Post by Les Brewer on Feb 4, 2019 0:29:53 GMT
THE CASE AGAINST OPEN IMMORALITY IN THE CHURCH
The Protestant Church doesn’t practice excommunication for the most part. The early church practiced its right to excommunicate those who were openly involved in sinful practices. Today many denominations doctrines and bylaws call for not allowing such sins; but in practice do not enforce them. Hence many within the denomination openly practice sin without impunity. This is one of the major reasons for the decline in the biblical morality of the church as a whole. God is getting to bring judgment upon his own and many pastors should be ready to follow suit. Paul addressed this in 1st Corinthians chapter 5.
(9) I wrote to you in my letter to have no company with sexual sinners;
(10) yet not at all meaning with the sexual sinners of this world, or with the covetous and extortionists, or with idolaters; for then you would have to leave the world.
(11) But as it is, I wrote to you not to associate with anyone who is called a brother who is a sexual sinner, or covetous, or an idolater, or a slanderer, or a drunkard, or an extortionist. Don’t even eat with such a person.
(12) For what do I have to do with also judging those who are outside? Don’t you judge those who are within?
(13) But those who are outside, God judges. “Put away the wicked man from among yourselves.” 1st Corinthians 5:9-13
I’ve preached it many times that when we set down to eat with someone we are spiritually joining into a covenant of agree with them.
(10) If anyone comes to you, and doesn’t bring this teaching, don’t receive him into your house, and don’t welcome him,
(11) for he who welcomes him participates in his evil deeds. 2 John 1:10-11
PURITY REQUIRES PURGATION
Separation from the fellowship is for the earnest hope of repentance and amendment for the sin openly practiced. Paul thought of the world as the domain of Satan because he was the power of the prince of the air and the world which is filled with powers, principalities, rulers of darkness, and spiritual wickedness in high places. When he commanded an openly immoral person to be turned over to Satan; he meant to turn them back over to the world’s domain. This was excommunication.
SCANDAL FACTS
1. Arise within the Church.
2. Bring grievous reproach to the Church.
3. Can and should be instantly investigated and removed from the Church.
GOD HAS A REUNIFICATION PROCESS:
(8) For though I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it, though I did regret it. For I see that my letter made you sorry, though just for a while.
(9) I now rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that you were made sorry to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly way, that you might suffer loss by us in nothing.
(10) For godly sorrow produces repentance to salvation, which brings no regret. But the sorrow of the world produces death.
(11) For behold, this same thing, that you were made sorry in a godly way, what earnest care it worked in you. Yes, what defense, indignation, fear, longing, zeal, and vengeance! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be pure in the matter. 2nd Corinthians 7:8-11
God is love and his ways for his children are based upon his love for us. Yet he will not be mocked and demands of his spiritual leaders to do what is right in his sight; through Paul he has given us a model of excommunication for reunification. However he will not hesitate to judge and purge his body in these last days. Peter the Apostle gives us a glimpse of this in the 4th chapter of First Peter:
(16) But if one of you suffers for being a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God in this matter.
(17) For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God. If it begins first with us, what will happen to those who don’t obey the Good News of God?
(18) “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will happen to the ungodly and the sinner?”
(19) Therefore let them also who suffer according to the will of God in doing good entrust their souls to him, as to a faithful Creator. 1st Peter 4:16-19
Jesus is coming soon; have you examined yourself to know for sure you are walking in the light or darkness. Brethren if it is easy to sin with any conviction or guiltiness or godly condemnation; we may just be a candidate for excommunication for reunification or everlasting damnation. Selah
Shalom, Agape, & Amen!
Bishop D. Ray Ritchie (Emissary)
The Protestant Church doesn’t practice excommunication for the most part. The early church practiced its right to excommunicate those who were openly involved in sinful practices. Today many denominations doctrines and bylaws call for not allowing such sins; but in practice do not enforce them. Hence many within the denomination openly practice sin without impunity. This is one of the major reasons for the decline in the biblical morality of the church as a whole. God is getting to bring judgment upon his own and many pastors should be ready to follow suit. Paul addressed this in 1st Corinthians chapter 5.
(9) I wrote to you in my letter to have no company with sexual sinners;
(10) yet not at all meaning with the sexual sinners of this world, or with the covetous and extortionists, or with idolaters; for then you would have to leave the world.
(11) But as it is, I wrote to you not to associate with anyone who is called a brother who is a sexual sinner, or covetous, or an idolater, or a slanderer, or a drunkard, or an extortionist. Don’t even eat with such a person.
(12) For what do I have to do with also judging those who are outside? Don’t you judge those who are within?
(13) But those who are outside, God judges. “Put away the wicked man from among yourselves.” 1st Corinthians 5:9-13
I’ve preached it many times that when we set down to eat with someone we are spiritually joining into a covenant of agree with them.
(10) If anyone comes to you, and doesn’t bring this teaching, don’t receive him into your house, and don’t welcome him,
(11) for he who welcomes him participates in his evil deeds. 2 John 1:10-11
PURITY REQUIRES PURGATION
Separation from the fellowship is for the earnest hope of repentance and amendment for the sin openly practiced. Paul thought of the world as the domain of Satan because he was the power of the prince of the air and the world which is filled with powers, principalities, rulers of darkness, and spiritual wickedness in high places. When he commanded an openly immoral person to be turned over to Satan; he meant to turn them back over to the world’s domain. This was excommunication.
SCANDAL FACTS
1. Arise within the Church.
2. Bring grievous reproach to the Church.
3. Can and should be instantly investigated and removed from the Church.
GOD HAS A REUNIFICATION PROCESS:
(8) For though I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it, though I did regret it. For I see that my letter made you sorry, though just for a while.
(9) I now rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that you were made sorry to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly way, that you might suffer loss by us in nothing.
(10) For godly sorrow produces repentance to salvation, which brings no regret. But the sorrow of the world produces death.
(11) For behold, this same thing, that you were made sorry in a godly way, what earnest care it worked in you. Yes, what defense, indignation, fear, longing, zeal, and vengeance! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be pure in the matter. 2nd Corinthians 7:8-11
God is love and his ways for his children are based upon his love for us. Yet he will not be mocked and demands of his spiritual leaders to do what is right in his sight; through Paul he has given us a model of excommunication for reunification. However he will not hesitate to judge and purge his body in these last days. Peter the Apostle gives us a glimpse of this in the 4th chapter of First Peter:
(16) But if one of you suffers for being a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God in this matter.
(17) For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God. If it begins first with us, what will happen to those who don’t obey the Good News of God?
(18) “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will happen to the ungodly and the sinner?”
(19) Therefore let them also who suffer according to the will of God in doing good entrust their souls to him, as to a faithful Creator. 1st Peter 4:16-19
Jesus is coming soon; have you examined yourself to know for sure you are walking in the light or darkness. Brethren if it is easy to sin with any conviction or guiltiness or godly condemnation; we may just be a candidate for excommunication for reunification or everlasting damnation. Selah
Shalom, Agape, & Amen!
Bishop D. Ray Ritchie (Emissary)
