• Flax
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    1
    ·
    6 hours ago

    Exactly, Paul tells Christians to leave those outside of the Church to be dealt with by God as well.

    1 Corinthians 5:12-13

    For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.

    • sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      5 hours ago

      I agree with your point generally (limit judgment to those within the church), I just urge caution about how far to take that.

      Context

      Paul is talking to a fledgling church (not ready for meat: see chapter 3), so they need to be extra careful about getting led astray. Corinth was known for sexual deviance, yet the Christians were accepting of something even the local non-Christians would see as wrong (sexual relationship with step mother), yet the Christians there seemed to accept it. Tolerance of that behavior is destructive to the church, so they need to actively push against it. Pushing the individual out of the church would encourage them to repent and also protect the church from further compromising their principles.