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哥林多前书5:3-5: 3我身子虽不在你们那里，心却在你们那里，好像我亲自与你们同在，已经判断了行这事的人。4就是你们聚会的时候，我的心也同在。奉我们主耶稣的名，并用我们主耶稣的权能，5要把这样的人交给撒但，败坏他的肉体，使他的灵魂在主耶稣的日子可以得救。

       保罗在这几句经文里谈到，魔鬼撒旦已经严重影响了教会对人的惩戒、把人逐出教会这样的事情。如果你询问教会里的100个会众，逐出教会的定义是什么？99个人会说：“就是一脚被踢出教会的大门外。”它往往被视为一种恶劣的行为，而不是慈爱的行为。它被看做是除掉一个人的方式，而不是拯救一个人的方式。不幸的是，在整个教会历史的进程中，教会有时候滥用教会职权来施行教会惩戒。教皇曾经将整个法国逐出教会，直到法国国王屈服于他的权威，国王光着脚在教皇宫殿外的雪地里乞求了三天。

            但是当教会的惩戒行为运用得当的时候，就会是一种爱的行为。听听保罗在这里说的。“要把这样的人交给撒但，败坏他的肉体，使他的灵魂在主耶稣的日子可以得救。”当教会宣布上帝对那个不为罪悔改的人施行审判时，强有力的宣讲律法，目的是要摧毁罪性（肉体）中的骄傲和自大。这样做的目的是要让这个不信的人跪在耶稣的十字架前说：“求上帝怜悯我这个罪人。”有时候，我们非常害怕伤害别人的感情，以至于我们不愿意指出他们生活中显而易见的罪，但正是这个罪在毁坏他们的信心。

            耶稣赐权柄给地上的教会，使他们可以赦免那些为罪悔改的人，但对那些不悔罪的人宣告他们“不被赦免”，这是多么奇妙！为什么他信任我们能奉他的名行这样的事？因为他将他的应许给了我们。“无论在哪里，有两三个人奉我的名聚会，那里就有我在他们中间。”

祷告：主耶稣，请赐给我爱心，去爱弟兄姐妹的灵魂，使我不逃避责任呼唤弟兄姐妹悔改。也请赐给我一颗仁爱和温柔的心，在说话的时候带着你的智慧和恩典。我这样祈求是奉你的名。阿们。

1 Corinthians 5:  3 For my part, even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. As one who is present with you in this way, I have already passed judgment in the name of our Lord Jesus on the one who has been doing this. 4 So when you are assembled and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, 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.  (EHV)

Satan has hijacked the process of church discipline or excommunication, which is what Paul is talking about in these verses. If you ask a hundred people in the pew to give a definition of excommunication, ninety nine will say, “That’s when you get kicked out of church.” It is seen as an act of meanness instead of an act of love.  It is viewed as a way to get rid of people instead of a way to save people. Unfortunately, during the course of church history, the church has sometimes abused its authority by using church discipline. The pope once excommunicated all of France, until the French king submitted to his authority, begging barefoot in the snow for three days outside of the pope’s palace.

         But when church discipline is used correctly, it is always an act of love.  Listen to what Paul said. “Hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.” When the church pronounces God’s judgment on the unrepentant sin of one of its members, that powerful preaching of the law is intended to destroy the pride and arrogance of the sinful nature (the flesh). It is meant to bring the unbeliever to his knees before the cross of Jesus and say, “God be merciful to me, a sinner.” Sometimes we are so afraid of hurting someone’s feelings that we don’t point out the sin that is evident in their lives and which is destroying their faith.

         I think it is amazing that Jesus gave to his church on earth the power to forgive the sins of the penitent, and to pronounce the impenitent sinner “not forgiven.” Why would he trust us to do this in his name? Only because he gave us his promise. “Where two or three gather together in my name, there I am in the midst of them.”

Prayer:   Lord Jesus, give me such a love for souls that I do not wilt from my responsibility to call my fellow Christian to repentance. Give me a loving and gentle heart that speaks with wisdom and grace. I ask this in your name. Amen.