Wednesday, February 04, 2015

Should We Judge? (1 Corinthians 5:3-5)



Today's scripture: 1 Corinthians 5:3-5

Many people say the Bible is full of contradictions, and this very well may be one of those passages that cause issues. Elsewhere, the Bible says “Do not judge so that you will not be judged” (Matthew 7:1). Yet here, Paul writes that he judged the one who had sinned with his father’s wife.

First, we need to look at Matthew 7:1 in context. It’s really talking about hypocrisy. We shouldn’t be judging others in arrogance. Verse 3 of that same chapter asks the question, “
Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?”

The Bible does allow for discipline of our Christian brothers and sisters. Jesus Himself talked about this very thing in Matthew 17: “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY FACT MAY BE CONFIRMED. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector” (vv. 15-17). However, it’s important to remember that the goal here is reconciliation, not excommunication. Just as we’d share truth with a nonbeliever, we should continue to share truth with a wayward brother.

Now this idea of “delivering such a one to Satan” also causes a bit of controversy. Was Paul really turning this man over to Satan? A commentary responds: Paul “put forth an act of extraordinary power, and gave him up to Satan, nor for his destruction, but for his deliverance, at least for the destruction of the flesh, that the soul might be saved … that [his] spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus” (Matthew Henry Complete Commentary of the Entire Bible).

We should not arrogantly judge our brothers and sisters, ignoring our own sin. However, we should lovingly, compassionately, and mercifully guide those who are willfully sinning back to God’s truth.

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