I was in a discussion today and was shocked to hear that some people think that people who are living in sin should not be allowed to attend their church. This truly breaks my heart to hear this. The discussion was using an example of two people who are living together but aren’t married. What are your thoughts?
First, we need to define
sin according to the Word of God.
....... Two unmarried and young heterosexual Christian couple living together and remaining faithful to each other until they can be legally married(eg marriage is delayed because of financial circumstances) are likely not living in sin. They may already be spiritually married in the eyes of God, like Adam and Eve, Noah and wife, etc who were not lawfully/legally married.
ROMANS.7: = 7 What shall we say then?
Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law.
MATTHEW.7: = 12 Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
MATTHEW.22: = 37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is
the first and great commandment. 39 And
the second
is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
MATTHEW.5: = 43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
ACTS.15: = 19 Therefore I judge that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God, 20 but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols,
from sexual immorality,
from things strangled, and
from blood.
1CORINTHIANS.6: = 9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
MATTHEW.18:15-17 and
1CORINTHIANS.5:1-13 command the Church to expel or excommunicate unrepentant sinners/evildoers/law-breakers.