RUN FROM SIN AND TO HOLINESS!
RUN FROM SIN AND TO HOLINESS!
When I wrote to you before, I told you not to associate with people who indulge in sexual sin. But I wasn’t talking about unbelievers who indulge in sexual sin, or are greedy, or cheat people, or worship idols. You would have to leave this world to avoid people like that. I meant that you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people. Don’t even eat with such people. It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning. God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, “You must remove the evil person from among you.” —I Corinthians 5:9-13
Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. —I Corinthians 6:18-20
On-going sin unrepentant of in a believer’s life is so destructive. A local church that knows on-going sin that is unrepentant of in a believer’s life and does nothing about it can greatly affect that church in a very negative way.
I was recently told of a church split that occurred because the pastor was involved in sin and was teaching that because we are under grace sin does not affect us and we can pretty much do what we want— justifying his sinful behavior. Well, don’t you know that affected people destructively in that local church. How sad when this happens among those who claim the Name of Jesus.
So it was in the Corinthian church. There was an incestuous relationship that was on-going. Paul said of the church that “You are so proud of yourselves, but you should be mourning in sorrow and shame. And you should remove this man from your fellowship” (I Corinthians 5:2). And when this happens in any local church we “should be mourning in sorrow and shame.” What a reproach this on the Name of our dear Lord and Savior!
Sin in the local church needs to be dealt with. Again, those professing believers practicing on-going sin without desire for repentance need to be disciplined by the local church. God has given us the responsibility to do so. Otherwise “sin is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough (I Corinthians 5:6). It will have a terrible impact on the local church. So… let us live holy lives for our Lord Jesus to honor His Name and to benefit the local and universal church! May it be so!
Dear Father please help me to live a holy life for Your honor and glory and for the benefit of Your Church. May this be so in the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Jesus. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsYyuK1w3q0