1 Corinthians 5:5-6 (NET)turn this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord. Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast affects the whole batch of dough?
In the Corinthian Church, there was a man who was cohabiting with his father’s wife, and this man was still freely fellowshipping with the church without any shame. I don’t know why they didn’t appear to see anything wrong with this. Clearly, those who reported the matter to Paul did, but for some reason, the church was still moving on as if nothing was wrong.
In judging this matter, Paul commanded that this man should be turned over to Satan for the destruction of his flesh. What does this mean?
You see, every true church assembly (as represented by the leadership) has great authority in heaven because the church is the body of Christ. Jesus told the Apostles that whoever’s Sin the church forgives is forgiven and whoever’s Sin the church retains is retained (see John 20:23). He also told them that whatever the church binds on earth is bound in heaven (see Matt 18:17-18). Such is the authority of the apostolic church.
Every believer has protection from Satan (the prince of this world) because he or she becomes a member of Christ’s body by virtue of his faith in the Lord. But if a church assembly decides to [temporarily] sever themselves from a member because of his embarrassing and shameful conduct, such a believer will no longer enjoy the covering and protection of the church, and will now be exposed to Satan’s assault.
If that believer was rightly judged by his church assembly, but rebelliously goes to join himself to another group of believers, if that group accepts him in spite of his rebellion, that group will share in his iniquity and share in his judgment because they have refused to discern the body of the Lord and have ‘laid hands on him suddenly'(see 1 Tim 5:22).
Go into today remembering that the church of Christ has more authority than any human government and every member of this body has access to the authority of Christ.
—Pastor Abraham
Bible in 1 Year: Ezekiel 43-48
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