Comments on First Corinthians - Part 4

1 Corinthians 5-6 Part One: Tolerance of evil is not maturity. God created the body for holiness and that holiness is part of the testimony that his salvation is real -- not just "god talk". Those who practice evil need to be put outside the protective sphere of the church, for their own good and the good of the body. A father with an independent and rebellious son will not allow him to continue to stay at home, live as he pleases and disrupt the household. For the good of the son and the protection of the rest of the family, the father will make him move out and fend for himself. The father will still love him and try to work with him, but not in the home. There is no biblical evidence of the modern attitude "we'd rather have them in church."

Churches with no discipline are inviting ruin to the whole family. The notions of "whoever is without sin, let him throw the first stone" or "first take the log out of your own eye" do not apply to situations of habitual gross disobedience like this. We have allowed those principles to be mis-applied to the degree that they make church discipline toothless. Paul's rebuke to the Corinthians is also very clear that he and the church are given authority to "turn over to Satan" those who prefer sin over obedience. That's pretty serious authority for the church to have responsibility for. God's standard for the church is purity. It is not an elective for those who are "really serious" about their faith.