Let us Put Away Sin within Our Churches
We sometimes criticize others unfairly. We don’t know all their circumstances, nor their motives. Only God, who is aware of all the facts, is able to judge people righteously. John Wesley told of a man he had little respect for because he considered him to be miserly and covetous. One day when this person contributed only a small gift to a worthy charity, Wesley openly criticized him.
After the incident, the man went to Wesley privately and told him he had been living on parsnips and water for several weeks. He explained that before his conversion, he had run up many bills. Now, by skimping on everything and buying nothing for himself he was paying off his creditors one by one. "Christ has made me an honest man," he said, "and so with all these debts to pay, I can give only a few offerings above my tithe. I must settle up with my worldly neighbors and show them what the grace of God can do in the heart of a man who was once dishonest." Wesley then apologized to the man and asked his forgiveness. Daily Bread, July 20, 1992.
You have undoubtedly heard “Judge not lest ye be judged”.
In hearing and reading this many assume that we cannot or should not even judge rightly among ourselves. Nothing can be further from the truth.
We have a righteous requirement in our Churches to judge our brothers and sisters that they may walk a life that honors and glorifies God and adds to HIS witness among us.
We need remember however that the church must judge only those “within” the church; God judges those who are “without.”
Judgment of unbelievers is in God’s hands.
We are commanded to exercise discipline within the church.
Therefore, the shameful sinner who refuses to repent must be dismissed from the church.
In our day and age of acceptance of all except the righteous path of God, this is difficult to comprehend and comply with.
“Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican” (Matthew 18:15-17).
“Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him” (Luke 17:1-3).
“And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem” (Acts 16:4).
“Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear” (1 Tim. 5:20).
“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine” (2 Tim. 4:2).
“This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith” (Titus 1:13).
“These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee” (Titus 2:15).
“A man that is an heretic after the first and second admonition reject” (Titus 3:10).
So what are we to do?
We are to deal with people who bring dishonor and sin into our fellowships.
[3] For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, [4] In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, [5] To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. 1 Cor. 5:3-5
Paul was away on a mission trip; so he wasn’t able to personally deal with the offending brother nor the church. His spirit overflowed with love for the church; he was with them “in spirit”, and had already judged the matter. He had made a decision about what needed to be done, and it was too important a matter to leave hanging until he returned.
These things needed to be done.
The offending brother was to be disciplined “in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Note the word “our.” Jesus Christ is our Lord, my Lord, the church’s Lord, and the Lord of the offending brother. Paul says...
· it is your Lord who is being hurt and cut; HIS name which you are damaging.
· it is for your Lord that this discipline must be carried out.
· it is our Lord who alone can use the discipline to awaken the sinful one’s conscience to repent and to seek reconciliation with God.
The offending brother was to be disciplined by the church in a special called gathering.
This seems to be what is meant by the words “when ye are gathered together.”
Þ Paul says that he would be meeting with them “in spirit.” His heart and prayers would be with them as they handled this most difficult matter.
Þ The church was instructed to clean itself up before it disciplines the sinning brother.
The offending brother was to be disciplined through the power of our Lord Jesus Christ.
He was to be delivered to Satan...
· for the destruction of the flesh.
· that his spirit might be saved in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Again, what does this mean?
The discipline means that the man must be excommunicated from the church (1 Cor. 5:2, 7, 13).
The idea is that outside the church, that is, outside in the world, is the domain of Satan; whereas in the church is the domain of God (John 12:31; John 16:11; Acts 26:18; Ephes. 2:12; Col. 1:13; 1 John 5:19). The man is to be sent back to Satan’s world to which he belongs.
Perhaps such discipline would humiliate him and bring him to his senses. It was a discipline not only to allow God’s punishment to be upon him, but to awaken him to righteousness. It is a judgment that takes away a person’s Christian privileges with the hope that the discipline will stir him to repent, turn away from his sinful behavior and return to right fellowship in Christ..
This passage needs to be studied and acted upon carefully, for the church desperately needs to exercise discipline more than it has in the past in order to strengthen its witness for the Lord.
We need to understand that the actual discipline of the offending brother is carried out in “the power of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Christ alone is able to execute perfect judgment upon the flesh and upon the spirit.
All the church does is what it can do: make the decision that our sin must be dealt with and then, in a heart broken and full of love, pronounce that he or she has to leave the church.
Any physical or spiritual punishment is in the hands of the Lord, not in the hands of the church.
The actual steps to be used in dealing with an offending brother are spelled out in great detail by our Lord HIMSELF, and the wisdom of HIS love is clearly seen in HIS instructions.
We need follow.
If someone is offensive to God in an ongoing sinful act, spoken too and refuses to repent, then the church should act.
Paul hoped for something greater than excommunication but repentance and a return to a right relationship with God and the Church Body.
Scripture teaches that there is a spiritual power that inflicts punishment upon sin. Modern medicine and psychology tell us that misbehavior causes physical, emotional, and mental punishment.
“For this cause [continuing in sin] many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world” (1 Cor. 11:30-32).
“Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit” (John 15:2).
“Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, and said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?” (Acts 13:9-11; cp. Acts 5:1-11).
“Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delievered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme” (1 Tim. 1:20).
“And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him” (Hebrews 12:5; cp. 1 Cor. 5:6-11 for a complete picture).
“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent” (Rev. 3:19).
“Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law” (Psalm 94:12).
“My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: for whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth” (Proverbs 3:11-12).
“O LORD, correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing” (Jeremiah 10:24).
So we must put away Sin within our midst if we are to truly be prepared to “Go ye therefore…” Are you prepared to do so?
