9 I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people;
10 I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world.
11 But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler--not even to eat with such a one.
12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church?
13 But those who are outside, God judges. REMOVE THE WICKED MAN FROM AMONG YOURSELVES.
V. 9-10 - “not to associate with immoral people” - This letter is a follow-up of the discussion of what to do about the immoral behavior of some church members. In a previous letter to the Corinthian church, Paul gave them some instructions. We do not have the previous letter so that we can study what Paul had said to them.
“I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world” - My first reaction, “Why did he have to write this admonition?”
You know that someone in the church would say, “But, Paul said not to associate with immoral people, and those outside the church are obviously immoral.” You just know there is some Pharisaical nit-picking ninny just aching to throw a penalty flag in order to call a personal foul on Paul.
V. 11 - “I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother” - See: Rom. 16:17; 2 Thess. 3:6. Watch out for people who are teaching and leading you away from the Lord. We cannot have heresy being taught in the church, either from the pulpit or in classes. Paul is expanding the DEW line. (See note 1) People who are damaging the church by their behavior needed discipline. People who are teaching tolerance of sinful behavior also needed discipline. The church could not afford to allow them to remain if they would not repent of their actions, and change their behavior. Their sinful behavior will damage the church and its witness to the world.
I think the descriptive phrase “so-called brother” is interesting. Paul is not picking on relatives, or even non-believing relatives. Paul is not thinking of non-believers at all. There are people in churches who claim Christian brotherhood, but don’t believe.
Why would anyone go through all the bother of attending a church and not accept Christ as Lord and Savior? A myriad of reasons: your wife believes and wants you to go to church with her; you have friends who believe and you go for the friendships; etc. The point here is that a person who is attending the church, may want to be known as being in the family of Christ. Yet, that person’s actions and lifestyle clearly show they are not saved. That person is a “so-called brother”. That person’s actions are leading others to think lowly of the church of Christ. The church is being harmed, in that people would rather die in their sin than be associated with the church.
V. 12 - “For what have I to do with judging outsiders?” - There are two concepts being taught here: keeping the church from the stain of sin, and keeping the church from judging non-Christians.
The first has been addressed above in 5:1-8. (Although those verses deal with one particular individual and sin, the concept can be used wherever sin in the body of the church is encountered.)
The second concept is the church (and Christians) are not the judges for the world and non-Christians. That is God’s right and responsibility. We are not the judge, we are the messengers of God to mankind so that people can come to know and accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. We are to take the gospel into all the world.
There is an interesting concept being discussed here and in verse 13. It seems the idea is that the church is not to stand on barrel on the street corner screaming at the non-church world, “You are sinners! Your are going to hell! You can go to heaven just like me!” Wowsers. Doesn’t that make you want to join that church? Doesn’t just make you want join up and become a Christians so you can become just like that person? Our pastor told us that our gospel message is not "Accept Jesus or you are going to hell!" No, the message Christ spoke was "I have come that you might live!" (See: John 3:16; 5:40; 6:40, 63; 10:10; 13:5; 17:3; 20:31)
I do not think I am able to fully discuss this here and now. I feel as if I am surfing over the tops of a deeper more complicated subject. That being said: This is NOT saying the church (Christians) should stand by silently, or turn away and not look at the moral carnage in our society. The church (and Christians) must say when things are not right - rape, murder, stealing, lying (especially politicians), etc. I think the message from that point must be, “You can be a better person than you are acting now.” Or, “God loves you, and has a wonderful plan for your life.” (See note 2) Through Jesus Christ each of us can be better than we are now.
Jesus can bring you peace of soul and spirit. “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, “teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Mat. 28:19-20)
“Then he said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.'” (Mark 16:15-16)
“He also said to them, ‘This is what is written: The Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead the third day, and repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in his name to all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.’” (Luk. 24:46-48)
I think most people know and understand they are not perfect. (A few are delusional otherwise.) While they may not be perfect, they think they may be just good enough, or at least better than ‘that guy’. There is a better way, through Jesus Christ. We can have forgiveness of sin through Him. We can have newness of life in Him. We can have peace with God through Him.
When someone accepts Jesus Christ, believes in Him and turns their life over to Him they become part of His body - the church. You and I, believers also, are now on the same plain with them - we all are forgiven sinners, not by our own doing, but by the blood of Christ. Any authority we may have comes to us through Jesus, not our doing or accomplishments. The Holy Spirit can give us the words we need to say to a fellow-believer who is sinning.
But when it comes to ‘judging’ a non-believer... Way above our ‘pay-grade’. There is only One who has the authority to do that. See the following verses. (Psa 7:11, 50:6, 68:5, 75:7; Acts 10:42; Rom 2:16, 14:10; Heb 4:12, 12:23, 13:4; Rev 4:2, 5:1, 20:12)
V. 13 - “those who are outside, God judges” - God will judge those outside the family of God, believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. The only one with the authority to judge - i.e., assign to heaven or condemn to hell - is Jesus, who has been given the authority by God the Father. When all has been said and done - at the final judgment - each person will have been recorded, or not recorded, in the Lamb’s Book of Life. (See: Rev. 20:11-13)
As Christians, our job is to show a better way to worship the Lord, not pour condemnation and judgment on those being lost. We can give them hope. We can present an option for them. We can warn them of the coming judgment of the Lord. It is their choice. This basic message has been given to us (the Jew first, and now the Gentile) - warn them, show them the way.
“If I say to the wicked, ‘Wicked one, you will surely die,’ but you do not speak out to warn him about his way, that wicked person will die for his iniquity, yet I will hold you responsible for his blood. But if you warn a wicked person to turn from his way and he doesn’t turn from it, he will die for his iniquity, but you will have rescued yourself.” (Eze. 33:8-9) Unfortunately (for this discussion, at least), that verse from Ezekiel says what I have just said not to do - warn them they are going to die and go to hell. I hope I have put a positive spin on a serious subject. The Christian’s job is to show the way of Salvation through Jesus Christ. We don’t need to necessarily scare people into heaven, but there is no sugar coating it. Unbelieving sinners will not be in heaven, but in eternal torment. There is a better future in Christ. Please take it.
“Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.” - Quoted from “So you shall purge the evil from among you.” (Deut. 13:5 (NASB)); Deut. 17:7, 12; 21:21; 22:21). Paul leaps back into the dealings in the church. We do not judge non-believers, that is God’s bailiwick. We can judge church members - we can’t say whether or not they are actually saved because we cannot know if they actually believe or are just saying so. Only God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - know that. But if a fellow church member, a believer, is sinning we have the authority to call them out, to tell or urge them to repent and return to the right way. If they choose to maintain their errant ways, we can ask them to leave the church. We do not need their stain of sinful behavior to sully the church’s image or witness here on earth.
***Note 1: “DEW” = Distance Early Warning. This was an outgrowth of the nuclear arms race that ran through the last 40 years of the 1900’s. There were radar facilities in Alaska that would give warning if Russia decided to launch an atomic attack by rocket.
Note 2: From “Have You Heard of the Four Spiritual Laws?”, Campus Crusade for Christ, pg. 1.
End of Chapter - 1 Corinthians 5:1-13 (NASB)
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