Discipline in the church

In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul has some pretty strong words to say about how the church should manage its internal affairs. Writing in response to a sordid sex scandal, Paul says this:

I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people--not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with any who claim to be fellow believers but are sexually immoral or greedy, idolaters or slanderers, drunkards or swindlers. With such persons do not even eat. What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. "Expel the wicked person from among you." (1Co 5:9-13 TNIV)

We have to see this passage in context of course. In chapters 6 and 7, Paul goes on to explain how the church is a community of forgiven and sanctified sinners united in the body of Jesus Christ himself - and especially forgiven sexual sinners. ‘That is what some of you were’, he famously insists.

What is at issue is the person who claims to be part of the body of Christ, but carries on with greedy or idolatrous or slanderous or a drunkard or deceitfully corrupt or sexually immoral behaviour. In that instance, we are called upon to make a judgement, and to take the decisive action of expulsion if necessary. To read more, click here.