When Sin Enters the Church, Love Must Be Courageous

 

When Sin Enters the Church, Love Must Be Courageous

Read 1 Corinthians 5:1–13

Dealing with matters of sexuality is never easy. Such situations can involve deep personal pain, shame, family relationships, and complicated emotions. It was difficult for Paul to address these issues, and it is difficult for us as well. Yet the difficulty of a subject does not give the church permission to ignore what Scripture clearly teaches.

The Corinthian church faced a serious sexual scandal. A man was involved in an immoral relationship with his father’s wife, and the church apparently responded with pride rather than grief. Paul strongly rebuked them. Their tolerance of open sin was not an expression of love; it was a failure to understand the seriousness of sin and its effect on the church.

Paul instructed the church to exercise discipline. The offender was to be removed from the fellowship and “delivered to Satan” so that, ultimately, his spirit might be saved (1 Cor. 5:5). This was not a call for revenge, cruelty, or personal condemnation. The goal was restoration. Church discipline, when carried out according to Scripture and with the right spirit, is intended to awaken a person to the seriousness of sin and lead him or her back to repentance and fellowship with God.

Paul also warned that “a little leaven leavens the whole lump” (1 Cor. 5:6). Sin that is openly embraced and tolerated can influence an entire community. When a church refuses to confront serious, unrepentant wrongdoing, it may communicate that obedience to God is optional. Yet the opposite danger is also real. We can become harsh, self-righteous, and eager to punish others while forgetting our own need for grace.

The church must therefore hold truth and love together. We must not redefine sin simply because a subject is uncomfortable, controversial, or culturally sensitive. Neither should we treat sinners as though they are beyond the reach of God's mercy. Jesus came to save sinners, and the purpose of confronting sin should be to lead people toward repentance, healing, and restoration.

Paul makes an important distinction. Christians are not called to withdraw from every unbeliever who lives in sin; otherwise, as he says, we would have to leave the world (1 Cor. 5:9–10). Rather, the church has a special responsibility when someone claims to be a follower of Christ while openly and unrepentantly practicing serious sin. Christian fellowship carries a responsibility to reflect the character of Christ.

This passage challenges us to ask difficult questions. Do we sometimes call tolerance “love” when we are actually afraid to speak the truth? Do we sometimes condemn others without showing the compassion and humility that should accompany biblical correction? Are we more concerned with protecting the church's reputation than with restoring a wounded sinner?

Sexual sin should never be treated casually. But neither should the sinner be treated as hopeless. The church must be faithful to Scripture, courageous enough to confront what God condemns, humble enough to remember its own need for grace, and loving enough to pursue restoration.

True Christian love does not ignore sin. It seeks the sinner's salvation.

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father,

Give us wisdom and courage when we must deal with difficult matters of sexuality and sin. Help us to remain faithful to Your Word without becoming harsh, judgmental, or self-righteous. Teach us to speak the truth in love and to remember that every person is someone for whom Christ died.

Help Your church to take sin seriously while never losing sight of the hope of repentance and restoration. Give us humility to examine our own hearts, compassion for those who are struggling, and courage to address open and unrepentant sin according to Scripture. May our discipline, correction, and relationships always reflect the character of Jesus and point people back to Your saving grace.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

More on Lesson 4:  Sin in the Church 

3rd Quarter Sabbath School: 1st and 2nd Corinthians 

 

Love Does Not Mean Calling Sin Good

“Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.” — Ephesians 5:11, NKJV

One of the most difficult challenges facing the church today is learning how to distinguish between genuine Christian love and a false kind of love that refuses to confront sin. We live in a culture that often defines love as unconditional approval. To disagree with someone is considered hateful. To identify sin is considered judgmental. To call people to repentance is sometimes viewed as intolerant.

But the Bible gives us a different picture of love.

Jesus was full of grace and truth (John 1:14). He welcomed sinners, ate with those whom religious people rejected, forgave those who came to Him, and showed compassion to the broken. Yet Jesus never demonstrated love by pretending that sin was harmless. He told the woman caught in adultery, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more” (John 8:11). His grace did not excuse her sin; it offered her freedom from it.

The church must be careful not to confuse accepting people with accepting everything people do.

The Church Is in Danger of Tolerating What Scripture Condemns

Paul confronted the church in Corinth because it was tolerating serious sexual immorality among its members. He wrote:

“And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned” (1 Corinthians 5:2, NKJV).

The problem was not simply that sin existed in the church. Sin will always exist among people who are growing in Christ. The problem was that the church had become proud of its tolerance.

Paul's concern was not that the church had failed to be loving. It was that the church had misunderstood love.

Love does not celebrate what destroys people.

Love does not remain silent when sin is destroying families, marriages, children, churches, or the faith of individuals.

Love does not say, “I accept you,” while secretly allowing someone to remain enslaved to something that is destroying them.

The church must ask itself an uncomfortable question: What things are clearly condemned in Scripture that we are in danger of tolerating in the name of love and acceptance?

Sexual Immorality

The Bible speaks clearly about sexual immorality. Yet this is one of the areas where the church is increasingly tempted to remain silent.

Scripture condemns adultery, fornication, incest, prostitution, and other forms of sexual immorality. Jesus also addressed lust, declaring that the problem is not merely the physical act but the condition of the heart (Matthew 5:27–28).

The church must also be willing to address pornography. Although the Bible was written long before modern technology, the principles of lust, impurity, exploitation, and sexual immorality clearly apply. Pornography is not harmless entertainment. It trains the mind to view people as objects and often destroys marriages, intimacy, integrity, and spiritual sensitivity.

We must also be willing to talk about cohabitation and sexual relationships outside of marriage. These topics may be uncomfortable, but discomfort is not a reason to ignore Scripture.

At the same time, the church must be careful not to make sexual sin the only sin it confronts. Sexual immorality is condemned in Scripture, but so are greed, pride, gossip, hatred, oppression, dishonesty, and hypocrisy.

The church must not be selective in its outrage.

Homosexual Practice and Gender Confusion

These are among the most controversial topics in the church today, and many churches avoid discussing them altogether because they fear being labeled hateful.

But Christians cannot allow the culture to determine what the Bible says.

The Bible's teaching about sexual relationships is rooted in God's design for humanity from creation. Scripture consistently presents sexual intimacy within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman. The New Testament also directly identifies homosexual practice as contrary to God's revealed will (Romans 1:24–27; 1 Corinthians 6:9–11; 1 Timothy 1:9–10).

The church must not pretend these passages do not exist.

At the same time, biblical truth must never be used as an excuse for cruelty. Every person is created in the image of God. Every person deserves dignity, compassion, and respect. Every person is a sinner in need of the grace of Christ.

The church must hold two truths together:

We must not call sin righteousness.

We must not treat sinners as though they are beyond the reach of grace.

The same church that speaks against sexual sin must also speak against hatred, bullying, cruelty, and contempt. We cannot claim to defend biblical morality while violating the biblical command to love our neighbors.

Truth without love becomes cruelty.

Love without truth becomes deception.

Jesus calls His church to both.

Abortion and the Value of Human Life

Another difficult topic is abortion.

The Bible does not use the modern word “abortion,” but it speaks repeatedly about the value of human life, God's knowledge of people before birth, and His involvement in the womb.

David wrote:

“You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb” (Psalm 139:13, NKJV).

The prophet Jeremiah said that God knew him before he was born (Jeremiah 1:5). The unborn John the Baptist is described as responding to the presence of Jesus while still in the womb (Luke 1:41–44).

The church must not treat human life as though it has value only after birth.

Yet even here, the church must speak with compassion. People have faced pregnancies resulting from abuse, medical crises, poverty, fear, abandonment, and terrible circumstances. The church must not merely proclaim a moral position and then abandon people who are struggling.

If we believe life is sacred, then we must support mothers, fathers, children, families, adoption, crisis pregnancy ministries, and practical assistance.

Biblical truth must be accompanied by biblical compassion.

Racism and Partiality

Some sins are tolerated because they are socially respectable.

The Bible does not allow that.

James writes:

“If you show partiality, you commit sin” (James 2:9, NKJV).

The church must not tolerate racism, prejudice, or discrimination. We cannot claim to love God while despising people made in His image.

Jesus commanded His followers to love their neighbors. The gospel breaks down the barriers that human beings build between one another.

The church should never excuse racial hatred as “just the way some people are.” Neither should it tolerate ethnic prejudice because it is hidden behind political, cultural, or religious language.

If we love Christ, we must reject every form of contempt toward people created in God's image.

Abuse and the Misuse of Authority

Perhaps one of the most serious sins the church has sometimes tolerated is abuse.

Abuse can be physical, sexual, emotional, spiritual, or financial. It can happen in families, marriages, churches, schools, and institutions.

Sometimes victims are told to remain silent in the name of forgiveness. Sometimes abusers are protected because they are respected, wealthy, powerful, or influential.

That is not biblical Christianity.

Jesus strongly warned those who harm the vulnerable (Matthew 18:6). God repeatedly condemns those who exploit the weak and oppress the powerless.

Forgiveness does not mean pretending abuse did not happen.

Forgiveness does not mean removing all consequences.

Forgiveness does not mean placing a victim back into danger.

The church must protect the vulnerable and hold abusers accountable.

Silence is not always love.

Sometimes silence protects the sinner and abandons the victim.

Greed and Materialism

The church may be willing to condemn certain sins while tolerating greed.

Jesus said:

“Take heed and beware of covetousness” (Luke 12:15, NKJV).

Paul called covetousness idolatry (Colossians 3:5).

Yet materialism is often admired in the church. Wealth can be confused with God's blessing. Success can be mistaken for spiritual maturity. People may be respected because of what they own rather than because of their character.

Jesus warned that it is possible to gain the whole world and lose one's soul (Mark 8:36).

The church must be willing to ask whether its pursuit of comfort, wealth, entertainment, and possessions has become another form of idolatry.

Gossip, Slander, and Division

Many Christians would never commit adultery or steal money, but they will freely destroy someone's reputation through gossip.

The Bible repeatedly condemns slander, malicious speech, and the spreading of rumors.

Paul warned against those who are “whisperers” and “backbiters” (Romans 1:29–30). James compared the tongue to a fire that can set an entire forest ablaze (James 3:5–6).

Churches have been destroyed by gossip.

Families have been destroyed by gossip.

Friendships have been destroyed by gossip.

And sometimes people who would never openly commit a scandalous sin feel completely justified in destroying another person's reputation through words.

We cannot call gossip “concern.”

We cannot call slander “telling the truth.”

We cannot call cruelty “being honest.”

The words we speak reveal the condition of our hearts.

Anger and Hatred

Jesus taught that hatred and murderous anger are serious matters.

“Whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment” (Matthew 5:22, NKJV).

The church must not tolerate hatred simply because it is directed toward a political opponent, an ethnic group, an opposing denomination, or someone with different beliefs.

It is possible to defend truth while becoming hateful.

It is possible to oppose false teaching while treating people with contempt.

It is possible to be right in our doctrine and wrong in our spirit.

The church must never forget that Jesus commanded us to love our enemies.

Hypocrisy and Religious Pride

Jesus spoke more harshly to religious hypocrisy than to many obvious sinners.

The Pharisees were outwardly religious but inwardly proud, self-righteous, and spiritually blind.

Jesus said:

“You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence” (Matthew 23:25, NKJV).

The church must be careful not to become a place where people learn how to appear holy without actually surrendering their hearts to God.

We can attend church and remain proud.

We can know Bible prophecy and remain unloving.

We can defend doctrine and remain spiritually dead.

We can condemn the sins of others while excusing our own.

The church must continually return to the prayer of David:

“Search me, O God, and know my heart” (Psalm 139:23, NKJV).

Before we ask what sins the church is tolerating, we must ask what sins we are tolerating in ourselves.

The Church Must Not Become a Place of Approval

There is a difference between a church that welcomes sinners and a church that approves sin.

Jesus welcomed sinners.

He ate with sinners.

He touched the unclean.

He forgave the guilty.

But He also called people to repentance.

He told Zacchaeus that salvation had come to his house, and Zacchaeus responded by turning away from his old life (Luke 19:1–10).

Jesus did not say, “You are accepted exactly as you are, and nothing needs to change.”

He said, in effect, “My grace has found you—and now your life is going to be different.”

The church should be the safest place in the world for a sinner to confess sin and seek forgiveness.

But it should not be the safest place in the world for sin to hide.

We Must Begin With Ourselves

It is easy to identify the sins of the culture.

It is much more difficult to identify the sins we have become comfortable with.

Perhaps the church has tolerated:

• Sexual immorality while condemning other sins.
• Pornography while pretending it is a private matter.
• Racism while speaking about Christian love.
• Greed while calling material success a blessing.
• Gossip while claiming to be concerned.
• Abuse while protecting respected leaders.
• Pride while defending correct doctrine.
• Anger while condemning violence.
• Hypocrisy while demanding holiness from others.
• Political hatred while claiming to defend truth.

The question is not merely, “What is the world doing wrong?”

The question is:

“What has the church learned to tolerate?”

And even more personally:

“What have I learned to tolerate in my own life?”

Love Must Tell the Truth

Biblical love is not passive approval.

Love warns.

Love confronts.

Love corrects.

Love forgives.

Love restores.

Love protects.

Love hopes.

Love tells the truth because it cares about what happens to people.

A doctor who discovers a life-threatening disease does not say, “I love my patient, so I will not tell him.”

A parent who sees a child walking toward danger does not say, “I accept my child, so I will remain silent.”

And a church that truly loves people cannot remain silent about the things that destroy their relationship with God.

But we must remember that the purpose of confronting sin is not to humiliate people.

The purpose is restoration.

Paul wrote:

“Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness” (Galatians 6:1, NKJV).

The goal is not to win an argument.

The goal is not to prove that we are better.

The goal is to help people find freedom in Jesus Christ.

Conclusion

The church must never become so afraid of being called judgmental that it becomes incapable of making moral distinctions.

Jesus did not call us to approve everything.

He called us to love God, love people, and obey the truth.

We must not call evil good.

We must not call good evil.

We must not excuse sin in the name of love.

And we must not use truth as an excuse to stop loving people.

The church needs both courage and compassion.

We need the courage to say, “This is sin.”

We need the humility to say, “I am also a sinner in need of grace.”

And we need the love to say, “There is forgiveness, healing, and new life in Jesus Christ.”

The gospel is not that God approves of everything we do.

The gospel is that God loves us so much that He refuses to leave us enslaved to sin.

Christ did not die to make sin acceptable.

He died to make sinners new.

Prayer

Father in heaven,

Give us the courage to stand firmly upon Your Word, even when Your truth is unpopular or uncomfortable. Keep us from calling sin acceptable simply because our culture approves of it. Help us not to compromise biblical truth in the name of love.

But, Lord, also protect us from becoming harsh, proud, judgmental, or self-righteous. Remind us that we are sinners saved by grace. Help us to speak truth with humility and compassion.

Show us the sins we have learned to tolerate in our churches, our families, and our own hearts. Give us courage to confront abuse, injustice, immorality, greed, gossip, hatred, pride, and every other thing that dishonors You.

Help us to love people without approving sin, and to stand for truth without becoming cruel. Teach us to restore those who fall with gentleness, protect the vulnerable, defend the oppressed, and point every sinner—including ourselves—to Jesus Christ.

Search our hearts, cleanse us from every hidden sin, and make Your church a place where truth is proclaimed, grace is experienced, sinners are welcomed, and lives are transformed.

In the name of Jesus, our Savior and Redeemer, we pray. Amen.

More on Lesson 4:  Sin in the Church 

3rd Quarter Sabbath School: 1st and 2nd Corinthians 

 

Does the Bible Teach an Investigative Judgment Before Jesus Returns?

Among Seventh-day Adventists, the doctrine of the investigative judgment has traditionally been understood to mean that, before Christ returns, He examines the records of professed believers in a heavenly judgment. This judgment is said to determine who has remained faithful and is therefore worthy to receive salvation at the Second Coming. The doctrine is often connected to the interpretation of Daniel 8:14 and the belief that Christ began a special work of judgment in heaven in 1844.

But does the Bible actually teach that Jesus must investigate the lives of believers in order to determine who will be saved? Does Scripture present Christ as searching through heavenly records, examining the lives of His followers, and deciding whether they have been faithful enough to inherit eternal life?

A careful examination of Scripture raises serious questions about that concept.

Jesus Already Knows His Sheep

Jesus said:

“I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own” (John 10:14, NKJV).

He did not say that He would someday investigate His sheep to determine who they really were. He said, “I know My sheep.”

A few verses later, Jesus declared:

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish” (John 10:27–28, NKJV).

The biblical picture is not of a Savior who must conduct an examination to discover which of His followers truly belong to Him. Christ knows His people. He knows those who trust Him. He knows those who are His.

Paul expressed the same confidence:

“The Lord knows those who are His” (2 Timothy 2:19, NKJV).

If the Lord already knows those who are His, it is difficult to see why He would need a lengthy investigative process to discover their identity or determine whether He can save them.

The Book of Life Is Not a Memory Aid for Jesus

The Bible does speak of the Book of Life. However, Scripture never presents it as though Christ must examine the book because He does not know who belongs in it.

Jesus told His disciples:

“Rejoice because your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20, NKJV).

The emphasis is not on a future investigation to determine whether their names should remain there. Their names are already written in heaven.

Paul referred to fellow believers as people “whose names are in the Book of Life” (Philippians 4:3, NKJV). He did not speak as though their names were merely being investigated to determine whether they might eventually be accepted.

The Book of Life represents God's knowledge and ownership of His people. It is not a heavenly filing cabinet that Jesus must search through for years in order to remember who His followers are.

God does not suffer from forgetfulness. Jesus does not need an investigation to discover who has trusted Him.

The Bible Calls Believers “Saints” Now

The New Testament repeatedly calls living believers saints.

Paul addressed the Christians in Rome as:

“Called to be saints” (Romans 1:7, NKJV).

He wrote to the believers in Corinth:

“To those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints” (1 Corinthians 1:2, NKJV).

He addressed the believers in Ephesus as:

“The saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 1:1, NKJV).

The word “saints” does not mean that these Christians were sinless or that they had already achieved perfect obedience. They were still struggling with sin, immaturity, conflict, and failure. Yet they were regarded as God's people because of their relationship with Christ.

Paul did not say, “You may someday be saints if you pass a future investigation.” He addressed them as saints because they belonged to Christ.

The Christian's standing before God is based on Christ—not on the conclusion of a future examination of human performance.

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob Are Presented as Belonging to God's Kingdom

Jesus said:

“Many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 8:11, NKJV).

Jesus did not say that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were waiting for a future investigative judgment to determine whether they were worthy to enter God's kingdom. He spoke of them as people who would be present in the kingdom of heaven.

The writer of Hebrews likewise speaks of the patriarchs as people who died in faith, looking forward to God's promise (Hebrews 11:8–16).

Their salvation was not based on their perfect record. Abraham himself had serious failures. Yet he was counted righteous by faith (Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:1–5).

The biblical emphasis is clear: God's people are saved through faith in God's promise, not because an investigation eventually discovers that their record is sufficiently good.

Enoch Was Taken to Heaven

Genesis says:

“And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him” (Genesis 5:24, NKJV).

Hebrews explains:

“By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death” (Hebrews 11:5, NKJV).

Enoch was taken to heaven long before any supposed end-time investigative judgment. The Bible does not say that Enoch had to wait for a future examination of his life before God could determine whether he was worthy to be taken.

Enoch's experience is a powerful reminder that God is perfectly capable of saving and taking His people to heaven without first conducting a universal, end-time investigation of their lives.

Moses Is With God

Moses died and was buried by God (Deuteronomy 34:5–6). Yet Moses later appeared with Elijah at the Transfiguration of Jesus (Matthew 17:1–3).

Moses was not merely a symbolic idea or a future possibility. He appeared with Christ in glory.

The Bible also says that Michael disputed with the devil over the body of Moses (Jude 9). Whatever the precise details of that event, Scripture clearly presents Moses as uniquely connected with God's heavenly purposes.

If Moses was already present with Christ at the Transfiguration, then the Bible provides an example of a person who was already in heaven long before the supposed beginning of a final investigative judgment.

Elijah Was Taken to Heaven Without Dying

The Bible says:

“Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire... And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven” (2 Kings 2:11, NKJV).

Elijah did not die and wait in the grave for a future judgment. He was taken directly to heaven.

Again, Scripture presents a person entering God's presence without waiting for an end-time investigative judgment to determine whether he was worthy.

Many Were Raised When Jesus Died

Matthew records a remarkable event surrounding the death of Jesus:

“And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised” (Matthew 27:52, NKJV).

The next verse says:

“And coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many” (Matthew 27:53, NKJV).

These resurrected saints were raised in connection with Christ's death and resurrection. Ephesians 4:8 also speaks of Christ leading “captivity captive,” a passage traditionally understood by many Christians as connected with Christ's triumph and the presentation of the redeemed.

If these saints were raised and taken with Christ, then they entered eternal life long before any supposed investigative judgment beginning in 1844.

Jesus Promised the Thief Paradise—Not a Future Possibility

One of the clearest examples is the thief on the cross.

The thief said:

“Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom” (Luke 23:42, NKJV).

Jesus replied:

“Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43, NKJV).

Jesus did not say, “You may be with Me in Paradise if you pass a future investigation.”

He did not say, “I will investigate your record over the next several centuries and determine whether you are worthy.”

He gave the repentant thief a promise.

“You will be with Me in Paradise.”

The thief had no opportunity to build a record of good works. He had no time to demonstrate years of obedience. His hope rested entirely in the mercy of Christ.

That is the gospel.

Jesus Promised Martha the Resurrection

When Lazarus died, Martha expressed her confidence in the resurrection:

“I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day” (John 11:24, NKJV).

Jesus then said:

“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live” (John 11:25, NKJV).

Jesus did not respond by telling Martha that Lazarus's ultimate destiny would first need to be determined through an investigative judgment.

Instead, He pointed her to Himself.

The resurrection is not ultimately based on the believer's ability to survive a future examination. It is based on the fact that Jesus is the resurrection and the life.

Jesus Went to Prepare a Place for His People

In John 14, Jesus said:

“I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2, NKJV).

Then He gave this promise:

“I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:3, NKJV).

Jesus did not say, “I am going to prepare a place for you, but first I must determine whether you are worthy to occupy it.”

He said, “I will come again and receive you to Myself.”

The promise is personal and certain.

Christ does not merely prepare a place for a group of people whose names will eventually survive a heavenly investigation. He prepares a place for those who belong to Him.

Paul Spoke of Believers Being Raised With Christ

Paul repeatedly presented the resurrection of believers as the confident hope of the Christian.

He wrote:

“For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 4:14, NKJV).

He did not say that God will bring only those whose records have been proven sufficiently faithful through a final investigation.

He spoke of those who “sleep in Jesus.”

Their hope is their relationship with Jesus.

Paul also wrote:

“The dead in Christ will rise first” (1 Thessalonians 4:16, NKJV).

The qualification is not “the dead who have successfully passed a final investigation.” The qualification is “the dead in Christ.”

Those who are in Christ are the people of God.

Paul declared:

“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1, NKJV).

Notice the word now.

Paul did not say that there is currently no condemnation unless a future investigation later determines otherwise. He said that there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

The Believer Has Already Passed From Death to Life

Jesus said:

“He who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life” (John 5:24, NKJV).

This is one of the most significant statements in the entire discussion.

Jesus said that the believer has everlasting life.

He said the believer has passed from death into life.

And He said the believer shall not come into judgment—or, as the phrase may also be understood, will not come into condemnation.

This does not mean that Christians will never stand before God in any sense. Scripture does speak of judgment and accountability. But it does mean that those who trust in Christ are not awaiting a judgment that will determine whether they will finally be condemned for their sins.

Their condemnation has already been dealt with at the cross.

The Judgment of the Believer's Sin Was Placed on Christ

Isaiah prophesied:

“The LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6, NKJV).

Peter wrote:

“Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:24, NKJV).

Paul declared:

“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21, NKJV).

If Christ bore our sins, then the central question of salvation is not whether we can eventually produce a record worthy of eternal life. The central question is whether we are trusting in the One who bore our sins.

The cross is not merely the beginning of a salvation process that remains uncertain until a later heavenly investigation. The cross is the place where Christ accomplished the work necessary for our salvation.

Jesus cried:

“It is finished!” (John 19:30, NKJV).

He did not say, “The first stage is finished; the final determination will come centuries later.”

Christ's Sacrifice Was Once for All

Hebrews repeatedly emphasizes the completeness of Christ's sacrifice.

“But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God” (Hebrews 10:12, NKJV).

The language is powerful. Christ offered one sacrifice for sins forever.

Hebrews continues:

“For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14, NKJV).

The believer's perfection before God is grounded in Christ's one offering.

The Christian life certainly involves growth, sanctification, repentance, and obedience. But the believer's acceptance before God is not based on eventually accumulating enough righteous deeds to pass a heavenly investigation.

The believer is accepted in Christ.

God Does Not Need to Investigate to Learn the Truth

The Bible certainly teaches that God knows everything.

“Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite” (Psalm 147:5, NKJV).

“There is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O LORD, You know it altogether” (Psalm 139:4, NKJV).

“The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good” (Proverbs 15:3, NKJV).

God does not investigate because He lacks knowledge. He does not need to examine records to discover information He does not possess.

A biblical judgment can serve to reveal, declare, or demonstrate God's righteous decision before the universe. But that is different from saying that God must investigate in order to discover who is truly saved.

The Bible presents God as the One who already knows the hearts of all people.

The Final Judgment Is Based on Our Relationship to Christ

Jesus' teaching in Matthew 25 presents the final separation of humanity as a separation between those who belong to Him and those who do not.

The central issue is whether people have responded to Christ's love.

In John 6:40, Jesus said:

“This is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day” (NKJV).

The promise is straightforward:

Believe in the Son—have everlasting life—be raised at the last day.

Jesus did not insert a lengthy investigative process between faith and the promise.

Likewise, Jesus said:

“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already” (John 3:18, NKJV).

The decisive issue is faith in Christ.

The Gospel Gives Assurance, Not Constant Uncertainty

The doctrine of an investigative judgment can easily create a serious spiritual problem. If believers are taught that Christ is currently examining their lives to determine whether they are worthy of salvation, then many Christians may live in fear, continually wondering whether their repentance is sincere enough, their obedience is complete enough, or their record is good enough.

But the New Testament repeatedly gives believers confidence.

John wrote:

“These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13, NKJV).

The purpose of the Gospel is that believers may know that they have eternal life.

Paul wrote:

“For I am persuaded that neither death nor life... nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38–39, NKJV).

This is not the language of a believer waiting anxiously for an investigation to determine whether Christ will ultimately accept him.

It is the language of confidence in the finished work and unfailing love of Jesus Christ.

Salvation Is Not a Competition Between Christ and the Believer's Record

The central problem with an investigative judgment based on examining the believer's record is that it can unintentionally shift the believer's focus from Christ to himself.

Instead of asking:

“Is Jesus sufficient?”

the believer begins asking:

“Have I done enough?”

Instead of looking to the cross, the believer looks to his own record.

Instead of resting in Christ's righteousness, the believer becomes preoccupied with his own performance.

But Paul warned against this very danger:

“Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?” (Galatians 3:3, NKJV).

Our salvation begins with Christ, continues through Christ, and is completed by Christ.

“He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6, NKJV).

The believer's confidence is not that his own record will survive investigation. His confidence is that Jesus will complete the work He began.

Christ Is Not Trying to Decide Whether to Save His People

The Bible's picture of Jesus is not that of a reluctant Savior who must be persuaded by a favorable record to save His people.

Jesus said:

“The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10, NKJV).

He did not come merely to make salvation possible while leaving the final question dependent upon a future investigation of human performance.

He came to save.

The apostle Paul declared:

“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15, NKJV).

And the writer of Hebrews says:

“Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him” (Hebrews 7:25, NKJV).

To save “to the uttermost” means that Christ's saving work is complete and sufficient.

The Great Hope of the Christian Is Jesus Himself

The Christian's hope is not a perfect record.

The Christian's hope is not a favorable verdict based on a lifetime of performance.

The Christian's hope is Jesus Christ.

Enoch's hope was Jesus.

Moses' hope was Jesus.

Elijah's hope was Jesus.

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob looked forward to God's promise.

The thief on the cross trusted Jesus.

Martha was directed to Jesus as the resurrection and the life.

The apostles proclaimed Jesus.

The early Christians were called saints because they belonged to Jesus.

And believers today have the same hope.

Jesus knows His sheep. Their names are written in heaven. He promises eternal life to those who believe. He promises to raise His people at the last day. He has gone to prepare a place for them. He has promised to return and receive them to Himself.

The Bible does teach judgment. God will judge the world, expose evil, vindicate righteousness, and bring all things to their final conclusion. But the Gospel does not present salvation as a matter of Christ spending centuries investigating whether His people have accumulated a sufficient record of obedience.

The Gospel presents salvation as resting in the finished work of Jesus Christ.

The question is not whether Christ knows who belongs to Him.

He does.

The question is not whether Jesus needs years to investigate His sheep.

He already knows them.

The question is not whether the believer must ultimately be saved by his own record.

He cannot be.

The question is whether we will trust the Savior who said:

“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish” (John 10:28, NKJV).

And whether we will rest in the promise of the One who said:

“I will come again and receive you to Myself” (John 14:3, NKJV).

The Christian's assurance is not found in the perfection of his record.

It is found in the perfection of Christ.

When the Church Tolerates Sin

 

When the Church Tolerates Sin

Read: 1 Corinthians 5:1–13

The church at Corinth had many problems, but the situation Paul addresses in 1 Corinthians 5 was especially scandalous. A man in the church was involved in a sexual relationship with his father’s wife—an immoral relationship so shocking that even the pagan society around them apparently regarded it as unacceptable. Yet the Corinthian church was not mourning over this sin or confronting it. Instead, Paul suggests that they were proud, perhaps boasting in their supposed spiritual freedom and tolerance.

What made the situation so disturbing was not only the sin itself but also the church’s response to it. The church was called to be the body of Christ, a witness to the holiness and transforming power of the gospel. Yet instead of lovingly confronting open and unrepentant sin, the believers were allowing it to remain among them. Their tolerance was not true love. By refusing to address the problem, they were harming both the individual involved and the spiritual health of the entire church.

Paul’s words remind us that the church is not a gathering of perfect people. The New Testament shows us churches filled with disagreements, selfishness, immorality, pride, and spiritual immaturity. The church in Corinth was far from the ideal we might imagine when we read about the unity and power of the early Christian church. Yet this is precisely why these letters are so valuable. They teach us that the church must not simply appear spiritual; it must continually allow Christ to cleanse, correct, and transform it.

There is a difference between welcoming sinners and approving sin. Jesus calls sinners to Himself with mercy, patience, and love, but He never calls us to pretend that sin is harmless. True love seeks restoration. It does not ignore what is destroying a person or damaging the witness of the church. At the same time, Paul’s instruction must never be used as an excuse for pride, harshness, or judgmentalism. The purpose of correction is not to make us feel superior but to bring people back to God.

This passage also invites us to examine ourselves. Are there areas of our lives where we have become comfortable with what God calls sin? Do we sometimes call tolerance “love” because confronting wrong is uncomfortable? And, as a church, do we care more about preserving appearances than pursuing genuine holiness?

The good news is that Christ does not abandon His church because it has problems. He works within His people to expose sin, bring healing, restore the fallen, and create a community that reflects His character. The church will never be made up of people who have never sinned. It must be made up of people who are willing to let Jesus deal with their sin.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, help us to see sin as You see it—not with pride or condemnation, but with truth and love. Give us the courage to confront what must be confronted, the humility to examine our own hearts first, and the compassion to seek restoration for those who have fallen. Cleanse Your church and make us a people who reflect Your holiness, mercy, and transforming grace. Amen.

More on Lesson 4:  Sin in the Church 

3rd Quarter Sabbath School: 1st and 2nd Corinthians 

Your Bodies are a Temple

 Sabbath School

First and Second Corinthians 

Sin in the Church

Lesson 4 - Friday Further Thought 

“Do You Not Know?”

Read 1 Corinthians 5–6

Seven times in 1 Corinthians 5 and 6, Paul asks the Corinthians, “Do you not know?” Each question demands an emphatic answer: “Of course you know!”

Paul is not asking because the Corinthians lack information. They had heard the truth. They had been taught the gospel. They knew what Christian living required. Their problem was not primarily a lack of knowledge. Their problem was that they were failing to live according to what they already knew.

This is an important spiritual lesson for us. Sometimes we think we need more information when what we really need is obedience.

Paul's repeated questions reveal his deep concern for the condition of the church. The Corinthians were tolerating serious sin, bringing lawsuits against one another, failing to understand their future responsibility as God's people, compromising their bodies through sexual immorality, and forgetting that their bodies were temples of the Holy Spirit.

Each “Do you not know?” was intended to awaken them.

“Do You Not Know That a Little Leaven Leavens the Whole Lump?”

Paul's first question concerns the influence of sin within the church. A small amount of leaven spreads through the entire lump of dough. Likewise, tolerated sin can influence an entire congregation.

The church cannot treat open, unrepentant sin as though it affects only the individual involved. Sin has consequences for the spiritual health, witness, and unity of the entire church.

This does not mean that the church should become a community of suspicious people looking for faults in one another. It means that we must not become so comfortable with sin that we cease to recognize its danger.

“Do You Not Know That the Saints Will Judge the World?”

Paul reminds the Corinthians of their future identity and responsibility. If God's people will one day participate in His judgment, they should be able to handle ordinary disagreements among themselves with wisdom and humility.

Instead, the Corinthians were taking one another to court and damaging the witness of the church.

This challenges us today. Christians should not be known primarily for fighting, suing, attacking, and dividing. The gospel should shape the way we handle disagreements. We should be people who value reconciliation, forgiveness, justice, and humility.

“Do You Not Know That the Unrighteous Will Not Inherit the Kingdom of God?”

Paul's question confronts the danger of living in persistent, unrepentant sin. He lists a variety of sinful behaviors, including sexual immorality, idolatry, adultery, greed, drunkenness, reviling, theft, and extortion.

The point is clear: the grace of God is not permission to remain unchanged.

Yet Paul immediately offers hope: “And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified” (1 Cor. 6:11, NKJV).

The gospel changes people. Our past does not have to define our future.

“Do You Not Know That Your Bodies Are Members of Christ?”

Paul reminds believers that their bodies belong to Jesus. Christianity is not merely about what we think or believe in our minds. Our bodies are also part of our discipleship.

What we do with our bodies matters to God.

This truth challenges the modern idea that the body is simply our own possession and that we may use it however we choose without spiritual consequences. Christians are members of Christ. Our physical lives must reflect our spiritual identity.

“Do You Not Know That He Who Is Joined to the Lord Is One Spirit With Him?”

Paul reminds the Corinthians that believers are united with Christ. This union must influence every area of life.

We cannot claim to belong to Jesus while deliberately embracing practices that contradict His character and teachings. Our relationship with Christ is not merely a religious label. It is a living union that should transform our choices.

“Do You Not Know That the One Who Is Joined to a Harlot Is One Body With Her?”

Paul warns about the seriousness of sexual immorality. Sexual intimacy is not merely a physical act without spiritual or emotional consequences.

God designed sexuality to involve a deep union. When sexuality is separated from God's design, it can bring profound damage to individuals, relationships, families, and communities.

The church must therefore take sexual morality seriously—not because the body is evil, but because the body matters to God.

“Do You Not Know That Your Body Is the Temple of the Holy Spirit?”

This final question brings the entire series to a powerful conclusion.

The Christian's body is not merely a biological organism. It is a temple of the Holy Spirit. God desires to dwell in His people.

Paul concludes, “You are not your own. For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's” (1 Cor. 6:19–20, NKJV).

This truth should shape the way we think about our bodies, our relationships, our sexuality, our habits, our entertainment, our speech, and our choices.

Why Should We Be Concerned Today?

The same issues Paul addressed continue to affect the church today.

We still face the danger of tolerating sin in the name of acceptance. We still experience division and conflict among believers. We still live in a culture that encourages people to view the body as something that belongs exclusively to the individual. We still face sexual temptation, greed, dishonesty, pride, and the temptation to follow cultural values rather than biblical truth.

Paul's questions are therefore still directed to us:

Do you not know?

Do you not know that sin spreads?

Do you not know that your actions affect the church?

Do you not know that your body belongs to Christ?

Do you not know that the Holy Spirit dwells in you?

The tragedy is that we can know the answers and still fail to live as though they are true.

The solution is not merely more information. We need the Holy Spirit to transform what we know into how we live. We need to allow the truth of the gospel to move from our minds into our hearts, our bodies, our relationships, and our daily decisions.

The Corinthians needed to remember who they were. So do we.

We are not our own. We have been bought with a price. We are members of Christ. We are temples of the Holy Spirit.

Therefore, our lives should glorify God.

Prayer

Father in heaven,

Help us to hear the questions Paul asked the Corinthians as questions directed to us. Do we truly understand that sin affects the church? Do we remember that our bodies belong to Christ? Do we recognize that the Holy Spirit desires to dwell within us?

Forgive us for the times we have known the truth but failed to live by it. Give us more than knowledge. Give us transformed hearts and obedient lives.

Help us to take sin seriously without becoming judgmental. Help us to live in unity, practice forgiveness, seek reconciliation, and honor You in our relationships and choices.

Thank You that we have been bought with the precious price of Jesus' sacrifice. May we never forget that we are not our own. Let everything we do—our thoughts, words, bodies, relationships, and actions—bring glory to You.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

More on Lesson 4:  Sin in the Church 

3rd Quarter Sabbath School: 1st and 2nd Corinthians