“1 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife.
2 And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that has done this deed might be taken away from among you.
3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that has so done this deed,
4 In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
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.
6 Your glorying is not good. Know you not that a little leaven leavens the whole lump.” 1 Corinthians 5:1-6
It is the eternal soul that is at stake when the Believer falls from Grace. No matter the sin, if the Believer is not repentant of their sin once they have been warned according to Matthew 18:15-17, then they must be turned over to the devil for the destruction of the flesh so that the spirit, their eternal soul, may be Saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
What every Christian needs to understand is the difference in forgiveness and deliverance. There are many sitting in the church pews who are repentant. They HATE their sin but they are bound. They have tried every wind of doctrine that has come down the religious pike to gain a victory that has already been given by the shed Blood of Christ Jesus. The problem is that their faith has been moved from the Blood of Jesus and to another object. This other object incites their flesh, appeals to their intellect and triggers their willpower. It’s what they know and they turn to ‘it’ (whatever ‘it’ may be) for their deliverance and time after time they fail. They love the Lord and are sincere in their repentance but they have been led astray by doctrines of man. Instead of maintaining their victory by faith in the Cross of Christ, they set forth to gain their victory. If such were possible, the Cross of Christ was in vain. God forbid NO!
These precious souls are not to be turned over to the devil but pointed to the Cross of Christ so that they may live.
“And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looks upon it, shall live.” Numbers 21:8
We have all been bitten by the fiery serpent. We are all born into a doomed race due to the Fall of Adam. None have any moral claim to righteousness or Salvation. All that the believing sinner and the Saint have is provided to us by the Cross of Christ. Our victory this side of Glory is freely and abundantly given to WHOSOEVER will believe.
Be careful how we treat those who have fallen from Grace. We don’t know how the Lord is dealing with them. Their eternal soul is at stake. Point them to Jesus…point them to the Cross of Christ so that they too may look and live. If they refuse repentance; deny their sinful ways and condone a sinful lifestyle as they claim Christianity, we must contend for the faith and turn them over the devil. The Lord will use the devil as His instrument of chastisement in hopes that the fallen will turn back to Him…just as the prodigal son came back to his father.
Repentance will always be met with forgiveness and when the fallen Brethren repent, we must accept them back into the fold.
“6 Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.
7 So that contrariwise you ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.
8 Wherefore I beseech you that you would confirm your love toward him.” 2 Corinthians 2:6-8
Eternal souls are at stake. Many whose eyes have been blinded to the sin that has to easily beset them are beginning to see. They too are coming out from among the worldly and choosing to be ye separate. Repentance is necessary but you will know them by their fruit. We are to judge their fruit. Their eyes will be watching those who believe and signs and miracles will follow.
In every situation we as Believers must consider the eternal souls of others. There are some who are indeed enemies of God. They hate God and the things of God but there are others who simply do not know the Lord. Pray for discernment. Point them to the Cross of Christ Jesus so that they too may look live.
-Donna Clark Warren
Living in The Spirit 