Here is how certain railers against the Truth (whether hypothetical or actual) might respond to God the Holy Spirit’s warnings and admonitions in 1 Corinthians 5:1-13 (cf. 2 Timothy 3:16-17).
“It is reported commonly [that there is] fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife. And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you. For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, [concerning] him that hath so done this deed, In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Your glorying [is] not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened [bread] of sincerity and truth.”
Bold-Evil-Vainly-Shrouded: These hurtful words are irksome and tiresome; these fierce fulminations are threatening and manifest an inhuman lack of empathy. Paul cruelly labels us “puffed up” panderers of porneia (i.e., fornication) when we are simply being loving, caring, tolerant, and empathetic (give us some credit). This “grotesque fornicator” possesses a unique and beautiful song. Paul would imperiously stifle this mellifluous melody — this is wrong. This is a vile and disgusting outrage. I tremble and quake. Musing further and deeper upon Paul’s facinorous folly, the more intense the mix of rage and melancholy.
“I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.”
Bold-Evil-Vainly-Shrouded: Paul perniciously pounces and pronounces his incredibly cruel condemnation. This so-called “wicked person” is humiliated, torn down (instead of encouraged and built up), run off, and emotionally harmed. Paul, in effect, calls us puffed up panderers, glorying in porneia. No. We are simply being loving and welcome the outcast with open and understanding arms. Paul’s autocratic power trip is palpable and conspicuous; it is theocratic abuse and it is quite ridiculous. Paul (and those likeminded with him) CLAIM to purge out the old leaven out of LOVE for their PASSOVER. But I don’t believe it. Nor should you. My opinion, my ipse dixit, is that the deeds of this alleged “wicked person” would not have been committed had this Corinthian church environment been more tolerant, open, understanding, and most importantly, empathetic. Oh wait. It was. And we are. And for this very reason, hurt-my-feelings Paul rebukes us from afar.
Agrammatos 