Israel was stopped cold after its huge victory at Jericho when just one family of Israel, that numbered 3,000,000 souls at the time, disobeyed the Lord. The sin and sinners were exposed, the punishment delivered, and Israel was free to move on. It would not be the last time the Israelites were halted by one man’s foolishness.

The church had similar purges, the first of which was recorded in the book of Acts. Two deceiving church members were brought before the entire assembly, made to confess, then taken out of this world by a God who wanted a holy place in which to live and would not tolerate evil.

Today’s leadership seems a bit more hesitant to expose such things. Some would go so far as to use Scripture to justify their lack of action. Parable-rich Matthew 13 is brought in to support their case. It is the famous parable of the tares.

Here a farmer plants good seeds in his field, and his enemy plants bad seeds. Both grow. When the weeds are discovered the question is asked as to whether they ought to be pulled up, and right now. The answer: no! For in pulling up the bad, the good that are attached to them in some way might also be damaged. Wait until harvest, is the mandate. Everything will be taken care of at harvest.

Jesus thankfully tells his disciples and us exactly what He meant in this parable. Those willing to analyze His words discover that the field here is the world, and not the church or the Kingdom. Jesus has planted His Kingdom people, He says, in the world, and the enemy has likewise sown some evil men. Should we get rid of evil men, now? Oh my, no! That is not our task! Let evil men alone, and let all the sorting out be done at the harvest, the coming again of Christ. For men of the Lord to set themselves up as judges of the world is to cause them to risk their own salvation.

The clear difference in the parable’s message from the problem at hand, church discipline, is spelled out in the way the apostles and early church lived out Jesus’ teaching. In regards to the parable, observe that the early church never came against political powers, the evil nature of many of which is well known: Herod, Nero, etc. On the contrary, see Paul’s self defense before various rulers and note the clear respect with which he treats them.

Further, the apostles are united in their admonitions to the Christians of that day to honor the king, to obey all the ordinances of men. There is no post-resurrection teaching that would ever lead a Christian to believe that rebellion against the government is something to be sought. Perhaps I Corinthians 5 is the best summary of this teaching.

In the final two verses of that chapter, Paul makes it sufficiently plain to the wise at heart that believers are not to judge “outsiders”, that is, those outside the church of God. What the world does governmentally is not our concern. Period.

But in making the statement Paul also says that judgment of fellow believers is indeed something in which we must participate. “Put away from yourselves that wicked person,” is the standard he raises for all time.

Earlier in the chapter we have a solid example of the kind of person Paul meant, and the action that must be instituted. A man in the Corinthian church was having a sexual relationship with his mother-in-law. Paul is aghast. Even the “Gentiles”, or the non-church world in this context, could not boast of such evil.

The remedy is clear. This man must go. Not go from this world, unless the Lord so deems by His own methods, but go from the church. Rome had it half right during those evil ages it ruled: ex-communicate one who is evil. Deliver them from the Spiritual protection of the Body of Christ, “to Satan”, even if that means the enemy has access to killing him now. This severity will often drive a man to repent, so that whether he lives or dies in the flesh, his spirit will be saved in that day. Clearly Rome was in error in delivering them to the “secular arm”, the civil government, for immediate execution.

Even if repentance is not forthcoming, the church is purified, and the message goes forth to the community that God’s church is holy.

I say Rome had it “half right”. Perhaps 50% is too high a percentage here. Often those in charge of the proceedings were themselves not born again. And often those they sent out of the world by beheading were righteous men simply having discovered truths of the Word of God. Definitions of evil get turned on their heads when evil men rule.

Paul is not the only one to identify situations and even name names. Among others who did so is John, who tells the church of the evil ways of Diotrephes. And, unknown to us, but known to the first century Christians was a whole class of evil teachers known as “Nicolaitans” and the infamous “Jezebel.”

It is proper and necessary for proper authorities in the church to take from leadership and even membership those who are threatening to bring shame to the House of God. Being “nice” at times like this, believe it or not, is not a Biblical mandate.

Yes, bringing others into a place of judgment in the church carries with it a heavy weight of responsibility. Is your own life pure before God? Can the enemy, who will be waiting to pounce on this, find anything about you that needs dealt with? Better to deal with it first, confess it, get rid of it, before approaching that wayward member.

And of course, those who are spiritual will be looking for and hoping for and praying for, perhaps fasting for, the soon restoration of the separated brother.