I wrote to you in my earlier letter not to associate with sexually immoral people. But I wasn’t talking about the sexually immoral people in the outside world by any means—or the greedy, or the swindlers, or people who worship false gods—otherwise, you would have to leave the world entirely! But now I’m writing to you not to associate with anyone who calls themselves “brother” or “sister” who is sexually immoral, greedy, someone who worships false gods, an abusive person, a drunk, or a swindler. Don’t even eat with anyone like this. What do I care about judging outsiders? Isn’t it your job to judge insiders? God will judge outsiders. Expel the evil one from among you! (1 Corinthians 5:9-13, CEB)
In my earlier letter, well, Paul, this is the first letter we have from you to Corinth, unless of course we believe biblical scholars who say that the letters to the gathering in Corinth comprise many letters that were fragments that got put together.
Interesting here, Paul tells the Corinthians to not allow people who say they are believers who still obviously worship false gods, are abusive, drunks, swindlers, greedy, immoral people to be a part of the gathering. Expel the evil one from among you.
In the past week, I have commented on people’s comments on my social media posts for them to unfriend me if they support the current occupant of the White House. It is no longer about politics. It is about humanity.
Paul here tells us to not allow evil to be a part of the gathering we are in, to expel evil, and to judge those who are a part of the gathering. We can not allow people to say they are followers of Christ when they are not doing what Christ called us to do.
We are called to love and accept all people as they are. We are not to change anyone, but love them, and allow God to do the rest.
Love like Jesus. Expel evil from your midst.
aSacredRebel 