Paul didn’t confront sin to make himself feel important, or to make himself look better in comparison. He confronted the things that would destroy people, so that their hearts would be turned to the only One who can save and who can heal.
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Scripture
1 Corinthians 5:1-5
It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father’s wife. 2 And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.
3 For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing. 4 When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.
Observation
Paul was bold when confronting sin! He did so head-on, and directly. There was no beating around the bush, no sugar-coating his words. Right is right, and wrong is wrong. Yet when Paul confronted sin, he was crystal-clear on the intention and purpose. The entire goal was that people would turn to God and be saved. Paul didn’t confront sin to make himself feel important, or to make himself look better in comparison. He confronted the things that would destroy people, so that their hearts would be turned to the only One who can save and who can heal.
Application
We live in a fallen, sinful world. The enemy of our soul has done a masterful job of destroying those made in God’s image (mankind). Right is still right, and wrong is still wrong today–and there often seems to be much more wrong than right. It’s easy to sit back and begin to pick things apart, and point out the problems, and pontificate on how messed up the world is. The question is, am I willing to boldly step out and make myself unpopular, in order to turn hearts to God? Am I willing to get my hands dirty in order to turn people to him? Do I care enough about my brothers and sisters in Christ to not stay silent when I see their life heading for destruction? Do I invest myself in pointing them toward Christ as the answer, or do I merely provide commentary on the problem?
This week, I need to pray for courage to be the unpopular voice in the room–and wisdom, to do it in such a way that people are turned back to God.
Prayer
God, thank you that you never change! Thank you for being dependable, trustworthy, righteous, and holy! Help me to always turn to you as the reference point for right and wrong, instead of allowing a fallen world to define that for me. When sin must be confronted, give me courage to speak out for what it right–and I pray for your discernment and wisdom, so that the result would be supernatural transformation in the hearts of hurting people.
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