Excommunication: When Impurity Demands a Purgation
Sermon on September 23, 2018
Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people—not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”
1 Corinthians 5:6-13
Last week I asked you what thoughts enter your mind when you think of church discipline. Now I want to ask you what thoughts you have about the ideas of purity and impurity, especially when it comes to the church. What if I told you that “more pure” and “less pure” are technical and very accurate ways of describing the church within Christian theology? Turretin called this the “splendor of the church,” specifically its,
external splendor which is concerned with the assembling of men, tranquility from persecutions, clearness and purity of doctrine and the manifest and uncorrupted ministry of the word.1
This splendor or purity is relative. Naturally, it is never complete until final glory. That makes sense because we as individual Christians are never complete in holiness until final glory. But we cannot argue from the presence of defects to the impossibility or undesirability of the perfect. Church discipline is given to us not to force perfection, but to be fitting instruments of its eventuality.
The Reason for Purgation
The Scope of Purgation
The Duty of Purgation
Doctrine. Since Christ calls the church ‘pure,’ we must be more like we are.
The Reason for Purgation
Paul turns to a metaphor: one at the very heart of the Christian faith. It is from imagery that runs through both Testaments, Old and New: ‘Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?’ (v. 6). If we can overlap back into a portion of the text from last week, the first reason for purgation was this: If you do not root that leaven out, it will expand and contaminate the whole body.
Now Paul is quick to add a second reason: ‘Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened’ (v. 7a). In other words be like what you really are. Are you real Christians? Then you are pure: “Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you” (Jn. 15:3). Jesus calls us pure. That has a double meaning. He calls us by His word, and therefore we are pure in an instant. That is to say, we are legally pure. We are justified in His courtroom and so have a pure record since it is His record of righteousness that we have (e.g., Rom. 5:18-19; 1 Cor. 1:30; 2 Cor. 5:21; Phi. 3:8-9). That Jesus calls us means that He calls us by His word. The Spirit through the word creates faith: “Faith comes through hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Rom. 10:17).
Then, in addition to that justifying word that makes us pure all at once, there is the same word that sanctifies us over the course of our lives: “by the washing of water with the word” (Eph. 5:26). Put both together and the “double cure,” as the hymn-writer calls it, makes us “double pure.” He makes us right in His courtroom and then makes us good in His house. In other words, when sanctification follows justification, we are becoming more like what we are. We belong to him, and therefore we learn to live like it. So the logic of the leaven is this: Be purifying the sin out, experientially, as your sin has already been washed away, legally. Note Paul’s use of the word AS in the metaphor—‘as you really are’ (v. 7a). So the first sense of this purgation is a proving of what is already real.
Then comes the deeper root of this reason: ‘For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed’ (v. 7b). The root of purity is the death of our impure selves in the death of Christ: “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Col. 3:3). It is this that was truly meant by the words of Jesus:
Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink (Jn. 6:54-55)
We will see this more clearly in Chapter 10 about the Gentile inclusion into the festal activities of Israel, but we participate in Christ, together, as our Passover lamb in the sacrament of communion. That is why the next words say to a New Covenant—and very Gentile—audience: ‘Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil’ (v. 8a). The Christian life is often compared to a celebration, a rejoicing. Think of where Jesus speaks of the disciples’ time with the Master in this way: “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?” (Mk. 2:19). But then you have these party crashers. Those who require the last stage of discipline are often depicted as trouble makers. That is why the word MALICE is introduced here. Sexual immorality is evil enough, but malice? Where did that come from? It comes from the pit of hell, if we are really asking; but we need to stop being so surprised at malicious intent showing up in our gatherings. In this way, malice may not only characterize the one who engages in the externally discrediting sin, but also in those who are always intimidating those who would seek purity and the true peace of the church.
The upshot is this: Let us do the Christian life together, not with the old way, not the world’s way, of hushing this up, and hating on anyone who has the guts to speak up: ‘but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth’ (v. 8b). Christ is saying to His disciples, through Paul, “Let’s be real for once! Yes, let us have unity, but it must a unity be based on the truth!” All the while, the devil is saying to those same disciples, “Silence that whistleblower!” “Shame that truth-tattler!” But Paul says it all elsewhere,
Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another (Eph. 4:26).
The Scope of Purgation
The simplest part of this passage is his qualification. I say “simple,” but it is amazing how many churchgoers do not even know about this passage. At least, many act as if they have never heard of it. Let us begin with what Paul does not mean: ‘not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world’ (v. 10). So when we ask the question, Which sins? We actually need to take one step back and ask Which sinners? Which ones are under the jurisdiction of the court of the church? And Paul’s answer is that it is not pagans who do not profess! They do not identify as citizens of this heavenly country. Why then would our courts be concerned with them? The question is not why we would be concerned with them; but that is evangelism and not discipline.
With the contrast in place, Paul can get on with who he does include in this jurisdiction: ‘But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one’ (v. 11). This is the key: ANYONE WHO BEARS THE NAME OF BROTHER. This is the professing Christian in the fellowship. Not coincidentally, the action item is about fellowship. That is what “Don’t even eat with him” means. Do you meet with him to discuss his present rebellion? Absolutely! But do not get together with him in such a way that condones and enables and says “Everything is fine!” Everything is not fine.
Calvin elaborates on this point.
By partaking of food here, is meant either living together, or familiar association in meals. For if, on going into an inn, I see one who has been excommunicated sitting at table, there is nothing to hinder me from dining with him; for I have not authority to exclude him. What Paul means is, that, in so far as it is in our power, we are to shun the society of those whom the Church has cut off from her communion. The Roman antichrist, not content with this severity, has burst forth into interdicts, prohibiting any one from helping one that has been excommunicated to food, or fuel, or drink, or any other of the supports of life. Now, that is not strictness of discipline, but tyrannical and barbarous cruelty, that is altogether at variance with Paul’s intention.2
Crucial point of application here: Our church court is not responsible to make other churches’ courts obedient to God. So there are times when we can have some degree of fellowship with churches that are connected to those in this level of sin. Paul and Barnabas met with the elders of the Jerusalem churches in Acts 15, even though they had long since knew that the gospel was being compromised and that those elders were lagging behind in their understanding. In other words, for a period of time Paul and Barnabas continued meeting with church leaders that they knew full well were harboring those who needed to be under discipline (cf. Gal. 1:8-9).
The “scope” is about more than just professing believers versus non-professing unbelievers. There is also the question is scope of sins. Which sins? Note that he adds to ‘sexual immorality … greed, or [someone who] is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler’ (v. 11). It should be clear that this is not an exhaustive list. Other sins are listed in other places where separation from fellowship is required. Insubordination would be one example: “If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed” (2 Thess. 3:14). Another would be those who deceive the gullible: “Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women” (2 Tim. 3:5-6).
Why would Paul include this list and specifically say, ‘But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone’ and then comes a list including others (besides the sexually immoral)? It is because there is a principle of impurity that is bigger than simply sexual sins.
Note that a biblical purge is not a witch hunt. In fact, there is no hunt at all. The evil has hunted the individual out. If one is the pastor or elder, they need to know that the people under their care are the prey and us are all cornered. The evil is in our face with fist raised or arms folded. It dares us to decide. The demon holds the captive sinner and the whole body together as a singular hostage, and as a human shield. And the church court has got to take the shot to separate them.
The Duty of Purgation
Now let us view verses 12 and 13 together because it is so clear when taken as a whole: ‘For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. ‘Purge the evil person from among you.” That is fairly clear. Judging outsiders is God’s job; but judging insiders He has delegated to us. Now what does that mean?
In terms of the big picture of theology it might help to remember that God judges those who are not “in Christ,” but that those who are “in Christ” do not come under judgment (Jn. 5:24). But if that true, why are we judging “those inside”? The answer is that this is a practical judgment and not a final judgment. Paul isn’t saying that God is the ultimate Judge of one group of people and we are of others. No! It is simply that God has given to the churches of Christ the practical task of ruling on earth for the purpose of a restoration aimed at heaven.
The church that fails to stand over its real jurisdiction will, according to this chapter as a whole, (i.) stand in arrogant opposition to God’s design; (ii.) fail to love the individual who is always in better care under God’s hand, even of severe mercy; and now also (iii.) suffer the spread of the spiritual contagion, whatever its exact form.
Practical Use of the Doctrine
Use 1. Correction. There is a view called “secondary separation.” It demands that the Christian and the church separate from anyone who will not separate from the initial or primary subject of separation. For example, if church member Bill is excommunicated for living with his girlfriend, then church member Sam, who continues to meet with Bill for coffee, must also be excommunicated. It is by this rationale that a Christian leader must not speak at a conference where another of that conference’s speakers is known to be a false teacher. Even these more understandable concerns show a misapplication of the principles of seeking purity. If one were consistent with this view, a husband who is member of a Christian church and converts to Mormonism would necessitate that his wife be excommunicated and shunned by that same Christian church.
Use 2. Consolation. At the center of this courtroom chapter is the gospel: ‘Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed’ (v. 7b). In our men’s study this week, we came upon Galatians 2:20. In many ways it is a description of the core identity of a Christian. Every Christian: “I have been crucified with Christ.” When Christ was given as our Passover lamb, our lives were hidden with Christ, as the ancient Jews hid inside the houses, blood on the doorposts, and the angel of death passing over them. The ultimate purge was when the wrath of a holy, pure God removed His Son from the camp and poured out His wrath on Him, instead of on us, and all of our impurities were washed away by the ultimate cleansing purgation.
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1. Turretin, Institutes, III.18.9.3
2. Calvin, Commentaries, XX:195.
