Inside Judging

Here's a post for the Believer reading this blog. For the non-believers, take a Sunday off, and I'll talk film stuff tomorrow.

My study in I Corinthians continues. Chapters 5, 6 and 7 are very interesting. Five deals with some immoral behavior that the Corinthian Church was kind of proud of. So there was this guy, a "brother" in the church who was sleeping with his father's wife (mom?). I imagine the Corinthians make it a side show. "Hey lookie here, can you believe this guy?"

Paul kicked their behinds on this. He said to deliver the man to Satan. THEN, he goes on to say that a little leaven leavens the whole dough, and lists sexually immoral, greedy, drunkards, etc... that they need to be kicked out of the church... "Don't even eat with such a person."

Is this in play today? I have rarely seen someone get kicked out of church (although I know a church who fired a staff member... but that's a long story). What if they're not on staff? What if Joe Congregational member is a drunkard... he gets kicked out? Where's the grace and "Christian-like" attitude?

I believe (and very strongly) that a person who gets drunk, is not necessarily a drunkard. A person who tells a lie, isn't a liar. But when that person tells so many lies that it affects his purpose, his mission, those around him... then he is a Lair. So when Paul writes about the Sexually Immoral, it's a person who is habitual, a predator, given over to this behavior. Others might take the position that if you kick out a liar, drunkard, greedy... then no one would be left. I believe Paul wasn't talking about a single instance, but a lifestyle behavior.

So then, Paul says you've got to judge those inside the church... those confessing to be "brothers." Don't judge those outside the church. If a non-Believer wants to be a drunkard, so? I believe in the 100% inerrancy of the Scriptures... it is the law as far as I'm concerned. If someone doesn't subscribe to the same set of principles, then how can I judge them by it?

Conversely, if someone says he does subscribe to the Scriptures, then consistently violates them by a lifestyle mentioned by Paul, for their own, best good, I need to kick them out. Call it tough love... call it refusing to enable. And even more importantly-- call it protecting the true Believers. A little leaven...