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Deliver Unto Satan - 1 Cor 5
Deliver Unto Satan - 1 Cor 5
The Corinthians hearing, believed, and were baptized. They were thus washed, sanctified and justified (6:19). In such baptism, they put to death the old man and were made alive by the power of God (Col. 2:9-13, Rom. 6). The problem was that at least one of them continued to live a life of immorality. In the next chapter, Paul will remind them: "do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God" (6:9-10). Such immorality was a work of the flesh (Gal. 5:19-20). Such immorality displayed a carnal mindset, a minding of the things of the flesh (cp. Rom. 8:5-6). Allowing such to go unchecked and un-reproved would be the catalyst for more believers among them to live this way.
Paul commanded that the whole of the congregation of saints 'removed' such an immoral person from their midst (vs. 2), not to associate with such an immoral person (vs. 9), and to "removed the wicked man from among yourselves" (vs. 13). I understand the fulfilling of this to be the meaning of Paul's statement that he would "deliver such a one to Satan". Instead of having the fellowship of God's people, he would now only be left to associate with those yet under the power of darkness.
The purpose of this was to bring about the realization of the consequences that such sinful living would bring to this man. With such realization, there would be hope of repentance. With the repentance would come his turning away from such fleshly lifestyle resulting in the 'destruction of his flesh'. Paul described such repentance that comes from godly sorrow as producing vindication, indignation, fear, longing, zeal, and avenging of what was wrong (2Cor. 7:11). We are instructed to "put to death what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness" (Col. 3:5). We are to "put to death the deeds of the body" (Rom. 8:13). With such "destruction of the flesh" we may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. If we put to death the deed of the flesh we shall live (Rom. 8:13).
Paul was not advocating capital punishment by the church, but personal transformation by the individual. Some will only come to their senses the hard way by 'hitting bottom' (like the prodigal son of Luke 15). We do such people no favor by codling them in their sins.
We MUST, however, do this with two goals in mind. First, the goal is the purity of the church as it stands before an ungodly world. Second, the ultimate repentance and salvation of the sinner caught up in such immorality. We know that the second goal is not always reached, as some will persist in their sin. The first goal IS accomplished. Such a removal of wicked people DOES accomplish this goal.
I know that such teaching in today's world is unpalatable. I also know that this is what the New Testament teaches concerning our association in the local church. Will we be faithful to God or bow our knee to the world?
Hugh DeLong
