Monday, May 6, 2013

Churches, Their Failure To Discipline & Apostasy

One sign of the falling away that is taking place in our day, is the failure of the church leadership to discipline those in serious sin. Ear tickling and wicked pastors will not discipline. We are first and foremost to judge ourselves to see if we are in the faith. We are also not even to associate with a so-called brother who is sexually immoral, greedy, an idolater, a slanderer, a drunk, or a robber.

Paul warns the church in Corinth about a believer who is sexually sinning. Does your pastor? If not, why do you listen to him? Could it be we like our ears tickled? What would happen if Joel Osteen preached these truths and the warnings of the scriptures to "his" people? Would he not go from the nations largest church to becoming a side walk preacher? Money, fame and power are great tempters.

1 Corinthians 5 ISV

Disciplining for Immorality

1It is actually reported that sexual immorality exists among you, and of a kind that is not found even among the gentiles. A man is actually living with his father’s wife! 2And you are being arrogant instead of being filled with grief and seeing to it that the man who did this is removed from among you. 3Even though I am away from you physically, I am with you in spirit. I have already passed judgment on the man who did this, as though I were present with you. 4In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are gathered together (and I am there in spirit), and the power of our Lord Jesus is there, too, 5turn this man over to Satan for the destruction of his body,a so that his spirit may be saved on the Day of the Lord.b

6Your boasting is not good. You know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough, don’t you? 7Get rid of the old yeast so that you may be a new batch of dough, since you are to be free from yeast. For the Messiah,c our Passover, has been sacrificed. 8So let’s keep celebrating the festival, neither with old yeast nor with yeast that is evil and wicked, but with yeast-free bread that is both sincere and true.

9I wrote to you in my letter to stop associating with people who are sexually immoral— 10not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, greedy, robbers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11But now I am writing to you to stop associating with any so-called brother if he is sexually immoral, greedy, an idolater, a slanderer, a drunk, or a robber. You must even stop eating with someone like that. 12After all, is it my business to judge outsiders? You are to judge those who are in the community, aren’t you? 13God will judge outsiders. “Expel that wicked man.

Do we understand that God is holy and warns us we must be holy because He is holy?

1 Corinthians 5 ISV

13Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep a clear head, and set your hope completely on the grace to be given you when Jesus, the Messiah,k is revealed. 14As obedient children, do not be shaped by the desires that used to influence you when you were ignorant. 15Instead, be holy in every aspect of your life, just as the one who called you is holy. 16For it is written, “You must be holy, because I am holy.”l


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