Today’s Reading, 1 Corinthians 5-8
Focal Scripture: 1 Corinthians 5:11 “But actually, I wrote you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister and is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or verbally abusive, a drunkard or a swindler. Do not even eat with such a person.”
Sometimes in life we have to make very difficult decisions. One of those decisions is to stay away and not fellowship with people who lives in open sin. This even includes believers. Unfortunately, I have had to make this decision a few times in my life. When this happens it is a difficult process but one that must be done in hopes that the person will repent of their sin so fellowship can be restored. We as believers can’t tolerate or worship with those who live in open sin and won’t repent.
In today’s reading Paul makes the process clear. If we know of people who claim to be believers but they are sexually immoral, greedy, idolater, verbally abusive, drunkard, or a swindler don’t eat with them at all. This don’t eat with them can have two meanings. Literally don’t have meals with them and cut them off socially or it means do not worship with them and partake of the Lord’s supper. I believe the interpretation means both. Don’t worship with people like this or have them in your homes for meals. Paul’s is addressing serious sin issues and we are called to do the same.
The challenge for believers is to be honest about these sins we see in others. If someone claims to be a believer but consistently does one of these behaviors they are in open rebellion against the expectations of Christianity. What would happen if believers held other professing believers responsible for their actions? With this expectation and church discipline the one performing these actions would have no choice but to be confronted with their sin.
The choice we have is to hold to this standard. On this list are several big issues. However, the one that often gets overlooked is the sin of abusive language. This can be considered slander but more precisely a person who speaks insults to and about others. This person must be disassociated with and can’t be I fellowship until they repent.
I have had to make this decision in my own life. I was around a professing believer whose speech was horrendous. They would gossip about others all the time. Then they would speak to others in mean, hateful, and threatening ways. They never saw anything wrong with their speech and would justify or deflect it to others. This in turn forced me to disassociate with this person.
Ever since the disassociation happened my personal life has been better. My spiritual life has increased. My heart is at peace. I pray for God to work in this persons life because they are causing damage to the cause of Christ in ways that are very serious.
My encouragement for you today is to know it is ok to walk away from people who claim one thing and do another. It is biblical. Stand firm and never let others try to convince you sin is ok. Pray for the person and hopefully God will do a work in their life. Our directive is to not fellowship with them until their sin is dealt with. This will be hard but worth it in the end.
Tomorrow I plan on reading 1 Corinthians 9-11
