against God's law. 

In 1 Corinthians 5 Paul gives us some additional advice on how to avoid sin. It is important to understand the meaning of fornication because in verse 9 and 10 he counsels us to steer clear of fornicators. This of course doesn't just mean unmarried non-virgins, this means that we should not associate ourselves with those who have fallen away or broken God's law. These people are likely to drag us down with them and this is why Paul gives us this counsel. Paul also suggests that we be as new lamps or that we return to are innocence. A new lamp has no oil or burn stains on it, it is pure and clean. Repentance can return us to this clean state and this is what Paul suggests we must do. We must return to our clean state and do our best to remain there.

In Matthew 5 verse 29 Christ tells us that we should cut out our right eye if it offends us, for it is better for one member to perish than for the whole body be damned to hell. If there is a sin or a habit that we have we should give it up, we should cast it out and return the whole of us to a clean state. If we are willing to give up and cast out the sins we enjoy and continually seek a state that is pleasing unto God we will be better prepared to avoid sin when it comes to tempt us.

This material was brought to you by a reading of the King James Bible, the scriptures can be found at http://lds.org/scriptures on the web or at book stores every where.