“It” is not just between you and God.
So, basically, a lot of Christians have been throwing around this line whenever confronted with correction:
“It’s between me and God.”
This is completely unbiblical however. Let’s look at Scripture.
”I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat. What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. ‘Expel the wicked man from among you.’” - 1 Corinthians 5:9-12
So basically, Paul is saying this:
Don’t associate with anyone who calls his or herself a Christian, and yet practices sexual immorality, greed, idolatry, slander, drunkardness, or swindling. Don’t even eat with them. God will judge those outside of the church, but Christians need to judge one another.
So now the main thing that needs to be addressed is the context of the word judgement.
Obviously, Paul does not mean to judge in a malicious, prideful, and self-righteous way. It is to be done out of love. It is to build the other person up.
So, if this is true, then why are those certain Christian hypocrites not to be associated with? Well it’s really quite simple. If the person does not acknowledge those things as evil while at the same time proclaims to serve Christ, then what is being said is this: God does not think that those things are evil.
In context, the chapter is about a man who had sex with his own mother, and the church was proud of it and did nothing, so Paul passed judgment.
If you are a Christian who struggles with those mentioned sins, you can still be with your fellow Christians. However, if you refuse to repent and do not acknowledge that those sins are indeed sins, then Christians are not to even associate with you.
Out of the lips of Jesus:
“If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.” – Matthew 18:15-17
Conclusion:
As the body of Christ, we are to hold each other accountable for everything we do, judging each other out of love so that we may repent of sin and move forward towards Christ. We need to keep each other accountable.
God bless and much love!
Samuel Assaf
