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FAQ # 107
QUESTION 107 : 1 Corinthian 5:5 shows a man
in the church, no doubts about it, who was sinning and lost his salvation,
especially when Paul handed him over to satan; isn’t that so?
One person said,
An extreme case of the "consistently
carnal Christian" seems to be found in 1 Cor. 5:5. Apparently a member
of the congregation was involved in an incestuous relationship with his
mother-in-law! (5:1). Paul hands this carnal Christian over to physical
death, but he notes that he will be saved at the day of the Lord Jesus.
Some might be so afflicted in sin [See the FAQ 88 or
348] that they cause shame to the body and death might be the remedy God
chooses to use and also to demonstrate his power; for instance, the case
with Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:3-10). Even further, Paul used this
authority boldly as well, "To deliver such an one unto Satan for
the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day
of the Lord Jesus" (1 Cor 5:5). But notice what he also said, "
that the spirit may be saved." Paul is not a fool, he know about
Justification and applied it across the board. He knew the man was born
again and regardless of, would be saved though he temporarily fell into
sin. However, he did what he did. Nevertheless, we are rather to have
mercy and exercise grace at most times, even though we are given certain
authority and power.
All sins always lead to spiritual death, Paul himself
in 1 Cor 15:31 said that he "die daily" (falter or "sin"),
so to speak. He said that because by God's spirit he is resurrected daily;
making him unable to die spiritually at any given time, though he speak
thus. So any sin alone represents spiritual death, which kept us from
God, but with his spirit we are forever joined to him. This is not a license
to sin, so Paul patched it back up when he said, "for to morrow we
die. [HOWEVER] Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
Awake to righteousness, and sin not..." (1 Cor 15:32-34).
In other words, don't be fooled, "We know that
whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth
himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not" (1 John 5:18). But
sometimes while living radical for God devils tempt us to bring down our
excellency. Most often we resist, but upon being extensively pressure,
sometimes we give in. In those rare times, we bounce back by his spirit,
an assured fact (Pro 24:16). However, this time Paul didn't even wait
he made a demonstration of this person, because of the extent of his falling.
A similar thing can be seen with David and the child he had with Uriah's
wife in the adultery. God could have allowed the child to live, but probably
didn't because the shame the child would live in and also to teach David
and Israel a lesson. David even had another child with Bathsheba that
lived (2 Sa 12:24).
And lastly, the man in question was so protected by Justification that
the "wicked one toucheth him not" (1 John 5:18); that is, the
real him, his soul. Paul, authorized by God, had to break that hedge around
the man's body, but knew he is saved. Paul could have also use this authority
against wolves that came into the church as sheep (unsaved), to overtly
rip it apart; this time these wouldn't be saved, because they weren't
in the first place. This is the sort of dread God wanted in establishing
the foundation of the Gentile church. Though it happens, it is hardly
known today.
Also, there is no such thing as a carnal Christian, as discussed in several
FAQ's; the two words are even contradictory. In addition, the fact that
the man was caught in this one sin, doesn't mean he was doing several
other sins or had been doing this all along. This could be his first time
falling, and because of the heinousness of it, God allowed Paul to do
what he did as a demonstration. Like how Judas was set apart for Jesus’
betrayal.
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