As you have read this series of articles on withdrawing fellowship and considered this practice, you may be among those who view this action as cruel and unloving. “Deliver to Satan? Put away? Not eat with such?” Is it unfair? Is it heartless? Here’s a good rule of thumb: when something in the Bible bothers you or seems nonsensical to you in some way, take your “glasses” off and try to look at it through God’s “glasses.” We must see it from the Divine perspective and not the human! Let us seek that point of view as we conclude this study.
Why would God ever command us to put someone away from the church? Some have mistakenly characterized withdrawing fellowship as “kicking someone out of the church” or have inaccurately likened it to the practice of “excommunication” within the Catholic church. So, looking at this from God’s perspective, why did He command this to be done?
First, God wants the wayward to be saved! He plainly states the Divine purpose in 1 Corinthians 5:5—“…that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” This is an obvious indication from God that such a person is not in a saved condition. He is living like the world (5:1), following after Satan (5:5), walking disorderly (2 Thess. 3:6) and not obeying the Word of God (2 Thess. 3:14). God’s design is that the wayward “may learn not to blaspheme” (1 Tim. 1:20) and “that he may be ashamed” (2 Thess. 3:14). This is not a “good riddance” action to get rid of someone or “kick them out.” It’s whole purpose is to “gain your brother” (Matt. 18:15) and to “save a soul from death” (Jas. 5:19-20).
God wants the church to be saved! The presence and acceptance of unrepentant sin “among” the church will adversely impact the church and the purity of the church. God warned the church, “Your glorying [in sin] is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?” (1 Cor. 5:6). When sin is left unchecked with the church body, it begins to spread and become more accepted and prevalent within the body. Then, not only has one person turned from God but a whole congregation could.
God wants the world to be saved! The image of the Lord’s church to “outsiders” is critical in the conversion effort. The gospel of Christ demands repentance and transformation of life (Acts 17:30; Rom. 12:2). However, if those “in the church” are living just like those “out of the church” (cf. 1 Cor. 5:1), then how will a non-Christian be convicted of sin?
The study of church discipline can only successfully be understood by going to Scripture and letting God teach us!