93. CORPORATE, CHRISTLIKE LOVE FOR THE FATHER AND HIS SON (dd): Pursuing Christlike holiness (18)

2. Adultery as ‘a spiritual sin’ or ‘a sin of the heart’ in the New Testament churches

This meditation is closely linked to Meditation 90 which speaks of prostitution as ‘a spiritual sin’ or ‘a sin of the heart’. The Oxford Dictionary gives the following definitions of prostitution and adultery:

-- “prostitution is the practice or occupation of engaging in sexual activity with someone for payment.”

God uses this term for the ‘spiritual sin’ of His unfaithful people Israel: “The LORD said to Moses: You are going to rest with your fathers, and these people (Israel) will soon prostitute themselves to the foreign gods of the land they are entering. They will forsake me and break the covenant I made with them.” (Deuteronomy 31:16)

-- “adultery is voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and a person who is not their spouse.”

God uses this term especially when He speaks of His people as an unfaithful wife because of the covenant(s) He has made with them. We can see in the Sinai or Mosaic Covenant as well as in the New or Messianic Covenant, the term ‘adultery’ as the designation of unfaithfulness to God.

2a.) Breaking the Sinai or Mosaic Covenant

At Mount Sinai, after God rescued Israel from bondage in Egypt, He made a marriage covenant with His people. God describes this covenant with the following poetic words: “When I passed by and saw you again, you were old enough to be married. So I wrapped my cloak around you to cover your nakedness and declared my marriage vows. I made a covenant with you, says the Sovereign LORD, and you became mine.” (Ezekiel 16:8)

God condemned Israel’s marital unfaithfulness with the following words of the prophet Ezekiel (6^th century B.C.): “Yes, you are an adulterous wife who takes in strangers instead of her own husband.” (Ezekiel 16:32)  

In 722 B.C., God punished this stubborn unfaithfulness of the Northern Kingdom of Israel (10 tribes) by sending them away to Assyria: “The people of Israel persisted in all the evil ways of Jeroboam [their first king]. They did not turn from these sins of idolatry until the LORD finally swept them away, just as all his prophets had warned would happen. So Israel was carried off to the land of Assyria...” (2 Kings 17:22-23). These ten tribes of the Northern Kingdom of Israel never returned to their homeland.

Finally, in the 6^th century B.C., God's punishment struck the still-existing Southern Kingdom of Judah for their continuing unfaithfulness to God’s covenant with them. He sent them away in captivity to Babylon: “Then King Jehoiachin, along with his advisers, nobles, and officials, and the queen mother, surrendered to the Babylonians. In the eighth year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign, he took Jehoiachin prisoner. As the LORD had said beforehand, Nebuchadnezzar carried away all the treasures from the LORD's Temple and the royal palace. They cut apart all the gold vessels that King Solomon of Israel had placed in the Temple. King Nebuchadnezzar took ten thousand captives from Jerusalem, including all the princes and the best of the soldiers, craftsmen, and smiths. So only the poorest people were left in the land.” (2 Kings 24:12-14)

The Babylonian exile of the Southern Kingdom of Judah ended officially in 538 B.C. The biblical books of Ezra and Nehemiah tell us the dramatic story of the return of God’s people to Jerusalem. 

During His ministry, Jesus mentions three times the unfaithfulness of God’s people to the Mosaic Covenant:

-- “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” (Matthew 12:39 and Matthew 16:4)

 

-- “If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:38)

2b.) Breaking the New or Messianic Covenant

Only once does God address His new covenant people as adulterous. Through the mouth of His servant James, He spurns their unfaithful behaviour toward Him, saying: “You adulterers! Don't you realize that friendship with this world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again, that if your aim is to enjoy this world, you can't be a friend of God. What do you think the Scriptures mean when they say that the Holy Spirit, whom God has placed within us, jealously longs for us to be faithful?” (James 4:4-5)

However, although the term adultery as a ‘spiritual sin’ or a ‘sin of the heart’ is not directly used for the church, the matter itself is very extensively dealt with in the New Testament epistles. Here are some examples:

(1.) Stop loving ‘the world’

The apostle John contrasts Jesus’ followers with the world that rebels against God’s rule: “Stop loving this evil world and all that it offers you, for when you love the world, you show that you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only the lust for physical pleasure, the lust for everything we see, and pride in our possessions. These are not from the Father. They are from this evil world. And this world is fading away, along with everything it craves. But if you do the will of God, you will live forever.” (1 John 2:15-17)

Using the same contrast, the apostle Paul warns the church in Rome for an adulterous lifestyle: “Dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice-- the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask? Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is.” (Romans 12:1-2)

(2.) Stop following ‘your old sinful nature’

For the same reason, Paul contrasts in his letter to the church in Rome a lifestyle controlled by God’s Spirit with a lifestyle controlled by their former rebellious attitude towards God: “Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. If your sinful nature controls your mind, there is death. But if the Holy Spirit controls your mind, there is life and peace. For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God's laws, and it never will. That's why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.” (Romans 8:5-8)

God makes His new or messianic covenant with all those who repent of their sins and are reborn by His Spirit. Consequently, returning towards a worldly lifestyle, driven by selfishness, greed, materialism, individualism, hedonism and the like, is in God’s view nothing less than ‘spiritual adultery’.

Therefore, Paul states clearly to the followers of Jesus in Rome: “So, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation whatsoever to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you keep on following it, you will perish. But if through the power of the Holy Spirit you turn from it and its evil deeds, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.” (Romans 8:12-14)

Using the same contrast, the apostle Paul warns the churches in the Roman province of Galatia (modern Turkey) of spiritual adultery: “I advise you to live according to your new life in the Holy Spirit. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves.

The old sinful nature loves to do evil, which is just opposite from what the Holy Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite from what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, and your choices are never free from this conflict. .....

When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, your lives will produce these evil results: sexual immorality, impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, idolatry, participation in demonic activities, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, divisions, the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other kinds of sin.

Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.” (Galatians 5:16-21)

Paul encourages the followers of Jesus in the Greek town of Colossae: “Put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual sin, impurity, lust, and shameful desires. Don't be greedy for the good things of this life, for that is idolatry. God's terrible anger will come upon those who do such things.

You used to do them when your life was still part of this world. But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language.

Don't lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old evil nature and all its wicked deeds.

In its place you have clothed yourselves with a brand-new nature that is continually being renewed as you learn more and more about Christ, who created this new nature within you.

In this new life, it doesn't matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.” (Colossians 3:5-11)

In the context of the New or Messianic Covenant, there is a clear difference between getting rid of my ‘old sinful lifestyle’ when I desire to follow Jesus Christ, and returning to that ‘old lifestyle’ after becoming a follower of Jesus Christ. The latter is ‘spiritual adultery’ and the theme of this Meditation. 

Of course, this does not only apply to individuals, but also to entire churches (see Meditations 46-47, 63 and 85). That leaves me with the following questions concerning my church:

-- Does my church want to love God wholeheartedly?

-- Is my church therefore actively pursuing Christlike holiness?

-- Is my church in danger of falling back into ‘spiritual adultery’? If yes, then what can I do to prevent that?

-- Is my church already lost in ‘spiritual adultery’? What are the ways in which my church copies the sinful lifestyle of our culture? If yes, is there anything I can do to lead my church to repentance?

  

Deuteronomy 31:16, Matthew 12:39, Matthew 16:4, Mark 8:38 are quotes from the New International Version. All other quotes are from the New Living Translation.

92. CORPORATE, CHRISTLIKE LOVE FOR THE FATHER AND HIS SON (cc) : Pursuing Christlike holiness (17)

Adultery in the Corinthian church

In the Greco-Roman society in which the New Testament churches lived, most expressions of sexual activity (specially for men) were completely acceptable. Only sex with someone else’s wife was forbidden. Civil marriage was protected by law and custom.

The dominant view in the Greco-Roman world was that sex was an activity of the body and had nothing to do with one’s spiritual life. Having sex in whatever way was perfectly normal and natural, like having a meal.

Therefore, for a married man to have an adulterous relationship was no problem as long as he did not have it with a married woman.

God had a hard time to change the hearts and the minds of the followers of Jesus in Corinth (and elsewhere) who were born into that decadent culture. The apostle Paul and all other ambassadors of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, faced a major uphill struggle to convince churches that adultery was a detestable act in God’s eyes.

In this Meditation, we want to search the Scriptures [the Bible] and see what God reveals with regard to adultery in the Mosaic Covenant and in the New or Messianic Covenant. As with prostitution (see Meditation 90), we can distinguish between (1) adultery as a ‘carnal sin’ and (2) adultery as ‘a spiritual sin’ or ‘a sin of the heart’. Firstly, let us reflect on what God’s Word says about adultery as a ‘carnal sin’.

1a.)  Adultery as a ‘carnal sin’ in the Mosaic or Sinai Covenant

At Mount Sinai, God said to His people Israel: “If you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the nations of the earth; for all the earth belongs to me. And you will be to me a kingdom of priests, my holy nation.” (Exodus 19:5-6)

As part of the Sinai covenant, God gave His people these commandments on adultery:

-- “Do not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14; see also Deuteronomy 5:18).

-- “If a man commits adultery with another man's wife, both the man and the woman must be put to death.” (Leviticus 20:10; see also Deuteronomy 22:22)

At the end of his life, Moses reminded God’s people to remain faithful to God and to His covenant with them, saying: “Today the LORD your God has commanded you to obey all these laws and regulations. You must commit yourself to them without reservation. You have declared today that the LORD is your God. You have promised to obey his laws, commands, and regulations by walking in his ways and doing everything he tells you. The LORD has declared today that you are his people, his own special treasure, just as he promised, and that you must obey all his commands. And if you do, he will make you greater than any other nation. Then you will receive praise, honor, and renown. You will be a nation that is holy to the LORD your God, just as he promised.” (Deuteronomy 26:16-19)

On the basis of that Mosaic law, God warns again in the book of Proverbs not to commit adultery:

-- “It (divine wisdom) will save you also from the adulteress, from the wayward wife with her seductive words, who has left the partner of her youth and ignored the covenant she made before God. For her house leads down to death and her paths to the spirits of the dead. None who go to her return or attain the paths of life.” (Proverbs 2:16-19)

-- “These commands and this teaching will keep you from the immoral woman, from the smooth tongue of an adulterous woman. Don't lust for her beauty. Don't let her coyness seduce you. For a prostitute will bring you to poverty, and sleeping with another man's wife may cost you your very life. Can a man scoop fire into his lap and not be burned? Can he walk on hot coals and not blister his feet? So it is with the man who sleeps with another man's wife. He who embraces her will not go unpunished. Excuses might be found for a thief who steals because he is starving. But if he is caught, he will be fined seven times as much as he stole, even if it means selling everything in his house to pay it back. But the man who commits adultery is an utter fool, for he destroys his own soul.” (Proverbs 6:24-32; see also Proverbs 7)

When Israel finally had settled in the promised land, they turned again and again away from God and from His covenant with them and followed the sinful ways of the nations around them. Through the prophet Jeremiah (7^th century B.C.), God warned his wayward people of adultery with the following words: “How can I pardon you? For even your children have turned from me. They have sworn by gods that are not gods at all! I fed my people until they were fully satisfied. But they thanked me by committing adultery and lining up at the city's brothels. They are well-fed, lusty stallions, each neighing for his neighbour's wife. Should I not punish them for this?" asks the LORD. "Should I not avenge myself against a nation such as this?” (Jeremiah 5:7-9)

1b.)  Adultery as a ‘carnal sin’ in the New or Messianic Covenant

God's New or Messianic Covenant is for all those who have accepted Jesus Messiah’s sacrificial death for their sins and who are reborn by His Spirit. As we said in Meditation 91, it is God’s powerful Spirit in all reborn followers of Jesus who is destined to help us overcome the hardness of our rebellious and wicked hearts. He is able to transform us into the likeness of Christ.

The apostle Paul writes to the church in Ephesus (modern Turkey): “Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope.” (Ephesians 3:20)

Because of the New or Messianic covenant that Jesus makes with all who follow Him, He takes the bull by the horns and confronts the sin of adultery head-on. We saw already in Meditation 91 that He declared divorce and remarriage during the partner’s life time to be a form of adultery.

Jesus even goes further and shows that adultery does not start with illicit sexual intercourse. In fact, adultery starts already in a person’s heart:

-- “From the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all other sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander.” (Matthew 15:19; see also Mark 7:21)

-- “You have heard that the law of Moses says, 'Do not commit adultery.' But I [Jesus] say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust in his eye has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:27-28)

Later on the apostle Peter repeats Jesus’ words when he speaks about those who “commit adultery with their eyes.” (2 Peter 2:14)

We read in Meditation 91 also that the apostle Paul bases himself on Jesus’ words when he speaks of adultery in the case of a divorce and remarriage during a partner’s life time (see Romans 7:3).

  

Furthermore, Paul reminds the Christians in Rome of the fact that “the commandments against adultery and murder and stealing and coveting-- and any other commandment-- are all summed up in this one commandment [of Jesus in Luke 10:27]: "Love your neighbor as yourself." (Romans 13:9)

The apostle Paul severely warns the followers of Jesus in Corinth, saying: “Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral ... nor adulterers ... will inherit the kingdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)

The letter to the Hebrews reminds us of Paul’s words: “Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery.” (Hebrews 13:4)

In the light of our contemporary Western culture of tolerance, our churches need to inquire of God concerning His view on adultery. Here are some questions for thoughtful reflection:

-- The mass media in our western culture of individualism and tolerance have a liberal view on matters of adultery, divorce and remarriage. Should Christians not be free how to live in regard to these issues? 

-- It seems that the number of cases of conjugal infidelity, divorce and remarriage is growing rapidly in churches in the West. One wonders how serious churches and individual Christians take God’s judgment on these matters. Is God then only like a good old Father Christmas who lets us get way with whatever we do in our lives? Is He like a toothless lion who in point of fact would not harm anybody? Is the Bible’s warning of God’s judgment only ‘a troublesome doctrine’ without any real  consequences in this life and the afterlife? Is it inhuman to warn Christians of sinful behaviour by using visions of ‘hail and brimstones’? Is it bad psychology and poor pastoral care to caution God’s people to stay away from sin out of fear of God?

Yet, God teaches us in Proverbs that “fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in understanding.” (Proverbs 9:10)

By mouth of the prophet Malachi, God is eager to warn His people: “I will come near you for judgment; I will be a swift witness ... against adulterers ... -- Because they do not fear Me,” says the LORD of hosts.” (Malachi 3:5)

The Epistle to the Hebrews encourages us with the words: “Since we are receiving a Kingdom that cannot be destroyed, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe. For our God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12:28-29)

-- Does the fear of God and His judgment still mean that Christians shy away from taking unbiblical and ungodly decisions with regard to adultery, divorce and remarriage?

-- How real in my church is the hope that the loving and powerful presence of God’s Spirit is able to solve complex and hopeless cases in marriage counselling?

-- Would warning of God’s judgment on unbiblical and ungodly behaviour be seen in my church as a case of bad counselling?

You will find further questions for reflection on these issues at the end of Meditation 91.

We wrote in the Meditations 56, 63, 74, 76 and 77 that God’s Spirit wants to empower our churches to obey God’s first and greatest commandment: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:37-38)

Since Meditation 76, we have seen that God’s Spirit only can empower our churches to wholehearted love for God if our churches, their leaders and all their reborn members keep on pursuing Christlike holiness. God’s Spirit says by mouth of the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews: “Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no-one will see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14)

 

Proverbs 2:16-19, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Matthew 22:37-38 and Hebrews 12:14 are quotes from the New International Version. Malachi 3:5 is quoted from the New King James Version. All other quotes are from the New Living Translation.

91. CORPORATE, CHRISTLIKE LOVE FOR THE FATHER AND HIS SON (cc): Pursuing Christlike holiness (16)

Divorce in the Corinthian church

It seems that romantic love was seldom a cause for marriage among the Greeks. Marriages and engagements were often prearranged. Divorces in Hellenistic society were common and easy to obtain. A French historian stated, "There's an epidemic of broken marriages in Rome". Around 18 B.C., the Roman emperor Augustus established laws promoting marriage and discouraging divorce. Therefore, divorce must have been a problem in the Corinthian church as well.

God speaks extensively about divorce in His Word [the Bible]. So, let’s have a look what He says about this crucial matter in the Mosaic Covenant and in the New or Messianic Covenant:

a.)  Divorce in the Mosaic or Sinai Covenant

Through the mouth of His prophet Malachi, God declares forthrightly: “‘I hate divorce!’ says the LORD, the God of Israel. ‘It is as cruel as putting on a victim's bloodstained coat,’ says the LORD Almighty. ‘So guard yourself; always remain loyal to your wife.’” (Malachi 2:16)

Jesus quotes the Mosaic law by saying: “‘You have heard that the law of Moses says, ‘A man can divorce his wife by merely giving her a letter of divorce.’” (Matthew 5:31; see Deuteronomy 24:1-4)

Later on Jesus explains God’s original design for marriage and why Moses allowed divorce: “Some Pharisees came and tried to trap him [Jesus] with this question: ‘Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife for any reason?’ ‘Haven't you read the Scriptures?’ Jesus replied. ‘They record that from the beginning 'God made them male and female.'’ And he said, ‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ Since they are no longer two but one, let no one separate them, for God has joined them together.’ ‘Then why did Moses say a man could merely write an official letter of divorce and send her away?’ they asked. Jesus replied, ‘Moses permitted divorce as a concession to your hard-hearted wickedness, but it was not what God had originally intended.’” (Matthew 19:3-8; see also Mark 10:2-9)

b.)  Divorce in the New or Messianic Covenant

We saw in earlier meditations that the New or Messianic Covenant is characterised by our reconciliation with God through the guilt offering of Jesus, God’s Son, and by the gift of God’s Spirit (see Meditations 22-33).

That means in practice that God does not need to allow a concession any longer because of our hard-hearted wickedness as in the Mosaic Covenant. It is God’s Spirit in the reborn Jewish and non-Jewish followers of Jesus who is destined to help us overcome the hardness of our rebellious and wicked hearts.

The apostle Paul explains this as he shows the difference between a Jew, living under the Mosaic Covenant and a Jew who follows Jesus and lives under the New or Messianic Covenant: “You are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the Jewish ceremony of circumcision [Mosaic Covenant]. No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not a cutting of the body but a change of heart produced by God's Spirit [New or Messianic Covenant].” (Romans 2:28-29)

Because of the powerful and transforming presence of God’s Spirit in Jesus’ reborn followers, Jesus is authorised to give them clear-cut orders concerning divorce and remarriage:

-- “I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery.” (Matthew 19:9)

-- “I say that a man who divorces his wife, unless she has been unfaithful, causes her to commit adultery. And anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” (Matthew 5:32; see also Luke 16:18)

-- Concerning divorce and remarriage by a woman, Jesus said: “If a woman divorces her husband and remarries, she commits adultery.” (Mark 10:11-12)

In these declarations Jesus plainly states that according to the New or Messianic Covenant the unbreakable bond of marriage is the unconditional will of God. According to Jesus, even an arranged divorce amongst His followers does not dissolve their first marriage in God’s eyes! On the contrary, a Christian who divorces his wife (except in a case of her infidelity), and remarries, commits adultery and drives his wife into an adulterous relation should she remarry!

Through the inspiration of God’s Spirit, the apostle Paul grounds his teaching on Jesus’ declarations:

-- “For those who are married I have a command that comes not from me, but from the Lord. A wife must not leave her husband.... And the husband must not leave his wife.” (1 Corinthians 7:11-10)

-- “When a woman marries, the law binds her to her husband as long as he is alive. But if he dies, the laws of marriage no longer apply to her. So while her husband is alive, she would be committing adultery if she married another man. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law and does not commit adultery when she remarries.” (Romans 7:2-3)

-- “Are you married? Do not seek a divorce.” (1 Corinthians 7:27)

The Epistle to the Hebrews also confirms Jesus’ declarations and warns of the consequence of disobedience: “Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery.” (Hebrews 13:4)

Yet, also for reborn children of God there might be heart-rending situations in which a marriage doesn’t survive, in spite of the powerful presence of God’s Spirit who would be able to kindle Christlike love. What is God’s will in such circumstances?

Through the apostle Paul, God says: “Now, for those who are married I have a command that comes not from me, but from the Lord. ... If she [the wife] does leave him [her husband], let her remain single or else go back to him.” (1 Corinthians 7:10-11)

This command from the Lord is in keeping with the earlier-mentioned declaration of Jesus that according to the New or Messianic Covenant the bond of marriage is unbreakable and even an arranged divorce amongst God’s reborn children does not dissolve their marriage in God’s eyes!

Interestingly, based on Jesus’ declarations, the apostle personally advises the church in Corinth, saying: “I will speak to the rest of you, though I do not have a direct command from the Lord. If a Christian man has a wife who is an unbeliever and she is willing to continue living with him, he must not leave her. And if a Christian woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he is willing to continue living with her, she must not leave him. For the Christian wife brings holiness to her marriage, and the Christian husband brings holiness to his marriage.” (1 Corinthians 7:12-14)

Well, on the matter of divorce, God’s Word gives us much food for thought. Here in the West, we see how the near ‘epidemic’ of divorce and remarriage ravages many churches, not only ‘infecting’ some members but likewise some church leaders.

That’s why I would like us to take some time to assess our own personal situations and the state of affairs in our churches:

-- Am I familiar with Jesus’ declarations with regard to divorce and remarriage? Do I adhere to God’s statement that remarriage during my first spouse’s lifetime is adultery in God’s eyes?

-- Does my church abides by Jesus’ declarations regarding divorce and remarriage? Does my church teach and act in accordance with God’s statement that remarriage during the lifetime of one’s first spouse is adultery in His eyes?          

-- Do I and my church know fellow-Christians who have left their spouses and remain single in accordance with God’s will, whatever the cost?

-- Do I and my church know fellow-Christians who stick to their non-believing spouses? In what way do they practically bring Christlike holiness to their marriages?

-- Amidst our permissive society, does my church train its members how to stand firm on God’s Word, especially with regard to divorce and remarriage?

-- Does my church have awareness programmes to teach my church about God’s Word and His will regarding divorce and remarriage?

-- Does my church have wise and Christlike counsellors to care compassionately for those church members who go through a divorce and in obedience to God have decided to remain single whatever agony that brings?

-- Is my church prepared to firmly use Christlike church discipline in a loving and compassionate way to deal with unrepentant members? (see Meditation 88)

 

Matthew 19:9 and 1 Corinthians 7:27 are quotes from the New International Version. All other quotes are from the New Living Translation.  

90. CORPORATE, CHRISTLIKE LOVE FOR THE FATHER AND HIS SON (bb): Pursuing Christlike holiness (15)

(continuation from Meditation 89)

Last time we said that God’s Word mentions two kinds of prostitution: (1) prostitution as a ‘carnal sin’ and (2) prostitution as ‘a spiritual sin’ or ‘a sin of the heart’. Today we want to reflect on the second type of prostitution.

(2) Prostitution as ‘a spiritual sin’ or ‘a sin of the heart’

Beside prostitution as ‘a carnal sin’, God’s Word uses the image of prostitution also for those who are unfaithful to Him, break the covenant He made with them and follow other gods and the evil desires of their hearts.

a.) Breaking the Mosaic Covenant

Here are some of the many examples in the Old Testament in which God speaks of prostitution as ‘a sin of the heart’:

   

-- “The LORD said to Moses: You are going to rest with your fathers, and these people (Israel) will soon prostitute themselves to the foreign gods of the land they are entering. They will forsake me and break the covenant I made with them.” (Deuteronomy 31:16)

-- “The LORD said to Moses, "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: `Throughout the generations to come you are to make tassels on the corners of your garments, with a blue cord on each tassel. You will have these tassels to look at and so you will remember all the commands of the LORD, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by going after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes. Then you will remember to obey all my commands and will be consecrated to your God. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt to be your God. I am the LORD your God.'” (Numbers 15:37-41)

-- “I (the LORD your God) will set my face against the person who turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute himself by following them, and I will cut him off from his people.” (Leviticus 20:6)

This image of prostitution speaks of unfaithfulness to God and the Mosaic Covenant He made with His people at Mount Sinai. Again and again Israel broke that covenant and worshipped the gods of the surrounding nations, engaging, like them, in sexual promiscuity and other sins, contacting mediums and spiritualists and asking those nations for political cover instead of seeking God’s help and protection.

Eventually God responded to this ‘spiritual prostitution’ by His people with His judgment: The northern kingdom of Israel went into exile after its destruction by the Assyrians in 722 B.C. The southern kingdom of Judah went into exile after its destruction by the Babylonians in 586 B.C. God describes through the mouth of the prophet Ezekiel (6^th century B.C.) a shocking picture of His people as a prostitute. Here follows an excerpt of this divine message of God’s judgement:

“Your destruction is certain, says the Sovereign LORD. In addition to all your other wickedness, you built a pagan shrine and put altars to idols in every town square. On every street corner you defiled your beauty, offering your body to every passerby in an endless stream of prostitution.

Then you added lustful Egypt to your lovers, fanning the flames of my anger with your increasing promiscuity. That is why I struck you with my fist and reduced your boundaries. I handed you over to your enemies, the Philistines, and even they were shocked by your lewd conduct! You have prostituted yourselves with the Assyrians, too. It seems you can never find enough new lovers! And after your prostitution there, you still were not satisfied. You added to your lovers by embracing that great merchant land of Babylonia-- but you still weren't satisfied!

What a sick heart you have, says the Sovereign LORD, to do such things as these, acting like a shameless prostitute.

You build your pagan shrines on every street corner and your altars to idols in every square.

You have been worse than a prostitute, so eager for sin that you have not even demanded payment for your love! Yes, you are an adulterous wife who takes in strangers instead of her own husband.

Prostitutes charge for their services-- but not you! You give gifts to your lovers, bribing them to come to you. So you are the opposite of other prostitutes. No one pays you; instead, you pay them!

Therefore, you prostitute, listen to this message from the LORD! This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Because you have exposed yourself in prostitution to all your lovers, and because you have worshiped detestable idols, and because you have slaughtered your children as sacrifices to your gods, this is what I am going to do.

I will gather together all your allies-- these lovers of yours with whom you have sinned, both those you loved and those you hated-- and I will strip you naked in front of them so they can stare at you.

I will punish you for your murder and adultery. I will cover you with blood in my jealous fury.

Then I will give you to your lovers-- these many nations-- and they will destroy you. They will knock down your pagan shrines and the altars to your idols. They will strip you and take your beautiful jewels, leaving you completely naked and ashamed. They will band together in a mob to stone you and run you through with swords.

They will burn your homes and punish you in front of many women. I will see to it that you stop your prostitution and end your payments to your many lovers.

Then at last my fury against you will be spent, and my jealous anger will subside. I will be calm and will not be angry with you anymore.

But first, because you have not remembered your youth but have angered me by doing all these evil things, I will fully repay you for all of your sins, says the Sovereign LORD.” (^NLT Ezekiel 16:23-43)

God promised that after the judgement of exile He would take His people back to their land and make an new and eternal covenant with them. God spoke of this promised messianic covenant with His people through several prophets. Here is the promise through the mouth of the prophet Jeremiah (7^th century B.C.): 

“The day will come, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant, though I loved them as a husband loves his wife, says the LORD.

But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day, says the LORD. I will put my laws in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their family, saying, 'You should know the LORD.' For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will already know me, says the LORD. And I will forgive their wickedness and will never again remember their sins.” (Jeremiah 31:31-34)

By mouth of the prophet Isaiah, God promised that the gift of His Spirit would be the content of the new covenant with His people: “This is my covenant with them," says the LORD. "My Spirit will not leave them, and neither will these words I have given you. They will be on your lips and on the lips of your children and your children's children forever. I, the LORD, have spoken!” (Isaiah 59:21)

This is the New or Messianic Covenant which God has made with all the Jewish people who follow Jesus Messiah and with all the followers of Jesus worldwide. Jesus initiated this covenant at the ‘Last Supper’ on the evening before He died: “After supper he took another cup of wine and said, ‘This wine is the token of God's new covenant to save you-- an agreement sealed with the blood I will pour out for you.’” (Luke 22:20)

We saw in the Meditations 27 to 33 that the essence of this new covenant is the gift of God’s Holy Spirit to all who put their trust in Jesus Messiah for the forgiveness of their sins. Paul writes about himself and the other apostles as ambassadors of this new covenant, saying: “He (God) has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant-- not of the letter (the Mosaic Covenant) but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” (2 Corinthians 3:6)

 

b.) Breaking the New or Messianic Covenant:

Jesus and the apostles do not use the image of prostitution for those Christians and those churches  who are unfaithful to God and break the New or Messianic Covenant He made with them. Yet, the subject is treated throughout the New Testament. Here are some examples: 

-- “Stop loving this evil world and all that it offers you, for when you love the world, you show that you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only the lust for physical pleasure, the lust for everything we see, and pride in our possessions. These are not from the Father. They are from this evil world.” (1 John 2:15-16)

“Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. If your sinful nature controls your mind, there is death. But if the Holy Spirit controls your mind, there is life and peace.

For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God's laws, and it never will. That's why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.

But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them are not Christians at all.)

So, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation whatsoever to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you keep on following it, you will perish. But if through the power of the Holy Spirit you turn from it and its evil deeds, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.” (Romans 8:5-9 and 13-14)

“The love of money is at the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.” (1 Timothy 6:10)

“I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. Their future is eternal destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and all they think about is this life here on earth.” (Philippians 3:18-19)

-- “You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred towards God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.” (James 4:4)

You can find in Meditations 54 and 55 New Testament examples of churches who fall into ‘spiritual prostitution’. There we can read about the way in which Jesus judges the churches in the book of Revelation. 

Yet, by pursuing Christlike holiness, God’s Spirit is well able to keep any local church faithful to the Lord of the New Covenant. The apostle Paul finishes his second letter to the church in Thessalonica (Greece) with the blessing: “Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until that day when our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.” (1 Thessalonians 5:23)

This meditation on ‘spiritual prostitution’ requires careful reflection. I wonder if the problem of prostitution as ‘a spiritual sin’ or ‘a sin of the heart’ is sufficiently dealt with in Christian circles. Yet, I think that this is a wide-scale problem, causing terrible havoc in many churches worldwide. Here are some questions to ponder:

-- How often is the way we provide pastoral counseling defined more by humanistic science than by the revealed wisdom of God’s Word?

-- How often is the way we run our churches more characterised by project management than by God’s Spirit and God’s Word?

-- How often do our churches reflect our modern, materialistic, hedonistic, individualist and greedy culture rather than being Christlike, transformed communities generated by God’s Spirit and God’s Word?

-- How often do the evangelistic programmes of our churches look more like running a clever advertising campaign than heralding the Good News of reconciliation with God?

-- These days, we live in a sex-mad society manipulated by an overwhelming amount of sexually-charged media: sex in advertisements, in films, on television, virtual sex (cyber sex, phone sex), internet pornography, etc.

      

In 2006, the Barna Research Group in California carried out a nationwide survey, called “A New Generation of Adults Bends Moral and Sexual Rules to Their Liking”. This research showed that in matters of morality and sexuality, people in the USA are more likely to imitate their peer group than the principles of personal faith.

The Vice President of the Barna Group added, "We expect to see this mindset of sexual entitlement translate into increased appetites for pornography, unfiltered acceptance of sexual themes and content in media, and continued dissolution of marriages due to infidelity.”

(www.barna.org/culture-articles/144-a-new-generation-of-adults-bends-moral-and-sexual-rules-to-their-liking?   

We are now 6 years further down the line and the question is how I myself, my church congregation, our church leaders, and specially our young people, are affected by this development. I have heard some reports of church leaders struggling with internet porn, all attained by the click of a mouse. So, how are you and your church doing in the face of this tsunami of sexual immorality? 

-- And what about the influence of media violence (films, television, computer games, smart phones, etc.) on the children of Christian families? I think that this is another serious matter for our churches to reflect upon. How can my church help Christian families pursue Christlike holiness without muzzling them by legalistic restrictions? 

Certainly, there are more issues to consider for our churches these days when we speak of prostitution as ‘a spiritual sin’ or ‘a sin of the heart’. Yet, it is clear that God wants our churches to continue pursuing Christlike love and holiness.

In these troubled times, our churches desperately need divine guidance by God’s Spirit and God’s Word. The apostle Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica (Greece): “God wants you to be holy, so you should keep clear of all sexual sin. Then each of you will control your body and live in holiness and honor -- not in lustful passion as the pagans do, in their ignorance of God and his ways ... for the Lord avenges all such sins, as we have solemnly warned you before. God has called us to be holy, not to live impure lives. Anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human rules but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.” (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 and 6b-8)

Deuteronomy 31:16, Numbers 15:37-41, Leviticus 20:6, 2 Corinthians 3:6 and James 4:4 are quotes from the New International Version. All other quotes are from the New Living Translation.

89. CORPORATE, CHRISTLIKE LOVE FOR THE FATHER AND HIS SON (aa): Pursuing Christlike holiness (14)

(continuation from Meditation 88)

Prostitution in the Corinthian church (see also Meditations 78 and 87)

As we wrote in Meditation 78, prostitution was an integral aspect of Greek culture. Moreover, Corinth was a port city with many brothels. It also had the temple of Aphrodite (the goddess of love) with its 1,000 temple prostitutes.

In Meditation 87 we read Paul’s keynote on sexual immorality to the Corinthian Christians who lived in this den of iniquity: “Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:18-20)

God’s Word mentions two kinds of prostitution: (1) prostitution as a ‘carnal sin’, (2) prostitution as a ‘spiritual sin’ or a ‘sin of the heart’.

(1) Prostitution as a ‘carnal sin’

At Mount Sinai, after God delivered Israel from bondage in Egypt (14^th century B.C.?), He made the Mosaic Covenant with His people. In some laws of this Covenant, God strictly forbade prostitution:

-- “Do not defile your daughter by making her a prostitute, or the land will be filled with promiscuity and detestable wickedness.” (Leviticus 19:29)

-- “The (Jewish) priests must not marry women defiled by prostitution ..... for the priests must be set apart to God as holy.” (Leviticus 21:7)

-- “If a priest's daughter becomes a prostitute, defiling her father's holiness as well as herself, she must be burned to death.” (Leviticus 21:9)

-- “No Israelite man or woman may ever become a temple prostitute.” (Deuteronomy 23:17)

Why did God give His people such rigorous laws at Mount Sinai? In Meditation 87 I mentioned two main reasons. I will repeat them here:

a.) The apostle Paul says about God’s Mosaic Law: “The Law was our guardian and teacher to lead us until Christ [the Messiah] came...” (Galatians 3:24)

In other words, the Law prepared us for Christ’s coming. The Law kept us on track towards Christ’s future.

Paul explains to the Christians in Rome:“No one can ever be made right in God's sight by doing what his Law commands. For the more we know God's Law, the clearer it becomes that we aren't obeying it” (Romans 3:20) or as the New International Version translates:“... through the Law we become conscious of sin.” It is through the Law that we come to understand what ‘sin’ is in God’s eyes. And it is also through the Law that we become aware of the need for the sin offering of God’s Son at the cross of Calvary to reconcile us with God the Father.

b.) God used His Law as both guardian and teacher to lead His people until the Messiah would come, He also used it to separate His people from the lifestyle and customs of the nations around them.

We can read in Exodus 19:3-6: “Then Moses climbed the mountain to appear before God. The LORD called out to him from the mountain and said, 'Give these instructions to the descendants of Jacob, the people of Israel: 'You have seen what I did to the Egyptians. You know how I brought you to myself and carried you on eagle's wings. Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the nations of the earth; for all the earth belongs to me. And you will be to me a kingdom of priests, my holy nation.' Give this message to the Israelites.'”

Furthermore, God says in Leviticus 20:22-26: “You must carefully obey all my laws and regulations; otherwise the land to which I am bringing you will vomit you out. Do not live by the customs of the people whom I will expel before you. It is because they do these terrible things that I detest them so much. ... I, the LORD, am your God, who has set you apart from all other people. ... You must be holy because I, the LORD, am holy. I have set you apart from all other people to be my very own.”

* * *

About 1,300 years later, in his letter to the church in Corinth, the apostle Paul shows the implications of  prostitution as a ‘carnal sin’ in the New or Messianic Covenant. As we know, the characteristic of the Messianic Covenant is the rebirth by God’s Spirit after one’s conversion to Jesus Christ. Therefore, Paul explains to these Christians in Corinth who endorsed sexual liberty (see Meditation 87):

-- “Our bodies were not made for sexual immorality. They were made for the Lord, and the Lord cares about our bodies.” (1 Corinthians 6:13)

-- “Don't you realize that your bodies are actually parts of Christ? Should a man take his body, which belongs to Christ, and join it to a prostitute? Never!” (1 Corinthians 6:15)

-- “And don't you know that if a man joins himself to a prostitute, he becomes one body with her? For the Scriptures say, "The two are united into one" (Genesis 2:24). But the person who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.” (1 Corinthians 6:16-17)

-- “Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:18-20)

It is clear that these directions for individual followers of Jesus also have significance for the entire local church which is the Body of the Messiah and the Residence of God’s Spirit. If someone in the church does not obey God’s commands and consequently brings the entire church into disrepute, God will certainly interfere. By mouth of His apostle, God warns the church in Corinth and everywhere else: “Don't you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? God will bring ruin upon anyone who ruins this temple. For God's temple is holy, and you Christians are that temple.” (1 Corinthians 3:16-17) 

At Mount Sinai, where God made the Mosaic Covenant with His people Israel, He promised them: “If you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” (Exodus 19:5-6)

When the apostle Peter specially addressed the non-Jewish followers of Jesus who had entered into God’s New or Messianic Covenant with the Jewish followers of Jesus, Peter quoted God’s Words to Israel at Mount Sinai (see Exodus 19:5-6), saying: “You are a kingdom of priests, God's holy nation, his very own possession. This is so you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. Once you (non-Jewish Christians) were not a people; now you are the people of God. Once you received none of God's mercy; now you have received his mercy. Dear brothers and sisters, you are foreigners and aliens here. So I warn you to keep away from evil desires because they fight against your very souls. Be careful how you live among your unbelieving neighbors. Even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will believe and give honor to God when he comes to judge the world.” (1 Peter 2:9-12)

In this meditation we have reflected on God’s abhorrence of prostitution as a ‘carnal sin’. As we read in 1 Corinthians 6:18, God wants Jesus’ followers to flee from sexual immorality. That leaves me with some questions for me and my church:

-- Am I aware of the fact that my body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in me and whom I have received from God at my conversion and rebirth?

-- Do I know that I am God’s very own possession, that I was bought by God from the slavery of sin at the price of Jesus’ blood? Is it for that very reason my intention to honour God daily with my body? Do I know what that implies practically?

-- Does my church realise that all our church members together are also God’s holy temple and that the Spirit of God lives in us?

-- Does my church understand that all our members together are a kingdom of priests, God's holy nation and his very own possession to show the goodness of God to our unbelieving neighbours?

-- Sexual immorality is a gigantic worldwide problem. Therefore, members of our churches might easily be involved in prostitution. If so, how does my church respond to this need? Does my church cover up such situations? Does it try to restore ‘fallen’ members in a spirit of love and compassion? Does my church have ‘awareness programmes’ to fight sexual immorality by church members? Is my church prepared to use Christlike church discipline to deal with unrepentant members? (see Meditation 88)

-- To summarise it all, does my church pursue Christlike holiness (1) so that the transforming power of God’s Spirit may attract those around who search for God and for the true meaning of life? (2) so that my church will be ready as a ‘pure virgin’ (2 Corinthians 11:2) for the glorious wedding day of Jesus Messiah?

In the next meditation we will reflect on prostitution as a ‘spiritual sin’ or a ‘sin of the heart’.

1 Corinthians 6:18-20, Exodus 19:5-6, are quotes from the New International Version. All other quotes are from the New Living Translation.

88. CORPORATE, CHRISTLIKE LOVE FOR THE FATHER AND HIS SON (z): Pursuing Christlike holiness (13)

(continuation from Meditation 87)

How does the apostle Paul deal with this case of sexual immorality (a Christian living in sin with his father’s wife, see 1 Corinthians 5:1-2) in the Corinthian church?

The apostle writes: “Shouldn't you rather have been filled with grief and have put out of your fellowship the man who did this? Even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. And I have already passed judgment on the one who did this, just as if I were present. When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 5:2-5)

In his way of dealing with this case, Paul mentions the following aspects:

a.) “Put out of your fellowship the man who did this” (1 Corinthians 5:2)

b.) “Passing judgment on the one who did this” (1 Corinthians 5:3)

c.) “When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit...” (1 Corinthians 5:4)

d.) “When ... the power of our Lord Jesus is present...” (1 Corinthians 5:4)

e.) “Hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 5:5)

We saw in Meditation 87 that, according to the Mosaic Law, incest was a capital offence. God had ordered that such a man should be expelled from His people and punished with death.

The apostle Paul bases his way of dealing with this case on Jesus’ own directives. Since the Messianic Covenant (New Testament), capital punishment is no longer God’s order for His people. The most severe punishment is now expulsion from the local messianic community (the church) which is a manifestation of Christ’s universal Body.

Therefore, when Paul commands in 1 Corinthians 5:2: “Put out of your fellowship the man who did this”, he follows Jesus’ order in Matthew 18:15-17: “If your brother sins (against you), go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. If he 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 he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.”

Surely, the first directives of Christ (see Matthew 18:15-16) had already been followed up in this case. Therefore, the apostle ends the declaration of punishment with the order: “Expel the wicked man from among you.” (1 Corinthians 5:13)

What is God’s reason for such a severe sentence? Paul explains that when he continues to say: “Your boasting is not good. Don't you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough?  Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast--as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth.” (1 Corinthians 5:6-8)

The apostle says that from God’s point of view, the local church is like “a new batch of dough” (i.e. its new Christlike life), because of the sacrifice of Christ, the true Passover lamb, and the gift of God’s Spirit. Now every local church should also learn to live up to its new Christlike identity and become like bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth. For that very reason every local church should get rid of the old yeast of malice and wickedness. Only then will a church be able to truly celebrate the Passover Festival of freedom from the bondage of sin. That is the only way to pursue Christlike holiness.

God and his ambassador, the apostle Paul, have first of all in view the Christlike holiness and purity of the local church, its witness in the world and its preparation for the wedding feast of the Lamb.  Therefore, a deliberate, sinful lifestyle of church members needs to be addressed and, if needed, punished with expulsion from the local church fellowship.

Secondly, the severe punishment of expulsion is also meant to be God’s wake-up call to the rebellious sinner aiming at his or her repentance and return to the Lord.    

In this serious case of incest, Paul orders the church to punish this rebellious fellow Christian not only by expelling this man from the local the church. The apostle writes: “When you are assembled in the Name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 5:4-5)

Under the powerful presence of Christ’s Spirit (see Matthew 18:20!) the united church, under the apostolic authority of Paul, should hand this man over to Satan for the execution of God’s punishment. In practice, this might have consisted of sever bodily suffering or even death. However, the aim of this punitive measure is not his final destruction, but his ultimate salvation! In the end he remains a child of God, saved by the blood of Christ.

On reading this story, the punishment of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 comes to mind as they were lying to God’s Spirit, to the apostle Peter and to the church.

In fact, one can wonder if the apostle in his second letter to the Corinthian church does not have the ruefulness of this man in mind when he writes: “I am not overstating it when I say that the man who caused all the trouble hurt your entire church more than he hurt me. He was punished enough when most of you were united in your judgment against him. Now it is time to forgive him and comfort him. Otherwise he may become so discouraged that he won't be able to recover. Now show him that you still love him. I wrote to you as I did to find out how far you would go in obeying me. When you forgive this man, I forgive him, too. And when I forgive him (for whatever is to be forgiven), I do so with Christ's authority for your benefit, so that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are very familiar with his evil schemes” (2 Corinthians 2:5-11). It seems that the apostle also wanted to show here that Satan as executioner of God’s decree should not have more power than Christ  allows for executing this sentence.

The apostle Paul mentions another similar sentence in the first letter he wrote to his co-worker Timothy: “Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith. Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme” (1 Timothy 1:18-20).

The question is if taking such a disciplinary measure of handing a rebellious child of God over to Satan was a responsibility that only belonged to Paul’s apostleship or if it was a customary discipline that the churches practised in severe cases. It seems that the first was the case. Nowhere in the New Testament do we read of other instances where local churches (without the apostle’s involvement) handed its unruly members over to Satan.   

However, the local church in New Testament times was charged by the apostles to deal severely with church members who did not pursue Christlike love, humility and holiness and did not want to follow Christ and obey God’s Word.

Following Jesus’ directions in Matthew 18:15-17, the apostle Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica concerning those who disobey God’s Word: “Take note of those who refuse to obey what we say in this letter. Stay away from them so they will be ashamed. Don't think of them as enemies, but speak to them as you would to a Christian who needs to be warned” (2 Thessalonians 3:14-15).

Earlier in the same letter, Paul had already addressed those Christians who lived idle, disorderly lives: “Dear brothers and sisters, we give you this command with the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ: Stay away from any Christian who lives in idleness and doesn't follow the tradition of hard work we gave you” (2 Thessalonians 3:6).

At the end of his letter to the church in Rome, the apostle Paul writes about church members who sow dissension or introduce false teaching: “... I make one more appeal, my dear brothers and sisters. Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people's faith by teaching things that are contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them” (Romans 16:17).

Paul further teaches the local church in Corinth on this matter when he writes: “I have written to 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 to 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...” (1 Corinthians 5:9-13a).

The apostle Paul instructs his young co-worker, Titus, concerning church discipline in accordance with Jesus’ directives in Matthew 18:15-17: “If anyone is causing divisions among you, give a first and second warning. After that, have nothing more to do with that person” (Titus 3:10).

To the churches in Galatia (modern Turkey), Paul puts emphasis on a Christlike attitude of love, humility and compassion towards disobedient fellow-church members: “Dear brothers and sisters, if another Christian is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself” (Galatians 6:1).

The same Paul writes to the church in Thessalonica: “Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone” (1 Thessalonians 5:14).

The apostle John warns the local church not to associate with those who want to introduces false (unbiblical) teachings in their Christian community. He writes: “If someone comes to your meeting and does not teach the truth about Christ, don't invite him into your house or encourage him in any way. Anyone who encourages him becomes a partner in his evil work” (2 John 1:10-11).

We started this meditation with the way the apostle Paul dealt with the case of incest in the Corinthian church. After that we reflected on Christ’s directives for disobedient and rebellious Christians and the way the apostles Paul and John applied these directives to the first century churches.

So, what might God want to say to my church today through the directives He and His apostles gave to the New Testament congregations?

I think that first of all my church needs to ask itself if it shares God’s vision concerning His church. In Meditation 47 we saw that God - Father, Son and Spirit - prepares Christ’s universal church for the glorious end-of-time wedding feast of the Lamb. He does that on a minute scale: one local church at a time within its own geographical and cultural setting!

Furthermore, we saw that the apostle Paul disclosed to the church the reason for his commitment to their church. He wanted to prepare them for that future wedding celebration of the Lamb: “I am jealous for you with the jealousy of God himself. For I promised you as a pure bride to one husband, Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:2).

To prepare itself for that future wedding feast, every local church needs to pursue Christlike love, humility, compassion and holiness! Therefore, it needs also to discipline those members who don’t want to join these wedding preparations and therefore don’t pursue a Christlike life.

-- So, does my church know that God wants to prepare it for the future wedding feast of the Lamb (Revelation 19:7)? Is my church actively involved in these preparations? How?

-- Do I know that God wants to prepare me for the future wedding feast (Revelation 19:9)? Am I actively involved in these preparations? How?

-- I think that especially under the influence of God’s Word [the Bible], incest and related issues have been formerly taboo in most parts of the world. Nowadays, there are forces that aim to push back these boundaries and make incest morally acceptable. If this movement grew stronger in my country, would my church ‘go with the flow’ or would it act upon God’s Word and take a stand against the erosion of this taboo?

-- How would I respond personally to such a potential development in my country?

-- However shocking it is, we know that incest is a frequent phenomenon. It does not only occur in society as a whole, but also in local churches and even amongst church leaders. In local churches it might hardly come to light, because of its moral rejection in Christian circles. As many of these cases remain unnoticed or covered up, the agony of victims often remains indescribable.   

-- Is my church community aware of a covered-up incest case in their midst? If yes, why does my church not take action in accordance with God’s Word?

-- Do you know of such a case in your church? If yes, why don’t you bring it to light in accordance with God’s Word?

1 Corinthians 5:2-5, Matthew 18:15-17, 1 Corinthians 5:13, 1 Corinthians 5:6-8, 1 Timothy 1:18-20, 1 Corinthians 5:9-13a are quotes from the New International Version. All other quotes are from the New Living Translation.

(to be continued)

87. CORPORATE, CHRISTLIKE LOVE FOR THE FATHER AND HIS SON (y): Pursuing Christlike holiness (12)

Because of the details of these meditations, we can easily lose the overall picture. Therefore, I would like to remind ourselves of the current main theme “Corporate, Christlike love for the Father and His Son”.  Since Meditation 63, the question has been how God’s Spirit wants to empower my church for mature, Christlike worship of God. We have understood that the Holy Spirit wants to do that in such a way that my church fulfills ever more God’s first and greatest commandment: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:37).

 

From Meditation 76 onwards, we looked into a third characteristic of a church that loves our triune God wholeheartedly: “To love God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ wholeheartedly as a church means to pursue holiness in preparation for Jesus’ return in glory.”

Since Meditation 84 we have been looking at the unholy actions of the Corinthian church and what God might want to say to our churches today through the way He disciplined the New Testament congregations.

Today’s meditation deals with:

Licentiousness within the Corinthian church

In New Testament times, Corinth was a port city on the Aegean See at the west end of the isthmus between the mainland of Greece and the Peloponnese. It contained the temple of Aphrodite (the goddess of love) with its 1,000 temple prostitutes. Consequently, the city became known for its legendary immorality.

In Meditation 78 we mentioned that sexual immorality was an enormous problem in the Corinthian church. In both letters to the Corinthian Christians, the apostle Paul mentions this point in question various times.

These new Christians had just been saved from a culture of free sexual relations. The apostle Paul had to teach them how God wanted them to live as ‘children of light’, in a way that pleases Him. In the same way, Paul writes to the Christians in Ephesus: “Though your hearts were once full of darkness, now you are full of light from the Lord, and your behavior should show it!” (Ephesians 5:8)

As Paul writes to the Corinthian Christians, his keynote on sexual immorality is: “Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:18-20)

Our bodies and our church community are residents of God’s Spirit. Therefore, we should learn to treat them as it pleases God.

In a different way the apostle writes about the same subject to the Christians in Rome: “Do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.” (Romans 6:12-13)

1. Incest and other related issues

The first case of sexual immorality within the Corinthian church which Paul mentions, has to do with someone who lived in sin with his father’s wife. This might have been a case of incest or related to the second wife of this man’s father. The apostle writes to the church: “It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that does not occur even among pagans: A man has his father's wife. And you are proud! Shouldn't you rather have been filled with grief?...” (1 Corinthians 5:1-2)

It seems that the church in Corinth was in favour of such an immoral practice. Was it not a sign of ‘true freedom’?

God addressed this subject extensively in Old Testament times and continues to speak about it in the New Testament.

Here are some Old Testament examples:

“While Israel (= Jacob) was living in that region, Reuben (his oldest son) went in and slept with his father's concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard of it.” (Genesis 35:22)

Later Reuben is punished for this immoral act. Before his death, Jacob pronounced: “Reuben, you are my oldest son, the child of my vigorous youth. You are first on the list in rank and honor. But you are as unruly as the waves of the sea, and you will be first no longer. For you slept with one of my wives; you dishonored me in my own bed.” (Genesis 49:3-4)

At mount Sinai, as God made His covenant with Israel, He commanded His people: “Do not have sexual relations with your father's wife; that would dishonour your father” (Leviticus 18:8) and “If a man has intercourse with his father's wife, both the man and the woman must die, for they are guilty of a capital offense.” (Leviticus 20:11)

Absalom dishonoured his father, king David, gravely when he slept in public with his father’s concubines (2 Samuel 16:21-22). Later God punished him as he died at the hand of Joab, king David’s army commander (2 Samuel 18).

By mouth of the prophet Amos (8^th century B.C.) God warns Israel already for His coming judgment. Also here the sexual misconduct of dishonouring one’s father is mentioned: “... Both father and son sleep with the same woman, corrupting my holy Name.” (Amos 2:7)

In Ezekiel 22, God confronts Jerusalem with all its detestable practices. Among many other sins, God mentions: “In you (Jerusalem) are those who dishonour their fathers' bed...” (Ezekiel 22:10).

Because of her many sins, God declares to the city of Jerusalem by His prophet Ezekiel (ca. 590 B.C.): “You have brought your days to a close, and the end of your years has come. Therefore I will make you an object of scorn to the nations and a laughing-stock to all the countries. Those who are near and those who are far away will mock you, O infamous city, full of turmoil.” (Ezekiel 22:4-5).

In the Mosaic or Sinai Covenant, God forbade incest and sexual intercourse between near relations within the family:

“If a man has intercourse with his father's wife, both the man and the woman must die, for they are guilty of a capital offense. If a man has intercourse with his daughter-in-law, both must be put to death. They have acted contrary to nature and are guilty of a capital offense. ... If a man has intercourse with both a woman and her mother, such an act is terribly wicked. All three of them must be burned to death to wipe out such wickedness from among you. ... If a man has sexual intercourse with his sister, the daughter of either his father or his mother, it is a terrible disgrace. Both of them must be publicly cut off from the community. Since the man has had intercourse with his sister, he will suffer the consequences of his guilt. ... If a man has sexual intercourse with his aunt, whether his mother's sister or his father's sister, he has violated a close relative. Both parties are guilty of a capital offense. If a man has intercourse with his uncle's wife, he has violated his uncle. Both the man and woman involved are guilty of a capital offense and will die childless.” (Leviticus 20:11-20)

In Israel these were all capital offences. God ordered that those who sinned in this way should be expelled from God’s people and punished with death.

Why did God give His people such rigorous laws at mount Sinai? I can mention two main reasons:

1.) The apostle Paul says about God’s Mosaic Law: “The Law was our guardian and teacher to lead us until Christ [the Messiah] came...” (Galatians 3:24)

In other words, the Law prepared us for Christ’s coming. The Law kept us on track towards Christ’s future. 

Paul explains to the Christians in Rome: “No one can ever be made right in God's sight by doing what his Law commands. For the more we know God's Law, the clearer it becomes that we aren't obeying it” (Romans 3:20) or as the New International Version translates: “... through the Law we become conscious of sin.” It is also through the Law that we see the need for the sin offering of God’s Son at the cross of Calvary to make us right with God.

2.) As God used His Law as both guardian and teacher to lead His people until the Messiah would come, He also used it to separate His people from the lifestyle and customs of the nations around them.

We can read in Exodus 19:3-6: “Then Moses climbed the mountain to appear before God. The LORD called out to him from the mountain and said, 'Give these instructions to the descendants of Jacob, the people of Israel: 'You have seen what I did to the Egyptians. You know how I brought you to myself and carried you on eagle's wings. Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the nations of the earth; for all the earth belongs to me. And you will be to me a kingdom of priests, my holy nation.' Give this message to the Israelites.'”

Furthermore, God says in Leviticus 20:22-26: “You must carefully obey all my laws and regulations; otherwise the land to which I am bringing you will vomit you out. Do not live by the customs of the people whom I will expel before you. It is because they do these terrible things that I detest them so much. ... I, the LORD, am your God, who has set you apart from all other people. ... You must be holy because I, the LORD, am holy. I have set you apart from all other people to be my very own.”

Next time we will see how God wanted the New Testament churches to deal with cases of incest and other grave sins.

(to be continued)

Matthew 22:37, 1 Corinthians 6:18-20, Romans 6:12-13, 1 Corinthians 5:1-2, Genesis 35:22, Genesis 35:22, Ezekiel 22:10, Ezekiel 22:4-5 are quotes from the New International Version. All other quotes are from the New Living Translation.