Hello turbo. Thanks for your Q. It's good to discuss this emotive subject in a friendly manner and share viewpoints. I'll think about what you said. That's a tough passage you quoted, in more ways than one!
In 1 Corinthians 5 there's a specific case then a general principle.
Verse 5: hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.
This man in verse 5 who is handed over to Satan, the purpose it says is that his spirit maybe saved. A shock to cause him to repent. If he is indeed born again he will be saved.
Verse 11: But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler.
The key word in verse 11 is 'claims'. Claiming is not automatically being. Professing to know God but denying him by their works (Titus 1:16). It reminds me of the Lord Jesus talking about watching for wolves in sheep's clothing (Matthew 7:15). A wolf was never a sheep, it's a predator in disguise. When a wolf is unmasked as a wolf it hasn't lost it's salvation, it hasn't lost it's membership of the flock, it was never of the flock to begin with. So booting an immoral person out, it seems like protecting the flock from a wolf in disguise, however in the perhaps less likely case of verse 5, a born again believer in some dreadful situation, the shock of being turned over to Satan is that he may be saved on the day of the Lord.
Hope this is of some interest, God Bless
In 1 Corinthians 5 there's a specific case then a general principle.
Verse 5: hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.
This man in verse 5 who is handed over to Satan, the purpose it says is that his spirit maybe saved. A shock to cause him to repent. If he is indeed born again he will be saved.
Verse 11: But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler.
The key word in verse 11 is 'claims'. Claiming is not automatically being. Professing to know God but denying him by their works (Titus 1:16). It reminds me of the Lord Jesus talking about watching for wolves in sheep's clothing (Matthew 7:15). A wolf was never a sheep, it's a predator in disguise. When a wolf is unmasked as a wolf it hasn't lost it's salvation, it hasn't lost it's membership of the flock, it was never of the flock to begin with. So booting an immoral person out, it seems like protecting the flock from a wolf in disguise, however in the perhaps less likely case of verse 5, a born again believer in some dreadful situation, the shock of being turned over to Satan is that he may be saved on the day of the Lord.
Hope this is of some interest, God Bless
There is a lot to this situation but to keep it short, I agree with your optional assessment. You said however in the perhaps less likely case of verse 5, a born again believer in some dreadful situation, the shock of being turned over to Satan is that he may be saved on the day of the Lord.
I suggest the passage does not tell us he was an unbeliever. Without more evidence, as you pointed out "so called" brother could mean an unbeliever. Thankfully we have 2 Cor. that shows us the heart of this man. When the church turned him over to Satan they did so too aggressively. Paul tells them to back off.
2 Cor. 2:5 Now if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure—not to put it too severely—to all of you. 6 For such a one, this punishment by the majority is enough, 7 so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8 So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him. 9 For this is why I wrote, that I might test you and know whether you are obedient in everything. 10 Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, 11 so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.
I understand this situation as he is a believer and was in a sinful situation and didn't realize it. Paul tells them to turn him over to Satan to (1) cleanse the church and (2) hopefully save his soul. The punishment worked and they were to welcome him back with love.
I believe this situation illustrates this verse.
James 5:19 My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
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