BE DOERS OF THE WORD, NOT HEARERS ONLY

BE DOERS OF THE WORD, NOT HEARERS ONLY

You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word. —Psalm 119:114

The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple. —Psalm 119:130

May my cry come before you, Lord; give me understanding according to your word. —Psalm 119:169

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 anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people. 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.” —I Corinthians 5:9-13

Ok… here’s a challenging passage for the church. God’s Word, whom we say we put our hope in, gives light and understanding. Will we do what it says? The paragraph above tells us that we need to judge those in the church (believers), not those outside the church (unbelievers). God will judge those who do not trust Him. We need to be around those people who do not know Jesus to bring the gospel to them!

Now we hear people say all too often… don’t judge me! But for those in the church they are to judge other believers in the church if they are living immoral. That is, they need to come to a decision, as in the paragraph above, to “not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people” and to “Expel the wicked person from among you.” Wow! Is the church being faithful in this? Are we truly living holy lives and hating sin in our own lives? Or are we allowing “a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough?” Instead we are to “Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are” (I Corinthians 5:6-7). May we truly “consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25-25). Yes, may we spur each other on to love (Matthew 22:37-40) and good deeds (Ephesians 2:10) and make the decision when we need to about a professing believer who is living a sinful lifestyle in the local church. May it be so! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZGzu6oI9b4

Dear Father, oh, that I would hear what You have to say and then be obedient to You. May Your priorities be mine. May it be so in the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Jesus.