March 16, 2013
Wickedness in the church.
These two chapters talk about what to do when there is wickedness in the church and it is very clear—we are to separate ourselves from them. It isn't that we are to keep isolated from the world. Of course there is sin in the world when people are without Christ. These verses are very clear, "You must not associate with those who call themselves believers in Christ", but "who is sexually immoral, or greedy, an idolater, or a slanderer, a drunkard, or swindler." (I Corinthians 5:11)
Those are God's words, not mine. It's easy to think God was just talking about the "big" sins (there is no such thing as "big" verses "little" sin) like murder or sexual immorality. But look at the list: greed; someone who is only interested in "I" (a worship of self); one who slanders; and one who swindles. The Bible clearly states that it is our business to discern those types of people who claim on one hand to be followers of Christ, yet on the other hand are actually active participants in what God calls evil. And we are to separate ourselves from them.
In early 2007, we began to see for the very first time what the "truth" was when it came to my sister and brother-in-law's lives. We knew so little back then compared with what we know now, but it was enough to KNOW we had to separate ourselves from them. We could not be aligned in business or personally with people who lived their lives so contrary to our beliefs—whether they were family or not. We would have never went into any kind of joint venture with them if we would have known the truth about them earlier. Never! I remember the first time I went online and saw what their new get-rich-quick-internet business was all about. I felt absolutely sick to my stomach. As truth began to be revealed, we came to the realization that we had to separate ourselves from them.
I've written before how God (in incredible ways) provided our first lawyer and a buyer as a means to end what should have never been started if we had known the truth. God always provides a way for surrendered hearts to follow His teachings. But, not everyone seeks to follow His teachings and God's way was rejected and a lawsuit was filed.
And now we come to what God has to say about that in I Corinthians 6.
Next Entry: I Corinthians 5:1 – 6:20 (Continued)
Wickedness in the church.
These two chapters talk about what to do when there is wickedness in the church and it is very clear—we are to separate ourselves from them. It isn't that we are to keep isolated from the world. Of course there is sin in the world when people are without Christ. These verses are very clear, "You must not associate with those who call themselves believers in Christ", but "who is sexually immoral, or greedy, an idolater, or a slanderer, a drunkard, or swindler." (I Corinthians 5:11)
Those are God's words, not mine. It's easy to think God was just talking about the "big" sins (there is no such thing as "big" verses "little" sin) like murder or sexual immorality. But look at the list: greed; someone who is only interested in "I" (a worship of self); one who slanders; and one who swindles. The Bible clearly states that it is our business to discern those types of people who claim on one hand to be followers of Christ, yet on the other hand are actually active participants in what God calls evil. And we are to separate ourselves from them.
In early 2007, we began to see for the very first time what the "truth" was when it came to my sister and brother-in-law's lives. We knew so little back then compared with what we know now, but it was enough to KNOW we had to separate ourselves from them. We could not be aligned in business or personally with people who lived their lives so contrary to our beliefs—whether they were family or not. We would have never went into any kind of joint venture with them if we would have known the truth about them earlier. Never! I remember the first time I went online and saw what their new get-rich-quick-internet business was all about. I felt absolutely sick to my stomach. As truth began to be revealed, we came to the realization that we had to separate ourselves from them.
I've written before how God (in incredible ways) provided our first lawyer and a buyer as a means to end what should have never been started if we had known the truth. God always provides a way for surrendered hearts to follow His teachings. But, not everyone seeks to follow His teachings and God's way was rejected and a lawsuit was filed.
And now we come to what God has to say about that in I Corinthians 6.
Next Entry: I Corinthians 5:1 – 6:20 (Continued)
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