Lesson 105: 1 Corinthians 5–6
Introduction
The Apostle Paul cautioned the Saints against allowing
wicked people to influence them. He warned the Saints to avoid the immoral
philosophies and practices prevalent in Corinth.
I.
1 Corinthians 5 Paul cautions the Saints against
keeping company with those who willfully choose to sin
---On the board, draw a simple picture of a bowl of fresh
fruit with one rotten piece of fruit in it. Alternatively, you could display a
rotten piece of fruit.
• What would happen if you allowed a
rotten piece of fruit to remain in a bowl with other fresh fruit?
• What could the rotten piece of
fruit represent in our lives? (Influences that could harm us.)
---Invite students to look for truths as they study 1 Corinthians 5 that can help them
better respond to harmful influences in their lives.
---Invite a student to read 1 Corinthians 5:1–2 aloud. Ask the class to
follow along, looking for a wicked practice among the Corinthian Saints.
• What wicked practice existed among
the Corinthian Saints? (Explain that fornication refers to any sexual relations
outside of marriage. One of the Church members in Corinth had engaged in sexual
sin with his stepmother.)
• According to verse 2, what did Paul counsel Church
leaders to do with this person? (Explain that the phrase “taken away from among
you” in verse 2 means the sinner should be
excommunicated from the Church.)
---Point out that Church leaders carefully consider many factors
before excommunication or any other form of Church discipline takes place. In
addition to considering how serious the transgression is, Church leaders
consider the various purposes for Church discipline: to help a person repent,
to protect those who would be negatively affected by a person’s actions or the
spreading of that person’s beliefs, and to protect the integrity of the
Church’s teachings (see “Church Discipline,” mormonnewsroom.org/articles/church-discipline).
---Invite students to read 1 Corinthians 5:6–7 aloud, and ask the class
to look for the analogy Paul used to explain why this individual needed to be
removed from the Church.
• What did Paul compare unrepentant
sinners to? (Explain that leaven, or yeast, eventually causes bread to spoil or
become moldy.)
• How much leaven is needed to
affect an entire lump of dough?
• What does the lump of dough
represent? (The Church of Jesus Christ.)
• How would you summarize the
meaning of this analogy as a principle? (Using their own words, students should
identify a principle similar to the following: If we choose to closely
associate with those who embrace sin, we can be influenced by their wickedness.
Write this truth on the board.)
---Invite a student to read 1 Corinthians 5:9–11 aloud. Ask the class to
follow along, looking for counsel Paul gave the Corinthian Saints.
• What did Paul instruct the
Corinthian Saints to avoid?
---To help students further understand Paul’s counsel not to
keep company with fornicators or others who embrace sin, provide students with
a copy of the following statement by Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Quorum
of the Twelve Apostles. Ask a student to read it aloud:
“Do not
company with fornicators—not because you are too good for them but, as
[C. S.] Lewis wrote, because you are not good enough. Remember that bad
situations can wear down even good people” (“The Stern but Sweet Seventh Commandment,” New
Era, June 1979, 42).
• How might closely associating with
those who embrace sin weaken our ability to make righteous choices?
• What are some examples of bad
situations that can wear down good people?
• What can we do without
compromising our standards to help individuals who have embraced sin? (We can
pray for them, show kindness and respect for them as children of God, and set a
righteous example of keeping the commandments.)
---Invite students to prayerfully consider what they can do
to influence others in a positive way without compromising their standards.
---In 1 Corinthians 5:12–13 Paul taught that the
Church has a responsibility to call members to repentance and in some cases to
“put away from among [the Church]” (verse 13) those who commit serious
transgressions.
II.
1 Corinthians 6 Paul teaches the Saints about unity
and the law of chastity
---Draw another simple picture on the board of a bowl of
rotten fruit with one fresh piece of fruit in it. Invite students to consider
if they have ever wondered how to avoid sin when it is all around them. Point
out that this was a challenge the Corinthian Saints faced.
---As students study 1 Corinthians 6, invite them to look
for truths Paul taught that could help them live righteously despite being
surrounded by wicked influences.
---1 Corinthians 6:1–8 says that Paul counseled
the Corinthian Saints to righteously resolve disputes among themselves rather
than immediately resorting to civil courts.
---Invite a student to read 1 Corinthians 6:9–11 aloud. Ask the class to
follow along, looking for sinful practices in Corinth that Paul taught Church
members to avoid.
• What types of sinful behaviors did
Paul teach Church members to avoid?
• According to verse 11, what did Paul remind these Saints
about themselves? (Many converts from Corinth had participated in these sinful
behaviors before joining the Church, but they had repented and been cleansed
from their sins.)
---Ancient Corinth had a reputation for immorality, and many
Corinthians promoted the idea that our bodies were made for pleasure. Summarize
the Joseph Smith Translation of 1 Corinthians 6:12 by explaining that Paul
taught against the philosophy that there is no right or wrong.
• How were the ideas and practices
in Corinth similar to trends we see in the world today?
---Invite a student to read 1 Corinthians 6:13 aloud. Ask the class to
follow along, looking for what Paul taught about the purpose of our bodies.
• What did Paul teach about our
bodies? (While many of the Corinthians apparently believed that the body was
made simply for physical pleasures, Paul corrected that view by teaching that
our bodies were created to accomplish the Lord’s purposes.)
---1 Corinthians 6:14–17 says that those who
join the Church become one with Christ as spiritual “members” of His body. Paul
also explained that sexual immorality is incompatible with a spiritual
relationship with Jesus Christ.
---Invite a student to read 1 Corinthians 6:18 aloud. Ask the class to
follow along, looking for what Paul taught the Corinthian Saints to do. (You
may want to point out that the Joseph Smith Translation of 1 Corinthians 6:18 changes the phrase
“without the body” to “against the body of Christ.”)
• What did Paul teach the Corinthian
Saints to do?
• What truth did Paul teach about
those who commit fornication? (You may want to suggest that students mark the
words in verse 18 that teach the following truth: Those
who commit fornication sin against their own bodies.)
---Paul next taught why fornication, or sexual immorality,
is a sin “against [the person’s] own body.”
---Invite a student to read 1 Corinthians 6:19 aloud. Ask the class to
follow along, looking for what Paul compared our bodies to.
1 Corinthians 6:19–20 is a scripture mastery
passage. Studying scripture mastery passages will help students increase their
understanding of basic doctrines and be prepared to teach them to others. You
may want to suggest that students mark scripture mastery passages in a
distinctive way so they will be able to locate them easily. Refer to the
teaching idea at the end of the lesson to help students with their mastery of
this passage.
• What did Paul compare our bodies
to?
---Display a picture of a temple.
• What is the difference between a
temple and any other building?
• How would you summarize the truth
Paul taught in verse 19? (Students may use other words but
should identify the following doctrine: Our bodies are temples of God in which
the Spirit can dwell.)
• How can understanding that our
bodies are temples influence how we treat our bodies and the bodies of others?
---Invite a student to read aloud the following statement by
Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Ask the
class to listen for additional insights about how understanding this truth can
influence how we treat our bodies.
“Acknowledging
these truths [from 1 Corinthians 6:19–20] … , we
would certainly not deface our body, as with tattoos; or debilitate it, as with
drugs; or defile it, as with fornication, adultery, or immodesty. … As our body
is the instrument of our spirit, it is vital that we care for it as best we
can. We should consecrate its powers to serve and further the work of Christ” (“Reflections on a Consecrated Life,” Ensign or Liahona,
Nov. 2010, 17).
• What do you think Paul meant by
the phrase “ye are not your own” in verse 19?
---Invite a student to read 1 Corinthians 6:20 aloud. Ask the class to
follow along, looking for why our bodies are not our own.
• What phrase indicates why our
bodies are not our own? (Explain that “bought with a price” means to be
redeemed or bought back through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.)
• How would you summarize a truth
from verses 19–20? (After students respond, consider
inviting them to write the following truth in their scriptures near verses 19–20: Because we have been bought with a
price through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, our bodies are not our own.)
---Invite a student to read aloud the following statement by
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:
“Please,
never say: ‘Who does it hurt? Why not a little freedom? I can transgress now
and repent later.’ Please don’t be so foolish and so cruel. You cannot with
impunity ‘crucify Christ afresh’ [see Hebrews 6:6]. ‘Flee fornication’
[1 Corinthian 6:18], Paul cries, and flee ‘anything like unto it’ [D&C 59:6; emphasis added], the Doctrine and Covenants adds. Why? Well, for one
reason because of the incalculable suffering in both body and spirit endured by
the Savior of the world so that we could flee [see especially Doctrine and Covenants 19:15–20]. We owe Him
something for that. Indeed, we owe Him everything for that” (“Personal Purity,” Ensign, Nov. 1998, 76).
• How should remembering that our
bodies are not our own influence the choices we make regarding our bodies?
---Refer students to the picture on the board of the fresh
piece of fruit surrounded by rotten fruit.
• How can understanding these truths
about our bodies help us remain pure when we are surrounded by wickedness?
---Testify of the truths you have discussed. Invite students
to ponder the impressions or promptings they may have received during the
lesson and to act on those promptings.
Scripture Mastery—1 Corinthians 6:19–20
Invite students to write a brief talk based on 1 Corinthians 6:19–20. Encourage them to
include the following: (1) the background information related to this
passage (background information can be found on the scripture mastery card),
(2) the principles that it teaches, and (3) a personal experience
that illustrates the truth that this passage teaches. You could invite a few
students to present their talks to the class. Encourage students to consider
opportunities they may have to present their talks at home or at Church.
Commentary and Background Information
1 Corinthians
5:9. “Not to keep company with fornicators”
Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve
Apostles taught that as members of the Church, we believe in “a doctrine of
inclusion.” In teaching this doctrine, Elder Ballard said:
“[The Savior’s] deliberate use of Jews and Samaritans
clearly teaches that we are all neighbors and that we should love, esteem,
respect, and serve one another despite our deepest differences—including
religious, political, and cultural differences. …
“[However,] I am not suggesting … that we should associate
in any relationship that would place us or our families at spiritual risk” (“Doctrine of Inclusion,” Ensign, Nov.
2001, 37).
Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve
Apostles also taught about respecting others, even if they believe or act
differently than members of the Church:
“Many teachers in church and school have grieved at the way
some teenagers, including LDS youth, treat one another. The commandment to love
one another surely includes love and respect across religious lines and also
across racial, cultural, and economic lines. We challenge all youth to avoid
bullying, insults, or language and practices that deliberately inflict pain on
others. All of these violate the Savior’s command to love one another” (“Loving Others and Living with Differences,”
Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2014, 27).
1 Corinthians
5:13. “Put away from yourselves that wicked person”
When the Church formally puts away a person who is embracing
serious sin, it is called Church discipline. The following entry from True to
the Faith: A Gospel Reference explains the process of Church discipline:
“Bishops and branch presidents and stake, mission, and
district presidents have a responsibility to help members overcome
transgression through repentance. The most serious transgressions, such as
serious violations of civil law, spouse abuse, child abuse, adultery,
fornication, rape, and incest, often require formal Church discipline. Formal
Church discipline may include restriction of Church membership privileges or
loss of Church membership.
“The process of formal discipline begins when a presiding
priesthood leader calls for a disciplinary council. The purposes of
disciplinary councils are to save the souls of transgressors, protect the
innocent, and safeguard the purity, integrity, and good name of the Church.
“Church discipline is an inspired process that takes place
over a period of time. Through this process and through the Atonement of Jesus
Christ, a member can receive forgiveness
of sins, regain peace of mind, and gain strength to avoid transgression in the
future. Church disciplinary action is not intended to be the end of the
process. It is designed to help Heavenly Father’s children continue in their
efforts to return to full fellowship and the full blessings of the Church. The
desired result is that the person make whatever changes are necessary to repent
completely” (“Church Disciplinary Councils,” True to the Faith
[2004], 37–38).
Supplemental Teaching Idea
1 Corinthians
5:13. “Put away from yourselves that wicked person”
To help students prepare to apply the principle they
identified in 1 Corinthians 5, you may want to do the
following activity:
Divide students into pairs and invite them to read “Friends”
in For the Strength of Youth ([booklet, 2011], 16–17) together. Ask them to look for counsel
related to choosing good friends. After sufficient time, invite a few students
to report their findings to the class.
•
How can the Lord’s standards regarding friends help us make
righteous choices in our lives?
Invite students to write in their class notebooks or scripture
study journals one way they will seek to apply the principle they identified in
1 Corinthians 5 by living according to
the counsel they discovered in For the Strength of Youth.
© 2016 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
Lesson 106: 1
Corinthians 7–8
Introduction
Paul instructed
both married and single Church members in Corinth about marriage and missionary
work. Responding to a question about eating meat offered to idols,
Paul taught the Saints to consider the effect of their personal practices on
others and be willing to forgo some actions if those actions might cause
another to stumble spiritually.
I. 1 Corinthians 7 Paul counsels married and
single Church members about marriage
---Copy the
following diagram on the board:
---To help students
understand the context of 1 Corinthians 7, remind them that, like
us, Church members in Corinth lived in a society with confusing and conflicting
ideas about marriage and physical or sexual intimacy.
•
Based on what you recall from your study of 1 Corinthians 5–6, what were some false
beliefs about sexual relations that were prevalent in Corinth?
---After students
respond, write the following on the left side of the diagram under “False
Belief:” It is acceptable to participate in physical intimacy with anyone.
---Church members
in Corinth had written to the Apostle Paul asking for guidance concerning the
Lord’s standard of sexual purity.
---Invite a student
to read 1 Corinthians 7:1 aloud, and ask the class
to look for a question the Corinthian Saints asked Paul.
•
What did the Corinthian Saints ask Paul?
---The phrase “it
is good for a man not to touch a woman” in verse 1 indicates that the Corinthian Saints
had questions about when and if physical intimacy was appropriate. Some may
have questioned whether even married people should participate in physical
intimacy. Write the following on the right side of the diagram under “False
Belief:” It is never acceptable to participate in physical intimacy, not even
in marriage.
---Point out that
both of the false beliefs written on the diagram represent extreme views that
vary from God’s standard for physical intimacy.
---Ask a student to
read 1 Corinthians 7:2–3 aloud. Invite the class
to follow along, looking for what Paul taught the Corinthians about physical intimacy.
(You may need to help students understand that fornication refers to sexual
relations outside of marriage and due benevolence refers to the love and
intimacy expressed between husband and wife.)
---Invite a student
to read the following statement found in For the Strength of Youth:
“Physical intimacy between husband and wife is beautiful and
sacred. It is ordained of God for the creation of children and for the
expression of love between husband and wife. God has commanded that sexual
intimacy be reserved for marriage”
(For the Strength of Youth [booklet, 2011], 35).
•
From what we have just read, what can we learn about physical intimacy? (After
students respond, write the following truth on the diagram under “Truth:” Physical
intimacy between husband and wife is ordained of God.)
---Invite a student
to read aloud the following statement by President Boyd K. Packer of the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Ask the class to listen for why intimacy in
marriage is ordained of God.
“The power of procreation is not an incidental part of the
plan; it is the plan of happiness; it is the key to happiness.
“The desire to mate in humankind is constant and very
strong. Our happiness in mortal life, our joy and exaltation are dependent upon
how we respond to these persistent, compelling physical desires” (“The Plan of Happiness,” Ensign or Liahona, May
2015, 26).
•
What are the purposes of physical intimacy between husband and wife?
•
Why is procreation—the ability to create mortal life—so important in Heavenly
Father’s plan?
---In 1 Corinthians 7:4–24 Paul taught that
spouses should not generally withhold marital affection from each other, that
widowed and divorced members of the Church were permitted to remarry if they
chose, and that Church members should “abide with God” whatever their
circumstances. Paul also discouraged divorce.
---To help students
identify another truth from Paul’s writings in 1 Corinthians 7, divide students into
groups of two or three, and provide each group with a copy of the following
handout:
1 Corinthians 7:12–17 There were Church members in Corinth whose
spouses were not Christians.
• What difficulties
might spouses of different faiths experience?
Read aloud Paul’s
counsel to these part-member families in 1 Corinthians 7:12–17, looking for truths
Paul taught that could help part-member families today.
In the following
space, summarize what Paul taught about the effect faithful members of the
Church can have on their families: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.
• What examples
have you seen in which a member of the Church has had a positive effect on family members who were either not members of the Church or not
active in the Church?
© 2015 by Intellectual
Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
---After sufficient
time, ask students to report the truth they identified in 1 Corinthians 7:12–17. Students’ answers may
vary, but they should express a truth similar to the following: Faithful followers of Jesus Christ have a sanctifying effect on their families.
---You may want to
invite a few students to share examples of Church members who have had a
positive effect on family members who were not members of the Church or who
were not active in the Church.
---1 Corinthians 7:25–40 says that Paul gave
his opinion concerning single members who were “called unto the ministry” (Joseph Smith Translation, 1 Corinthians 7:29
[in the Bible appendix]) and explained that their
circumstances allowed them to serve the Lord “without distraction” (verse 35), or without temporal concerns
related to providing for a family. However, he did not forbid them to marry.
II. 1 Corinthians 8 Paul answers a question about eating meat offered to idols
---Invite a student
to read aloud the following statement by Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum
of the Twelve Apostles:
“I spent my career in the department store business. Because
I was part of a management team, it was important for me to interact socially
with local business organizations. The meetings with most of these
organizations always started with a cocktail hour [during which alcoholic
drinks are traditionally served]. It was a time to mix and get acquainted with
the men who belonged to the organization. I have always felt uncomfortable in
these social hours. At first I started asking for a lemon-lime soda. I soon
discovered that lemon-lime soda looks like many of the other drinks. I could
not build the impression I was a nondrinker with a clear soda in my hands” (“The Tradition of a Balanced, Righteous Life,”
Ensign, Aug. 2011, 48–49).
•
What could have happened if Elder Perry had continued to drink clear soda
during the cocktail hours?
•
What are other situations in which our example could negatively influence
others even though we may not be doing anything wrong?
---Church members
in Corinth wondered if it was acceptable for them to eat food that had been
offered to idols, or pagan gods.
---Point out that
Paul acknowledged that Church members might think this was acceptable because
they knew that pagan gods didn’t really exist (see 1 Corinthians 8:4–6).
---Invite a student
to read 1 Corinthians 8:1, and ask the class to look
for what Paul taught the Corinthian Saints.
•
Although the people knew that idols were not real, what did Paul say was more
important than what they knew? (Charity, or unselfish love for others.)
•
According to this verse, what could result from knowledge? (Becoming puffed up,
or arrogant.) What could result from charity? (Edification, or strengthening
oneself or others.)
---Invite a student
to read 1 Corinthians 8:7–10 aloud. Ask the class to
follow along, looking for when the Corinthian Saints should not eat meat that
might have been offered to idols. (You may need to help students understand
that weak in these verses may refer to weakness in understanding and that liberty
[verse 9] refers to Church members’ freedom
to partake of meat that may have been offered to idols.)
•
According to verse 9, under what condition did Paul say
they should not eat meat offered to idols? (If it would be a stumbling block
for someone with a weak testimony or without the knowledge of the gospel.)
•
What example did Paul give in verse 10 about one way eating meat offered
to idols might be a stumbling block? (If a Church member who was weaker in
faith saw another member eat at a dining hall connected to a local pagan
temple, the member of weaker faith may also believe that nothing was wrong with
idol worship.)
---Ask a student to
read 1 Corinthians 8:11–13 aloud. Invite the
class to follow along, looking for Paul’s answer to the question of eating food
offered to idols.
•
According to verse 13, what did Paul say his own course
of action would be in this situation? Why? (Help students understand that offend
in this verse means to stumble spiritually, sin, or lose faith.)
•
What principle can we learn from these verses about how we can avoid leading
others to stumble spiritually? (After students respond, write the following
principle on the board: We can show charity for others by avoiding actions that
could lead them to stumble spiritually.)
---Invite a student
to read aloud the remainder of Elder Perry’s account. Ask the class to listen
for how Elder Perry applied this principle:
“I decided I had to have a drink that would clearly mark me
as a nondrinker. I went to the bartender and requested a glass of milk. The
bartender had never had such a request. He went into the kitchen and found a
glass of milk for me. Now I had a drink that looked very different from the
alcoholic beverages the others were drinking. …
“Milk became my drink of choice at the cocktail hours. It
soon became common knowledge I was a Mormon. The respect I received really
surprised me, as did an interesting event that started to occur. Others soon
joined me in a pure milk cocktail!”
(“The Tradition of a Balanced, Righteous Life,” 49).
•
What are other examples of how we might show charity for others by avoiding
actions that could cause them to stumble spiritually?
---Testify of the
truths students discovered today, and encourage students to seek the guidance
of the Holy Ghost as they strive to live according to these truths.
Commentary and Background Information
1 Corinthians 7:1–5. Intimacy
in marriage
President
Howard W. Hunter taught that charitable behavior in the relationship
between husband and wife is the Lord’s standard:
“Tenderness and respect—never
selfishness—must be the guiding principles in the intimate relationship between
husband and wife” (“Being a Righteous Husband and Father,” Ensign,
Nov. 1994, 51). (See also New Testament Student Manual [Church Educational
System manual, 2014], 368.)
1 Corinthians 7:8, 25–35. Was
Paul opposed to marriage?
Based on passages
such as 1 Corinthians 7:8, 25–35, some people may
mistakenly conclude that Paul was opposed to marriage. The Joseph
Smith Translation, however, clarifies that in these verses, Paul
addressed those who were soon to “be sent forth unto the ministry,” or to
missionary service (Joseph Smith Translation, 1 Corinthians 7:29
[in the Bible appendix]). Seen in this light, His counsel
was similar to that given by Church leaders today, who counsel young
missionaries to refrain from dating or forming romantic relationships while
serving missions. On other occasions, Paul wrote favorably of marriage (see 1 Corinthians 9:1–5; 11:11; 1 Timothy 3:2; Hebrews 13:4). Paul’s words recorded in 1 Corinthians 7 then are not a complete
picture of Paul’s views on marriage but were intended to address a temporary
situation in the lives of those called to serve missions.
1 Corinthians 7:14. Latter-day
insights on Paul’s counsel
Doctrine and Covenants 74 contains
additional insight on Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 7:14. (See also Doctrine and Covenants and Church History
Seminary Teacher Manual [Church Educational System manual, 2013], 260–61.)
Supplemental
Teaching Ideas
1 Corinthians 7:10–15. The
ideal of permanent marriage
You may have
students whose parents have been divorced. Be sensitive to their feelings as
you teach 1 Corinthians 7, and be ready to help
them understand its teachings about divorce. In the early Church, divorce was
discouraged, as was marrying a different spouse after divorcing. You might ask
students to compare 1 Corinthians 7:10–15 with Matthew 19:3–9 and ask students to identify what
ideals these scriptures teach about marriage. Both passages teach that marriage
is meant to be permanent. Both also identify some reasons when divorce may be
necessary (for example, infidelity). Help students understand that the Church
anciently and in our day has permitted divorce and permitted divorcees to
remarry, while promoting the ideal of harmonious, lasting marriages.
1 Corinthians
7:13–14. Video presentation—“Be an Example Like She Was”
After students
identify the truth that faithful followers of Jesus
Christ have a sanctifying effect on their families, consider showing
the video “Be an Example Like She Was” (1:26). This video
tells the story of a woman with a less-active husband. She found inspiration in
the story of an ancestor who had a similar experience. This video can be found
on LDS.org.
•
What good results
could come from these women’s decisions to support their husbands, who were not
active in the Church?
© 2016 by
Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
Right margin extras:
Help students
fulfill their role in the learning process
Spiritual
learning requires effort and the exercise of agency by the learner. For many
students, putting forth such effort to learn from the scriptures may seem
unfamiliar and somewhat difficult. However, you can help them understand,
accept, and fulfill their role in gospel learning. As students actively fulfill
their role in gospel learning, they open their hearts to the influence of the Holy Ghost.
Use stories to help students
understand principles
Stories can help
students understand gospel principles that have been identified within a
scripture block. By illustrating a gospel principle in a modern context,
stories can also help students understand how a gospel principle relates to
their lives as well as help them feel a desire to apply it.
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