What is the meaning of 1 Corinthians 5:13? God will judge those outside Paul writes, “God will judge those outside.” He is reminding the Corinthian believers that ultimate judgment of unbelievers rests with the Lord alone. •Scripture consistently places final accountability for the world’s sin in God’s hands. Romans 12:19 says, “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord,” and Hebrews 10:30 echoes the same certainty. •Acts 17:31 assures us that God “has set a day when He will judge the world in righteousness,” so Christians need not assume the role of cosmic referees. •Revelation 20:11-12 portrays the great white throne where those “outside” Christ are judged according to their deeds. •Because God alone sees every heart (1 Samuel 16:7), He alone can render perfect justice. Our task is not to police unbelievers but to keep our own community faithful. Expel the wicked man from among you Paul immediately shifts focus to the church family: “Expel the wicked man from among you.” •This directive is rooted in the call to holiness that began in 1 Corinthians 5:2, where Paul urges the church to “remove the one who did this evil.” •Like leaven working through dough (1 Corinthians 5:6-7), unchecked sin spreads. Loving discipline protects the purity and witness of the congregation. •Jesus outlined the process in Matthew 18:15-17—private confrontation, then witnesses, then telling it to the church, and finally separation if repentance is refused. •Other apostles reinforce the practice: 2 Thessalonians 3:6 commands believers “to keep away from every brother who leads an undisciplined life,” and Titus 3:10 advises rejecting a divisive person after two warnings. •The goal is always restoration, not humiliation. Galatians 6:1 urges the spiritual to restore a fallen brother “with a spirit of gentleness,” yet the fellowship must act when someone refuses to turn from open, defiant sin. summary Paul draws a clear line: God handles judgment of unbelievers, while the church must lovingly but firmly address persistent sin within its own ranks. Trusting God to judge those outside frees believers to focus on maintaining a pure, vibrant community where repentance, accountability, and restoration can flourish. |
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