TOUGH LOVE
I Corinthians 4:4-7a
"In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of the Lord Jesus Christ, deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened."
It can happen in a church, and it can happen in a family. One member of the group is rebellious in his or her sin and needs to be excluded so that others are not drawn into sin. Discipline is tough business, but is absolutely necessary. When blatant and unrepented sin is allowed to remain in the church, it is like untreated cancer that will spread to the whole body. God knows the danger. That's why He commanded the Israelites to destroy all of the heathen inhabitants of the land they would possess. If the ungodly were allowed to remain, they would become a snare to God's people (Deuteronomy 7:16) and their children would be drawn away to worship the heathen gods (verse 4). Jesus gave instruction for church discipline: confront alone, then confront with other witnesses, then bring the unrepentant person before the church (Matthew 18:15-17). Paul gave the purpose: loving the person enough to want to see them saved. Now we don't just kick out all the sinners in the church. That would exclude everyone because we are all sinners in need of forgiveness and cleansing. Jude said to make a distinction – treating some with compassion, and saving others with fear, pulling them out of the fire (Jude 22-23). Church disciple is tough, but it is tough love. The question in my mind is: How serious are we about holiness? If we truly are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation (I Peter 2:9), then we need to strive to preserve that character.
TODAY'S THOUGHT: Church discipline is tough love in action.
Have a holy day. Love you.
I Corinthians 4:4-7a
"In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of the Lord Jesus Christ, deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened."
It can happen in a church, and it can happen in a family. One member of the group is rebellious in his or her sin and needs to be excluded so that others are not drawn into sin. Discipline is tough business, but is absolutely necessary. When blatant and unrepented sin is allowed to remain in the church, it is like untreated cancer that will spread to the whole body. God knows the danger. That's why He commanded the Israelites to destroy all of the heathen inhabitants of the land they would possess. If the ungodly were allowed to remain, they would become a snare to God's people (Deuteronomy 7:16) and their children would be drawn away to worship the heathen gods (verse 4). Jesus gave instruction for church discipline: confront alone, then confront with other witnesses, then bring the unrepentant person before the church (Matthew 18:15-17). Paul gave the purpose: loving the person enough to want to see them saved. Now we don't just kick out all the sinners in the church. That would exclude everyone because we are all sinners in need of forgiveness and cleansing. Jude said to make a distinction – treating some with compassion, and saving others with fear, pulling them out of the fire (Jude 22-23). Church disciple is tough, but it is tough love. The question in my mind is: How serious are we about holiness? If we truly are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation (I Peter 2:9), then we need to strive to preserve that character.
TODAY'S THOUGHT: Church discipline is tough love in action.
Have a holy day. Love you.
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