01.01. Introductory Comments
DEALING WITH SIN IN THE LIVES OF CHRISTIANS James W. Garrett
What should be a church’s response to sin in the life of one of its members? In America there typically are two opposing responses. Most mainline churches travel the road of noninvolvement. “Judge not,” is the message spoken by their functional style. “Unconditional love,” is expressed by the attitude, “Whatever you do, I will not judge you; I will love you, accept you, try to build your self-esteem, and through this positive response to you, hope to see you grow in constructive behavior.” This attitude fits well into the American trend toward individualism, expressed by Frank Sinatra’s song, I Did It My Way. “How I live is between me and God; my behavior is none of your business unless I invade your private territory.” The opposite response is demonstrated by some Pentecostal groups, cults, discipleship movements, and fundamentalist churches. Dress codes, spiritual regimen, and strict codes of conduct are enforced. Those who violate the standards of the group face “discipline,” which may consist of excommunication, banning, or shunning. Often, such severe pressure to conform is put upon a non-conformist that he leaves on his own - HE ESCAPES! The Church’s concern with holiness and purity among its members is a Scripturally correct concern. The epistles are replete with such exhortations as the following, Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the Living God; just as God said, “I will dwell in them and walk among them; And I will be their God, they shall be My people.
Therefore, come out from among their midst and be separate,”
Says the Lord.
And, “Do not touch what is unclean And I will welcome you, And I will be a father to you, And you shall be sons and daughters to Me,”
Says the Lord Almighty.
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1 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
2 But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he should be an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler- not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.
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One of the questions that has to be faced is, “What sins or character flaws merit action on the part of the church?” To persist in a known incestuous relationship is one thing, but what about knowingly writing checks when there is insufficient funds in the bank to cover the checks? Does such deception and fraud demand church discipline? This is not an easy question to answer.
Along with the concern for purity, there must be concern for avoiding witch-hunts and undue disruption in the life of the Church. This is the concern of Jesus’ Parable of the Tares, He presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares also among the wheat, and went away. But when the wheat sprang up and bore grain, then the tares became evident also. And the slaves of the landowner came and said to him, `Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ And he said to him, `An enemy has done this!’ And the slaves said to him, `Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?’ But he said, `No; lest while you are gathering up the tares, you may root up the wheat with them.
Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, `First gather up the tares and bind them into bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn.’“
4 When the disciples asked for an interpretation of this parable, Jesus made it evident that this was a parable about the Church, the Kingdom of Heaven.
5 2 1 Peter 1:14-16 3 1 Corinthians 5:11-13 4 Matthew 13:24-30
5 Matthew 13:37-43 Two concerns relevant to our topic are expressed in Scripture, 1. Purity in the Body of Christ 2. The ultimate salvation of every believer.
Scripture recognizes the fact that believers will commit sin. I John, addressed to Christians, makes this assertion, My little children, I am writing these things to you that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.
6 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
7 This epistle defines the difference between the incidental “sins” of the believer, and the “sin” of the ungodly.
...the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, that he might destroy the works of the devil. No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
8 The difference between the sin referred to in the first references above and that of the final reference is this, 1. In the first instance, John writes of those stumblings and failures that seem to be a part of our lives, even though we are Christians.
2. The second citation above refers to one who claims to be a Christian, but persists in open sinful behavior.
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6 1 John 2:1-2 7 1 John 1:8-10
9 Such as one who practices adultery, versus one who succumbed to temptation in a given situation and had an isolated failure.5