4 “In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.”
5:4
In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Paul appeals to the character and authority of Christ by appealing to His “name.” He now asks the Corinthian church to discipline the believer living in incest with his stepmother.
when you are gathered together,
The Corinthian church should do this only when they are duly assembled as a church. No single individual has the authority to excommunicate another member.
along with my spirit,
The Corinthians have Paul’s authority and participation in this discipline.
with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
The judgment on the believer out of fellowship will come from the authority of Christ.
5:5
deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh,
The act that the congregation duly assembled was to deliver the incestuous believer over to physical death. The word “deliver” is a strong word in Greek conveying the idea of a judicial sentence – the handing over for discipline.
There is a sin unto physical death (Acts 5—Ananias and Sapphira; 2 Co 11:7; 1 Jn 5:16). This is not the destruction of the being but the body. The sin unto death is not a specific sin, nor does it come from individual acts of sin but continued, willful, negative volition towards God over a protracted period of time.
1 Ti 1:20, of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.
The killing of the body is Satan’s work – “the destruction of the flesh.” He killed Job’s seven sons and three daughters. He has the power of death (He 2:14,15; 1 Jn 3:8). He is a murderer (Jn 8:44), and he motivated Cain to kill Abel (1 Jn 3:13). He is the agent for the sin unto death of the believer (here; 1 Ti 1:19,20).
that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
All discipline of a believer in the Bible is remedial. The purpose is restoration, not punishment. The “spirit” of this believer will go to heaven, but his body will die if he does not repent. God will resurrect even his body eventually. Satan cannot touch the soul of the believer, but he can kill the body. Even after God takes a believer home prematurely, God will save his body when Christ comes again.
PRINCIPLE:
The purpose of discipline is restoration.
APPLICATION:
The purpose of all discipline for Christians is restoration into fellowship with the Lord. It is not vindictive but designed to get attention. Social sins, in particular, are destructive to society and the church. Discipline is not a lack of love; however, lack of discipline is a deficiency in love for the Lord or His church. God’s discipline has to do with how much He loves us.
He 12:6-7, 6For whom the Lord loves He chastens,
And scourges every son whom He receives.”
7If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?
Public sins must be dealt with publicly.
Mt 18:15-17, 15“Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. 16But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ 17And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.
There is a sequence to church discipline:
(1) first, go to the individual;
(2) then bring two or three witnesses with you;
(3) finally, take it before the whole church.
First, start with privacy and then move more publicly. Remember that the purpose of this discipline is not punishment but restoration to the Lord and the body of believers.
amen…
I hope you will rethink this interpretation, as it posits the notion of church leaders delivering death sentences. Don’t try escape the weight of what you said by standing on dualism to save you. When I read this, and think how an unbeliever would receive your interpretation, they would be correct in turning away. Moral culpability receives a death sentence? In Islam, yes.
There are other ways to try and understand this passage that seem far more satisfactory. Such as, the spirit that is being preserved is the spirit of the communal body of the church. By putting this person out they are ridding themselves of this influence. At a minimum, at least meet this most difficult passage with a measure of uncertainty, and perhaps some of the criticism against your own view.
I am posting this for the sake of other readers whose gag reflex is triggered as mine.
Chris, I don’t know where you got the idea that I said or even implied that it is valid for a church leader to deliver a death sentence. An apostle had that right but there are no apostles today since their purpose was to found the church and write Scripture. The application simply shows how church disciple should work in the church today.
Mr.Grant you have just mentioned above that the penalty of the incestuous believer is to deliver him into physical death and physical death is the destruction of the body just like what happen to the fate of spouses Ananias and Zapphira , they are both dead physically. What exactly this word implies ? That the incestuous believer must die physically ?
Isn’t it means that if you dis fellow or removed from the church an erring member , he or she will be separated from the divine spirit of protection of God and be considered dead before the eyes of the lord. They will be subjected to different afflictions , sufferings and problems in this world for them to learned what is life outside the divine Will of the lord just like a prodigal son who learned his lesson to the point of the destruction of the lust of the flesh not the literal physical body and did try try to return to His Father . And that will save their spirits for the Lord say”s I have no pleasure for the death of the wicked , that the wicked to turn from his way and live. Ezekiel 33: 11.
Ernie, thanks for your comment.
I don’t think that it is a “must” that the believer who committed an incestuous sin and has been excommunicated, has to die. In fact, the believer that Paul was talking about here did indeed repent and went on to walk with the Lord (2 Co 7). The argument that Paul is making is that the church was tolerating this sin. Most of the congregation knew about it but they took no action. Paul argued that if you leave a highly negative volition attitude in the church, it will destroy the fiber of the church.
No believer is ever out from under the providential hand of God on his life. However, at times, God’s providence requires divine discipline (He 12:6,7). God takes no pleasure in discipling the wicked but that does not mean that He does it in any case.
Ernie C.you are correct
We often forget that there are two kingdoms, 1) Kindom of God, 2) kingdom of satan. If we are not following in the faith and obedience of God we must be following in the faith and obedience of satan?
Paul instruction was one of discipline to bring a correction. If one is dead in the flesh, there will be no opportunity for that correction to take place. To be given over, is the same as put out from under that covering or protection of body of believers, the church. Just as Adam was put out of the garden, God said he would die, die we will do without His daily presence! Adam was put out of the garden when he was 150yrs and died at the age of 930 years. Gen 5: 3-5. God handed him over to this world!
We are given a true gift from Christ, but it is up to us if we want that gift or not. The Lord will never force His will on us. We have a choice to follow Christ (Kingdom1) or the ways of this world (kingdom 2) If we want to accept either Kingdoms we will do what that kingdom prefers!
This brother was living by the flesh, his lusts for someone! Things of this world are tempting, they look good, seem good they wouldn’t be tempting if they didn’t. Fruit on the tree was tempting too and look where that led?
God gives us clear boundaries deny the flesh, pick up your cross(die to self) and follow me! Luke 9:23 we have clear boundaries living in Gods Kingdom, some when we do we will find difficult but God is faithful, patient and gracious He empowers us to do His will when we desire to do it enough to give us that opportunity, to repent and return to the ways of the kingdom.
In love we correct, if we correct with hatred or harsh judgement it’s definitely not correction but cruelty! By putting them out or handing them over, we are leaving that correction to be done by God! If we are true followers of Christ, that correction will be received and we will return again to the protection of body of believers.
I was one of those who wanted to do certain things that were not of God’s ways, I chose to walk away from God and go my own way, because I didn’t want to follow Gods boundaries. I learnt the hard way, thankfully in the long run that my soul is more valuable than my flesh, what I do today does affect my eternal life, heaven or hell. I believe there is a God, I believe that God desires us to chose life, that life is Christ, the one who died for this world so that we can receive a free gift of salvation. It’s free because it cost nothing to believe, but to receive it we have to accept all of it and not just the things we like or agree with. I am thankful that the Lord teaches us, so I pray that this scripture is enlightened for us all to follow and understand
—that his spirit may be saved—in the day of the Lord Jesus.”
If the person was a true believer, then why does it say that his spirit >> may be saved? If that person was a “believer”, then his soul was already saved. Can you explain this part? Once saved, always saved—right?
Mark, the contrast here is between the “flesh” (physical) and the “spirit” (the saved aspect of the person). God will discipline the physical so that the individual would will be saved in eternity. There is no need to discipline the saved aspect of the person because Christ completely paid the price for his sin.
Indeed I looked for the interpretation of this verse but I couldn’t find until this day, but now I got it, so I warmly appreciate my fellow christians who exerted themselves to provide my answer through this social media.
Much thanks to you dear brothers and sisters in Christ.
GOD BLESS YOU ALL.
Thank you Santino.
I apprecite the distinction you make regarding the spirit of a beleiver being secure despite the sins for which they must be disciplined. There is a tendancy among certain camps to look at a brother or sisters sins and reevaluate the state of thier salvation. Some sitting in judgement say, “He is no longer saved” While others verdict is, “he was never saved in the first place.”
Paul nullifys both theories by showing us a disciplinary judgement against gross sin that maintains an intact salvation unto the day of Christ.
The question arises however, whether Paul intends to reflect a guarenteed salvation of the fallen brothers spirit or whether said salvation is contingent upon Pauls discipline. Would this mans spirit be lost if it was not turned over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh? Additional questions arise such as If Satans destruction is the agency of the ensured salvation on the day of the Lord, then does this open the door for judgement itself being a salvific element? How is it that Satan seemingly plays a beneficial role in salvation?
Does all of this raise a lager question of salvation THROUGH judgement rather than only FROM judgement. Christ died to save us FROM Satans destructive power and yet Paul depicts a mode of salvation which operates through or somehow actually utilizes Satans destructive power.
Consider all this in light of Matt 18 and the prable of the unmerciful servant.
[Mat 18:34-35 NASB20] 34 “And his master, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he would repay all that was owed him. 35 “My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.”
The torture endured until payment was satisfied. This particular passage depicts not the jewish jurisprudence but in fact the Roman law. According to the Roman law of the 12 tablets, there is specific provision for a man being punished who defaults on a debt. He can be enslaved to work off the debt. He can be imprisoned until the debt is paid by money or by time. Or he can be scourged with whipping. None the less no one stayed in jail forever but only until the matter was satisfied by repayment of time or money or pain.
That Jesus would invoke Roman torture of defaulted debtors as a warning to an unforgiving heart of a believer raises questions about the our current framework regarding the judgement of the afterlife.
For that matter Jesus may have provided an additional clue in that he indicated by way of the warning against blasphemy that the one against the Spirit shall not forgiven either in this life OR the one to come.
If there is no forgiveness of any sin in the life to come, as has been long held by our theological traditions, it hardly bears stating that the worst of sins could not be forgiven there. Yet in mentioning it at all Jesus cretes a wholly new catagory for exploration about what might be possible in the after life regarding other lesser sins.
Mark, is there a question for me in your statements, or are you simply declarative?
I struggle with this sin. Is a daily thing. I say I’ll stop but do it again.not the family sin but fornication itself. I was ignorant also of not knowing how serious this is. Wanting to be held by one man,to marry him but not even sure I can remarry.its torture, then it warns thst those who continually sin will be destroyed. This 9s not saved once saved. Forgive me God I didn’t understand. Why do you make it so hard to enter heaven? When so many need you?
Virdee, I am not sure what you are saying. Would you state it in a more clear way?
This passage is not talking about an unbeliever, but a belligerent Christian who will not repent. His destruction was not to hell, but to his physical body.