You may be right, but I am still not convinced. Not that I am being hard-headed or obstinate, but in light of 1 John 3, where John plainly said we can not continue sinning, I find it hard to believe this 'affair' was of a lengthy time. But again, you could be right.
The statements given in 1 John 3 are general principles to live by. If they were absolutes they would contradict 1 John 1:8-10. Each and every chapter of the epistle of First Corinthians addresses a problem which dealt with a lifestyle. One doesn't overeat just one time to be called gluttonous. It was habitual. The same was true for drinking. Some of them were drunks. They had drinking problems. It was habitual. The same was true of taking one another to court. If it had happened but one time it wouldn't have been a problem, but it was happening over and over again so much so that it was ruining the reputation of the church.
In chapter one, it was not just one person that had wanted to be baptized by the great apostle--Paul; it was many. Look at the answer Paul gave: "I thank God that I have baptized none of you." It was a problem that infected the church. It was one aspect of divisiveness that ran through the church and continued in many different aspects.
Marriage problems of all sorts continued to be a problem.
This was a carnal church with carnal believers living out carnal lifestyles.
The question that must be asked is: Are they willing to be rebuked and willing to repent. They were. If they were not willing to receive correction and not willing to repent then that would be evidence of "not being saved," or continuing in unrighteousness.
The example of discipline in Matthew 18:15-20 pictures someone who is continuing in sin. You see that person in sin; it offends you, and you go to him. If he repents all is well. But if he doesn't repent, then what?
He continues on in his sin. It is a lifestyle.
You take with you one or two others that every word may be established.
If he repents then all is well. But if no, then he continues in his evil lifestyle.
You take the third step of bringing him before the church.
I wonder how much time has passed now that this "member" has been continuing in a sinful lifestyle?
He is a member of the church, a brother. If he repents, then all is well.
If he doesn't repent then the action of the Corinthian church is taken--disfellowship him, or excommunicate him. This is a restorative action.
Now, I have done a little studying about the Corinthian church at the time of this writing, and the church's size was rumored to be between 40-150. So if I go with the mean, it would put the church's numbers at 95 members.
Now, according to your view/understanding of what transpired, all 95 members knew what was going on and all were 'egging' it on. Whereas I believe that only a few knew about it. The other day we had to excommunicate two people. I was shocked about what I heard and had no clue what had happened. Others knew of it, but not I. So that is why I am hard pressed to say that all the members were 'glorying' in what one fornicator was doing.
Paul wrote that letter to those 95 members(my estimated membership) as a whole, yes. However, the evildoings he was addressing was addressed at the transgressors. They were the ones 'egging' him on.
Consider these quotes:
1Co 16:15 I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)
1Co 16:19 The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.
Concerning the above verse Adam Clarke writes:
With the Church that is in their house - That is, the company of believers who generally worshipped there. There were no churches or chapels at that time built; and the assemblies of Christians were necessarily held in private houses. It appears that Aquila and Priscilla devoted their house to this purpose. The house of Philemon was of the same kind; Phm_1:2. So was likewise the house of Nymphas, Col_4:15. See the note on Rom_16:5.
There were no buildings. They gathered in homes. Even in Jerusalem:
Act 12:5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
Act 12:12 And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.
The "church of Jerusalem" or at least many of the believers, had gathered at the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark, and were praying for Peter. But in Acts 2, 3,000 were saved, and many more added to this church daily.
By Act 6 this church had at least 150,000, too big for the apostles to handle. So they chose "deacons". They had to be meeting in many different houses, which were under supervision by the apostles.
Something similar may have been happening in Corinth. They didn't have church buildings unto ca.250 A.D. or later. It is possible that not "all" were well acquainted with the situation, or not "all" were carnal and involved in the situations mentioned. It was just the general state of affairs that was reported to him at that time.
