“Deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus” (1 Cor 5:5).

 Those who turn back from following Jesus face a severe fate in judgment:  Lk 12:  Heb 10:  “If, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning” (2 Pet 2:20).

Do two things:

 One: Contemplate what hell is like.  Hell is a place of darkness.  “The sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness” (Matt 8:12).  Hell is a place of fire.  Matt 13:40-42.

 One: Contemplate what hell is like.  Hell is a place where God is not.  “These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power” (2 Thess 1:9).  Hell is an eternal place.  “Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt 25:41).

 One: Contemplate what hell is like.  Hell is a place of pain.  “The sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matt 8:12).  Contemplate what hell will be like.

 Two: Pray.  “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved” (Rom 10:1).  For whom can you pray?

Disfellowship shows the love of God to the unrepentant sinner.

 God deeply loves those who are in sin.  “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (Jn 3:16).  God is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Pet 3:9).

 How does disfellowshiping someone demonstrate the love of God?  One purpose of disfellowship is to see a person’s soul saved (1 Cor 5:5).  Who guided Paul to write that we should withdraw fellowship when someone refuses to repent?  God (2 Tim 3:16-17).  God gave us guidelines to disfellowship because he loves those in sin!

 Disfellowship shows the world that we love the Lord.  “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (Jn 14:15).

 Therefore, you must disfellowship.  Disfellowship is a congregational activity.  “In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh” (1 Cor 5:4-5).  Next Lord’s Day, if the Lord wills, we’ll think about specifics.

“Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us” (1 Cor 5:6-7).

 When people see that a church winks at sin, they’ll be far more likely to wink at sin.  “Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest also may fear” (1 Tim 5:20).  Therefore, do two things:

 One: Pray for the elders.  They have an awesome responsibility.  “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you” (Heb 13:17).  Honor these men through prayer as they seek to keep sin away from here.  Pray that they might have wisdom:  “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (Js 1:5).  Pray that they can take heed to all flock, among which God has made them overseers (Acts 20:28).

 Two: Search the Scriptures.  Only through Scripture can I know who needs to be disfellowshiped.  “I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, ‘You shall not covet’” (Rom 7:7).  Scripture “is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Tim 3:16).

 Fellowship is so important.  God created Eve for Adam’s fellowship.  Barnabas took Saul of Tarsus to the apostles.  We help each other bear our burdens.

 Fellowship with God is vital.  “Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him” (Gen 5:24).  I want fellowship with God!  “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Cor 1:9).  “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God” (Rev 21:3).