Sexual immorality is no laughing matter. I know many guys think that “locker room” talk is okay, or not that big of a deal. However, the follower of Jesus has much to uphold and every word we say is incredibly important.

I had a colleague push me this summer to be better with my speech with one particular line I often said as a “joke.” Truth is, it wasn’t a good joke and needed to leave my bag of oft used phrases. Do you let someone call you on your language? As you follow Jesus, do you sense He is overcoming this area of your life?

The sin described in 1 Corinthians 5 is stunning. Yet today, one might joke in this manner and see nothing wrong. One might even make a strange search on-line to witness this type of sin acted out by another. Brothers – let’s serve Jesus and trust His ways to be better. Instead of indulging, let’s call on Him and choose relationship with Him and our wives over the things of this world.

Finally, we must consider the fact that Paul is charging a church to do the work of casting a member out – with the intention of redeeming them! It is the church’s job to “police” itself. It is not the church’s job to police those outside the walls. We can’t expect people that do not claim Christ to follow His ways. We can call people to consider Him and tell them that the things they are doing are not life-giving or good, but it must lead to us sharing Christ. We must proclaim there is a better way. A better sacrifice, once and for all, that paid for you and I to be redeemed. That is our role, not to police them hoping it will draw them near.