Get Connected!

# 43 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 1:20 - “of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme. (1 Tim 1:20) To deliver over to Satan sounds harsh, yet the phrase is used twice in Scripture and is connected to the final stage of church discipline which is excommunication. The unrepentant sinner is told that he is no longer considered in fellowship with Christ due to his refusal to give up his very public sin, or his promoting of blasphemous doctrine in the fellowship of the church. Therefore, by his observable actions, he is demonstrating that he is no longer in fellowship with Christ, and therefore cannot be in fellowship with the local congregation, which is the Body of Christ on earth. 2Co 6:14-16 says, “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. This then is a responsibility of the local congregation, which serves as the Holy Spirit filled living temple of God! They are to exercise church discipline as warranted and unyoke or unhitch the unrepentant offender from the fellowship. And anyone who has been so loosed from the Body of Christ has been “turned over to Satan,” for it is as Jesus said in Mt 12:30 "He who is not with Me is against Me,” This procedure is carried out by the God-given authority of the church as stated by Jesus in Joh 20:23 "If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." The purpose is twofold: Concern for the congregation, and concern for the offender. It is hoped that by “turning him over to Satan,” (severing him from the congregation and all the benefits of Christian fellowship,) he will come to his senses, repent of his sin, recant his blasphemies and be saved, and of course ultimately be welcomed back to the congregation. One more thing. The mere existence of this procedure should tell us of the importance of being connected to a local body of believers. You and I need to be connected to a congregation that loves us enough to discipline us in accordance with the Word of God , AND we need to willingly submit to it!