Not enjoyable, but needful

Scripture Read: 1 Timothy 1:18-20 This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight, ¹⁹ keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith. ²⁰ Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, so that they will be taught not to blaspheme.

Application: The first aspect of turning someone over to Satan is to refuse to hide their rebellious behavior, which might include making it a public record for all in the Body to know. This is essential for the protection of God’s name in front of those that do not yet have a relationship with Him. When we say we refuse to hide their behavior, it does not mean we are going to publicly broadcast their sin to the believing and unbelieving world, like placing an add in the newspaper. The scriptures clearly explain that all confrontation should be done in love, one step at a time and with the motive of restoration.

(Matthew 18:15–17) “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. ¹⁶ “But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. ¹⁷ “If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

This is the first step. Our greatest hope is that there is restoration and the one who erred has seen the sin and repents and thus it ends quickly and no one else has to be involved. The reason I say it is the first step is because the individual has already ignored the Holy Spirit and their conscience concerning the sin. So the minute a confrontation has to take place, you have started on this path. We must give them the chance to repent of their sin and if need be go to those that they have sinned against and confess and asked forgiveness and make things right, restoring the relationships. All this can be done just between you and the individual in sin. If they refuse to do what the Bible requires (be angry but not sin, be at peace with all, forgive, stop…etc.) then we may have to bring others in on the situation. As we bring others into the situation this will cause greater exposure of the sinning brother's problem. All of this is done to try to bring the person to their senses about their sin. If they continue to rebel and not submit to God then the church, that is ~the body of Christ, ~the believers they are fellowshipping with, ~those we are commanded not to forsake the assembling with, we have no choice but to cut them off from their fellowship in the body of Christ. Again, this is not about being vindictive, our motive and drive is to help our brother or sister see that if they want to live in sin they cannot enjoy the fellowship of the body or communion with the Lord. We should bring in the principal taught in 1 Cor. 7:14, where we see that an unbelieving husband is protected because of a believing wife.

1 Cor. 7:14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband; for otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy.

He has not been given salvation, however, God separates him for special protection because of his wife and her relationship to the Lord. The focus is on the believer not the unbeliever. When she prays to God to protect her family this includes her unbelieving husband, and God will honor her prayers and so her husband is blessed because of her. Being part of the body of Christ offers this protection to each person but when that person rebels they need to face the fact that life away from God includes a life away from the protection that is given to those that are in the body of Christ. When we fellowship with each other and pray for each other, a special encouragement and bond happens between members of the body. In addition, God honors our prayers as we pray for His protection and blessing for each other. When a person is “turned over to Satan” the church is making it clear to that sinning believer that if they want to live in the world and like the world, they cannot have that special bond and protection offered when in Fellowship with the body of Christ. What Paul is talking about here is of the most serious nature, and it is essential if the Body of Christ wishes to remain pure. The world needs to see a contrast between the worlds dealings with sin, which is either ignore or over kill and the Churches dealing with it. “Tough love”, mercy and grace, transparency and restoration if the offender will allow it. The flock also needs to see that open rebellion and sinful living has ramifications.

Meditation Questions: When you think about confronting a person about sin, what is the first thing you think of? Fear? Vengeance? Restoration? Do we have to like everything we should do in the Body of Christ? Would you encourage someone to continue eating rat poison if you caught them doing it? Would you ignore it? Before we confront anyone about sin in their lives what questions should we ask ourselves?