February 20
Keeping Correct Company
1 Corinthians 5:11-13

 

11: But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he should be an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler--not even to eat with such a one. 
12: For what have I to do with judging outsiders?  Do you not judge those who are within the church? 
13: But those who are outside, God judges.  Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.  (NAS Bible)
 

Paul says not to associate with someone who says they are a believer and yet they are sexually immoral, greedy, an idolater (devoted to anything that takes the place of God), foul tongued, or a drunkard or a swindler.  He says to not even eat with them.

Back in verse 10 he says he realizes the world is full of these types of people and we can’t leave the world to get away from them, but he’s talking about someone who is "called a brother".  Fellow Christians are normally the people you’d become friends with.  But he warns here not to hang out with someone who is supposed to be a Christian and yet does all these things.  He goes on to say to remove that wicked person from among you.  Those are pretty harsh words.

Does this mean that you are mean to someone like this and turn your nose up at them?  No.  It's not a pride thing where you think you are better than someone because they're not as holy as you.  This is about protecting yourself and those in your church.  Because if you hang out with someone who is acting this way it becomes harder for you to stay free from those things yourself. 


Confession:

I will do what the Bible says and not make it a habit to hang out with those who say they are believers yet commit the type of sins mentioned in these verses.

Obedience is a tree of life!