A Clear Distinction

"I wrote you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people--not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greed and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is and idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler--not to even eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. 'Purge the evil person from among you'" (1 Cor. 5:6-13).

These words from the apostle Paul sound strange and harsh in modern ears. In a society where the most quoted (and misunderstood) Scriptures is Matthew 7:1, which states, "Judge not that, you be not judged," it becomes difficult to understand and apply Paul's words. In fact, today we often get Paul's teaching backwards. Many of us withdraw from the sexually immoral, the idolater, and the greedy in the world, that is, the lost, but we refrain from exposing and disciplining such sin in the fellowship.

Paul clearly states that we are not to refrain from being around the lost. It defeats the purpose of the church. The church is appointed to bring glory to God by the proclamation of the gospel. If we are proclaiming the gospel to those who need to hear it, then how will they hear? And if they don't hear how can they believe? They won't and they can't. We are called to be in the world, but not of it. The difference between the "believer" and the "unbeliever" ought to be greater than the one has his name on a church roll and the other doesn't.

The difference Paul is calling for is no mere external morality. He is stressing the qualitative difference between the believer and non-believer. What is "normal" in the world is to be rejected by the church. Paul states, "But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexually immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler--not even to eat with such a one" (1 Cor. 5:11). Paul is saying that while it is acceptable to be around the lost (how else will they get saved) it is not acceptable to be around professing Christians who live like the lost. The old saying states, "If it walks like a duck, and looks like a duck, and sounds like a duck, its probably a duck," holds true for people. If they live in sin and love sin and refuse to leave sin, they are probably still dead in sin.

When we continue to fellowship with professing Christians who live habitually in unrepentant sin, we declare our agreement with their actions. As Amos mused, "Do to walk together, unless they have agreed to meet?" (Amos3:3). The act of disfellowship is really meant to bring about repentance and then restoration. It provides the unrepentant an opportunity to assess their heart and to see if they have truly believe the gospel. Therefore, the action, which seems so cold and heartless in our society, is actually an act of incredible love. Christ our Lord has made the distinction between those who are his people and those who are not, it is not for us to challenge his definitions, but to walk in obedience to his commands.