The person is no longer part of the church, but is now part of the mission field. Goal is the same: salvation of the person.
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Church Members Who Commit Sexual Sin
- Thread starter Debbie
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but what if he keeps coming back to church on a regular basis? how should the church leader deal with him/her? how should regular church goers deal with him/her
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I think the unrepentant sinner who was approached in love by the church, would not return to that church. He would find a church who didnt care about his unrepentive, sinful behavior. That would be easy to find.
MY church split from the national denomination "Disciples of Christ" a couple of years ago because they no longer considered homosexuality a sin, & rewrote their national creed. There is no need for repentance in a church which ignores & condones sexual sin. So an unrepentive sinner would be more comfortable with that denomination.
Besides, many Christians today do not believe in repentance or judging sins, of their particular church members at all. Others believe in forgiving every sin of their pastor. In December, Robert Lairdon, nationally known pastor, confessed to his congregation that he was having a homosexual affair with his church's male youth minister. He is to be back at the pulpit this month after 4 months of counseling. Charisma magazine reported only 1/5 th of his congregation left, while the others stated, "We wouldnt be Christians if we didnt forgive him".
I am of the opinion that we are all the body of Christ, but we are only to judge those within our own particular church, seek their repentance, break fellowship, etc.
I can see what type of church it could become if unrepentive, active sinning was condoned. It would not be a good enviroment for the youth who were old enough to notice. The pastor & youth minister would not be immune from the immoral approval.
Thank you all for some very intelligent conversation on the matter. All scripture mentioned being true, it is apparent that we become a partner in hypocrisy if we condone every active unrepentive sin within our church members. It is the outside world we are not to judge.
Christi, not a problem here, but thanks for the apology anyway. I knew that you & some others were reading more meaning into my posts than I had intended, easy to do. I understand.
MY church split from the national denomination "Disciples of Christ" a couple of years ago because they no longer considered homosexuality a sin, & rewrote their national creed. There is no need for repentance in a church which ignores & condones sexual sin. So an unrepentive sinner would be more comfortable with that denomination.
Besides, many Christians today do not believe in repentance or judging sins, of their particular church members at all. Others believe in forgiving every sin of their pastor. In December, Robert Lairdon, nationally known pastor, confessed to his congregation that he was having a homosexual affair with his church's male youth minister. He is to be back at the pulpit this month after 4 months of counseling. Charisma magazine reported only 1/5 th of his congregation left, while the others stated, "We wouldnt be Christians if we didnt forgive him".
I am of the opinion that we are all the body of Christ, but we are only to judge those within our own particular church, seek their repentance, break fellowship, etc.
I can see what type of church it could become if unrepentive, active sinning was condoned. It would not be a good enviroment for the youth who were old enough to notice. The pastor & youth minister would not be immune from the immoral approval.
Thank you all for some very intelligent conversation on the matter. All scripture mentioned being true, it is apparent that we become a partner in hypocrisy if we condone every active unrepentive sin within our church members. It is the outside world we are not to judge.
Christi, not a problem here, but thanks for the apology anyway. I knew that you & some others were reading more meaning into my posts than I had intended, easy to do. I understand.
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The church itself should be open to all, in case this person repents and wants back into fellowship, but the members and the leaders must not fellowship with him or let him have the benefits of membership, like communion, suppers, church meetings, board membership, voting privledges, etc.
We are not to even eat with a person who has been put out of the church.
If the person enters the church and becomes disruptive, then eh should be physically put out, but as long as he is sitting quietly, the word of God may be soaking into his heart and making a difference!
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1Co 5:1 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you,
1Co 5:5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
This person has broken down the "Hedge" God has around Christians and "Satan" will bite them.
Job 1:10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him,
Ec 10:8 and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
"Repent" means to "turn away from", not "continue".
1Co 5:5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
This person has broken down the "Hedge" God has around Christians and "Satan" will bite them.
Job 1:10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him,
Ec 10:8 and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
"Repent" means to "turn away from", not "continue".
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LouisBooth
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":but what if he keeps coming back to church on a regular basis? how should the church leader deal with him/her? how should regular church goers deal with him/her"
Throwing in my 2 cents...he/she wouldn't. The people of the church would make it quite clear in a loving way that their fellowship is withdrawn from him/her. Like confronting an alcoholic friend that won't give it up..you have to seperate yourself from them. Its hard, but you have to do it. There was a episode of the cosby show that did this perfectly! This guy was on drugs and they dealt with him exactly how the church should.
Throwing in my 2 cents...he/she wouldn't. The people of the church would make it quite clear in a loving way that their fellowship is withdrawn from him/her. Like confronting an alcoholic friend that won't give it up..you have to seperate yourself from them. Its hard, but you have to do it. There was a episode of the cosby show that did this perfectly! This guy was on drugs and they dealt with him exactly how the church should.
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