Let's Dance

Brothers and sisters: It is widely reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of a kind not found even among pagans–a man living with his father’s wife. And you are inflated with pride. Should you not rather have been sorrowful? The one who did this deed should be expelled from your midst. I, for my part, although absent in body but present in spirit, have already, as if present, pronounced judgment on the one who has committed this deed, in the name of our Lord Jesus: when you have gathered together and I am with you in spirit with the power of the Lord Jesus, you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord. Your boasting is not appropriate.

Do you not know that a little yeast leavens all the dough? Clear out the old yeast, so that you may become a fresh batch of dough, inasmuch as you are unleavened. For our Paschal Lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed. Therefore, let us celebrate the feast, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. (1 Corinthians 5:1-8)

Paul condemns immorality and indicates we should deliver “this man” [or woman] to Satan for destruction, later to be saved “on the day of the Lord.”  Immoral men and women should be “expelled from our midst.”  Do we expel them meaning we recognize they are immoral, and we will not follow them? 

We must not sing their tunes or march to the beat of their drums.  Rather, we must dance to the tunes of the Lord of the Dance such as:  “…Dance, then, wherever you may be, I am the Lord of the Dance, said he.  And I'll lead you all, wherever you may be, and I'll lead you all in the Dance, said he.  They cut me down and I leapt up high. I am the life that'll never, never die. I'll live in you if you'll live in me – I am the Lord Of the Dance, said he.”

Paul tells us not to use the old yeast of malice and wickedness but to clear it out and be unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.  If we do not, we remain immoral for we will rise from the yeast of evil intent and spread that evil on behalf of Satan.  That’s quite the warning not all of us heed.  Sowing hatred and division is caused by old yeast in our midst.

It’s far better to be a fresh batch and unleavened meaning we are sincere and truthful.  That’s cause for celebration and dance.  So, let’s dance!

Deacon David Pierce