Recently, though, Matt and I happened by chance to end up studying the same Bible book: I Corinthians. Today, we also happened to read the same chapter: Chapter 5.
When I read that chapter, it's there is black and white. No ambiguity at all. If someone in the church is professing to be saved and is living in immorality, the church is to disassociate with that person. It says, "Don't even have a meal with that person."
Paul wrote to the church at Corinth because they were tolerating this kind of behavior in their midst. He says he has already judged the person who was living immorally. So, why do we as Christians say so often, "It's not my place to judge." I Corinthians 5 says, yes, it is our place to judge other professing believers, just not unbelievers. In the last days, it will be our job to judge even the angels, so why would we not be expected to judge others here and now?
Why do we struggle with this so much? Are we cowards? Are we afraid of offending someone? Do we not get that loving truth is what God uses to convict people of their sin, not blind love and acceptance?
When I was reading a chapter in The Father Connection, the author relates a story to illustrate a point about what it takes to be a good father. This is the story:
A godly couple talked on more than one occasion to their teenage daughter who had become very promiscuous. She was recklessly involved with multiple young men and even brought them home to her parents' house when they were out of town. No matter how much they prayed and talked with her; no matter what approach or how loving they were towards her, the daughter persisted with her behavior.
One day the father sat down with his daughter and lovingly explained that she either curtail her behavior or she move out. She packed a suitcase and left that night. Her parents had no idea where she was, who she was living with or what she was doing for days and weeks on end. Finally, in the middle of the night, someone called. When the father answered, it was his daughter.
She was crying, babbling about this or that and finally ended with "Daddy, I want to come home." He immediately said, "Where are you? I'll be right there." When he arrived to pick up his daughter, he simply took her home. He didn't lecture. He didn't remind her the rules of their home. He didn't ask what had happened. He just loved her, forgave her and welcomed her home.
Between that story and the passage in I Corinthians, it seems to me one of the purposes of church discipline is to challenge someone to choose. Be one or the other. Live like the world or turn from your ways, strive for holiness and be in the church. Don't have one foot in the world while professing Christ.
The passage directly states that a little leaven will leaven the whole lump. Meaning a little sin in the camp will spread through the whole group.
We take God's word seriously in so many areas, why do we steer clear of this?
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