Puffed up

It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles—that a man has his father's wife! And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you. – 1 Corinthians 5.1-2

Paul uses the phrase 'puffed up' a few times in this letter. The phrase means just what it sounds like – to be proud and arrogant and haughty. In the previous verse Paul used the same phrase when he said the Corinthian were puffed up with arrogance because they did not think Paul was coming to confront them.

Here he nails down the particulars of their arrogance. There was immorality in the church. It was so bad in one instance that a man in the church was having sexual relations with his step-mother.

And the church was not dealing with it. They were so proud of themselves that they just overlooked it and went on their way. While this man should have been put out of the church things just carried on like nothing had happened.

It is bad enough when there is sin in the church. It is bad enough not to deal with it. It is much, much worse to carry on with a puffed up attitude and do nothing about it. 

It didn't end in Corinth. How many churches are today puffed up about what a great church they are yet are afraid to deal with sin because of how it might affect their supposed greatness?