1 Corinthians 5:12-13
What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you.”
There is a place for judgment in the church. This is a different judgment than what Jesus talked about in Matthew 7:1-6. In that passage, judging others is more of an individual judging that puts oneself above others. It is finding fault in others when one has one’s own problems. Paul is talking about preserving the holiness and integrity of the church. The church must be proactive in upholding a righteous ethic. That does not mean that sinners are not welcome. They are. But there comes a point when people should know what is right and wrong and what God expects of his people. When someone calls him or herself a fellow believer and is flagrantly participating in sinful acts, the church must act. Why? 1) to help the person, 2) to remain true to the gospel of holiness, and 3) to protect the witness of the church before outsiders. Compromise is a deadly sin that will eat away at the life of a church. The days are near when the church in America (and other places) will have to take some hard stands against the deteriorating culture. This may also mean taking some hard stands about who leads churches and what types of behaviors are expected of disciples. We must be careful not to fall into legalism. There is a fine balance between being God’s holy people, redeemed and cleansed from sin, and falling into the trap of lifeless legalism. Legalism is a close cousin to judging. Correction out of love is a necessary part of a health church.
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