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(Disclaimer: long(er) post) -
The issue in the Corinthian congregation was not man's sin OR repentance, though (peace to you all!). It was Paul 's teaching to judge... which overstepped the commandment of Christ to STOP judging. In the verses following what our dear PSacto (the greatest of love and peace to you, dear one!) quoted, Paul went on to say:
"What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13 God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you[/b].” 1 Corinthians 5:12, 13
Paul was relying on his Pharisaical education and so his position was from the Law. Deuteronomy 13:5; 17:7; 19:19; 21:21; 22:21,24; 24:7 This is because he had not yet learn to walk by spirit himself... but was still "under" the Law. And so, he was trying to put those who had been RELEASED from the Law... BY Christ (based on his death!) BACK under Law. This caused many of the Corinthians, and some of the Apostles, to have a problem with Paul. THEY had learned, from Christ, to follow THIS "pattern":
“If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." Matthew 18:15-18
Apparently, the Corinthians HAD followed this pattern (because, after giving them HIS "commandment," Paul LATER wrote:
"Sufficient for such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the majority..." 2 Corinthians 2:6
But that is not what he had tried to get them to do at FIRST. At first, he tried to get them to adhere to the Law, which again, they had been released from. PAUL was the one still "walking by sight," and did for some time (which is why he told Timothy the whole "all scripture is inspired and beneficial for teaching," etc. thing... rather than telling Timothy to go to Christ and rely on HIM and holy spirit - Paul was not relying on either, himself).
Paul was still a victim of his own arrogance and education, which fomented in him a need to control... which was conducive to his training as a Pharisee: he had the mindset. He had a LOT to learn when he was chosen by Christ, however, and learned much of it by means of the SUFFERING he endured for that One. Which is why he was chosen: NOT his "zeal" but so as to take the place in suffering of he CAUSED to suffer for Christ. He was instrumental in stopping the work of others, particularly Stephen, and so he had to take Stephen's place, including his suffering:
"When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and [Jesus] standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
"At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.
"Saul approved of their killing him.
"On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.
...
"Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.
"He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.
“I am [Jesus], whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
"The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
"In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias! ”
“Yes, Lord,” he answered.
"The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”
“Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”
But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name."
Acts 7:54-59; 8:1, 2; 9:1-15
Praise JAH that given the "authority" he wielded, Paul DID change his position. He finally "got it". Why? Because he eventually had to share his message with both Jews/Israel AND non-Israelite Gentiles. His message to the Corinthians was primarily to Jews/Israel... and we can know this because the non-Israelite Gentiles weren't UNDER the very Law Paul was trying to get the Corinthians to adhere to! Once he LEARNED to follow Christ and NOT the Law, Paul wrote that he did to the Romans about a year later, which "congregation" consisted of both Jews and non-Jews (Romans 1:1, 7; 11:13[/b]:
"But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God. For it is written:
“As I live, says JaHVeH,
Every knee shall bow to Me,
And every tongue shall confess to God.”
"So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way." Romans 14:10-13
UNFORTUNATELY, those who look to PAUL (versus AT Christ) don't "see" the spiritual progression or result maturity and change IN Paul that he experienced. The fact that the Bible books are not canonized in order contributes largely to this, but the primary reason that folks can't see this truth is pursuant to something Paul himself wrote in his second letter:
"Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, transitory though it was, will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? If the ministry that brought condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!
"Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. But their minds were made dull, to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away." 2 Corinthians 3:7-16
Unfortunately, the account doesn't show that Paul elaborated on HIS previous error of trying to put the Corinthians back under Law.
This very situation, however, is one reason why relying "on the Bible," and so what we see with our eyes (what is "written") can be a dangerous thing. It shows why SO many are caught up in judging... and so putting others back under Law... due to trying to be the means for "cleansing" congregations/the Body of Christ... rather than relying on GOD to cleanse that Body... THROUGH Christ:
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. [b][u]No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned." John 15:1-7
I realize this was a long(er) post but I think knowing the truth about these things is critical. "Paul" wields a LOT of authority even today, much to the same detriment to many today as to the Corinthians congregation back then. We're really not supposed to worry about the "sins" of others - really, which of us is WITHOUT sin and so able to cast a stone? If we have been shown mercy and forgiven, then it is upon us to SHOW mercy... and forgive. Does it matter is someone is "repentant"? Who are we to say who is and who is not? Paul was not repentant (and he had been instrumental in the MURDER of Christ's disciples); yet, he was still called and chosen. True, he had to "suffer" for his acts, but so do some of us today.
It is not up to us, however, the "cleanse" the Body of Christ - it is up the MOST HOLY One of Israel, JAH of Armies, the "Cultivator" of the Tree (of Life) for which that Body serves as "branches." When we take it upon ourselves to do such cleansing we are not only usurping HIS authority, but putting our selves in line to BE judged. NOT just for what we may be doing NOW... but ALL that we may have done before. Because that is how it works: you either forgive... and so BE forgiven... or you judge... and thereby put yourself BACK in line to BE judged.
What of someone who commits a crime "against the state"? Then such one might be handed over TO the state... for IT to judge him/her. If such one has only committed a crime (sin) against US... then we should follow the pattern stated by Christ recorded for us.
Even better, rather than concerning ourselves with the "transgression," we COULD allow LOVE... to let us SURPASS it. Because love is the Law's FULFILLMENT... and covers a MULTITUDE of transgressions. Ours... and those who may have "sinned" against us.
Sadly, we have a record that shows "Paul"... BEFORE he got this truth. Praise JAH, we also have a record that shows him afterward.
I hope this helps, dear one, truly.
Again, peace to you ALL!
YSSFS of Christ,
Shellama
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, my understanding of that is to pray for guidance and go to NT and meditate on the accounts and life of Jesus and the apostles, and try our best to live by them. Is that what you meant by this? Thanks. Interestingly, I've read the same thought from a book (George MacDonald) about not relying on the Bible so much, e.g. not relying on the "letter" because it tends toward legalism, but rather we should rely on the Spirit. I guess I'm still a spiritual babe as I don't really know how to do that without consulting the Bible.
