1 Corinthians 5
But I am saying that you shouldn't act as if everything is just fine when a friend who claims to be a Christian is promiscuous or crooked, is flip with God or rude to friends, gets drunk or becomes greedy and predatory. You can't just go along with this, treating it as acceptable behavior. I'm not responsible for what the outsiders do, but don't we have some responsibility for those within our community of believers? God decides on the outsiders, but we need to decide when our brothers and sisters are out of line and, if necessary, clean house.
Hi agaain. Yesterday was a full day out with E12 @ Jonker Street :) Here's part 1. YouVersion is down, hope it gets well soon :) So today's passage is from BibleGateway.com
This is the passage of the guy that was in obvious sin but wasn't dealt with, and Paul's response of how the church should deal with such. Key premise, this passage is for Christians, not people who don't profess to have a personal relationship with Jesus.
So rather than explaining this passage, I think to myself, what does this mean to me? What was the first thing that came to my mind when I thought of this. And the first thought was really quite interesting! It was Sherene!
I guess it's talking about church discipline among friends. And to me, that's relationship on the cell level, and usually the cell leader will be the one doing this. And I'm pretty sure CHC has this quite in check with their CGLs also acting as "moral guardians", not in a draconic way, but with the responsibility entrusted upon them to guide the flock of sheep.
As for me, I guess this will always boil down to a matter of relationship first, authority later. I guess this passage is a reminder for the authority side of things. I guess the correction has to come from someone who has a relationship with the person who is going to correct them. And I guess that means that for me, that's quite a lot of people in YA. Of course I don't do it alone, there's a whole Comm to work with :) But taking a closer look at the very things that Paul mentioned. Things like is flip with God (translated from idol worshipers) or rude to friends. When I know that I have friends who are idolizing something above God. Very often it's studies. Very often it's busyness, or the appearance of being such. Do I take my role seriously as a Christian brother and confront the matter, or do I, like Paul says, "hope that it will go away on it's own." This is definitely a learning point for me as a Cell Leader, especially when "dealing" with my sheep in the future. Do not "hope it will go away on it's own". But with a reminder that to do it in love, not to destroy the person, but so that person will be on their feet when Jesus comes.
The of course, the flip side of the argument comes back to me. Do I allow such things in my life to go unchecked by people. Am I open to correction from my own friends, who are doing the very things God has instructed the church (which is the people) to do?
I guess this is a reminder for me to be more open to what people have to say about my attitude and behaviour.
Yup. Can't really concentrate now. I'm starting to value privacy a lot more.