Truth In Love

1 Corinthians 5

5 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father's wife. 2 And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.3 For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing.4 When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.[a]6 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7 Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11 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 an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. 12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church[b] whom you are to judge? 13 God judges[c] those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”

I feel like I often say “it is hard to be a Christian these days”. And, honestly, it is. But reading a passage like 1 Corinthians 5 reminds me that really, it has always been hard to be a Christian. It is difficult to love people where they are at, and not judge them for what they do not know or understand. It is also difficult to tell your fellow Christ-follower they are sinning and need to repent and turn from their ways.

But the most difficult part of all seems to be not mixing these two things up!

1 Corinthians 5 tells a story all too familiar in our current society. A man INSIDE the church is having an affair with his Step-mom. Gross. But the church around him isn’t saying anything. They are still allowing him to worship with them, eat with them, and associate with them in general. And, to top it all off, the church is kind of proud of themselves for being so “loving” to this man.

Paul then takes a moment to clarify something he previously wrote to them.  I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people—  not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy 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 an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to 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.”

Catch this familiar issue: they are not calling out their brothers and sisters in Christ when they sin- in the name of “acceptance and love” but they ARE avoiding unbelievers because of their sins. Doesn’t this sound familiar to you! Christians today do the same- we call out all of society for it’s sinful, immoral, lustful, selfish ways. And we rarely ever say anything to keep our brothers and sisters accountable to remaining holy and pure. Instead we offer endless acceptance and forgiveness to each other. All while treating the lost as though they have been found.

Friends, it is madness. You are called to be radically inclusive TO NON-BELIEVERS. And you are called to “purge the evil person from among you”. Once a person accepts Christ as their Savior, and believes in Him for forgiveness, newness, holiness and everlasting life- they are a new person IN CHRIST. And that is when change should be inevitable. Our hearts and actions should begin looking more and more like Jesus himself. And if they don’t- we need to tell each other. It is hard to remain pure when society is so accepting. But we need to hold each other accountable. Loving a Christ-follower looks like telling them truth with love. It is honestly not loving to ignore the sins of your brothers and sisters.

We do NOT, however, need to expect those living without Christ to have our same convictions. And we are NOT called to pass judgement on them- that is God’s job. We are called to love them. And loving them simply looks like loving them.

Church- it is time to stop confusing these two things. Acceptance of sin is for the non-believers. Discipleship, accountability and even judgement is for those In Christ- done in love. But done, nonetheless.