This will be our last opportunity to remind our readers of the Fellowship Meeting scheduled for November 24-25 at the Landmark Missionary Baptist Church, 3026 Horton Street, Rockford, Illinois. Since 1954, when we entertained our first such meeting, a number of dear saints have met with us for times of sharing in the good things of the Lord. And we believe the Lord will again pour out His blessings upon us.
    In addition to the services planned for Thursday and Friday, Bro. Lonnie C. Ford, of Kapaa, Hawaii, will be speaking for us each evening throughout the week in a Revival Effort.
    Will YOU plan to "SHARE OUR BLESSINGS" during the week of November 20-26? We sincerely hope that you will.
    If those who plan to be our guests from out-of-town will just let us know of your plans, we will do all within our power to make your visit as pleasant as possblv.
Just write: Eugene L. Garner
            4861 Linview Drive
            Rockford, IL 61109
or call: Area 815-874-2265.
    We welcome you with a warm, Christian love! E.G.

    One observing the course of Jesus' public ministry could not help but be impressed by His constant appeal to the Word of God. While sometimes uttering, in His own name, the authoritative "Verily, verily, I say unto you", He as often introduces some mighty work, or gives intimation of some impending event in His marvelous life, by saying: "These things must come to pass, that the Scriptures be fulfilled, which saith", (cf. Mark 14:49). He commands His people to "Search the Scriptures"; but sets the example by searching and submitting to them Himself.
    Whether Jesus drove the money-changers from their sacrilegious traffic in the temple, or foiled the schemes of His great adversary on the Mount of Temptation, He did so with the same weapon, "It is written!" When He arose from the grave, the theme of His first discourse was one impressive tribute to the value and authority of the sacred Scriptures. The disciples on the road to Emmaus listened to a great Bible Lesson from His lips. "He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning

Himself."
    How momentous the instruction conveyed by Jesus' own exemplary life! The necessity of the absolute subjection of heart and mind to the written word of God is crystal clear - making churches, creeds, ministers, books, religious opinion, etc., subordinate and subservient to the Word of God. "How readest thou?" He asked - rebuking the pseudo-philosophy that would so distort the plain statements of divine revelation as to bring them before the bar of proud human reason.
    If the infallible, perfect and sinless Redeemer was submissive, in all respects, to the written law of God, shall fallible man refuse to sit with the teachableness of a child and give reverent attention to the divine message? There is a great deal in the Bible to stagger human reason which is ill-equipped to draw from this deep well. But, for the believing heart it is sufficient to know that "Thus saith the Lord!" Faith does not

insist on knowing what ingredients went into the making of bread; it eats. Nor does it insist on analyzing the components of the living stream; but joyfully draws the water of life from "the wells of salvation".
    Let us always accept the Word of God as a "lamp unto our feet, and a light unto our path". In days when false lights are designed to lead us astray, it is important to keep our eyes firmly fixed on this unerring beacon. We must make the Word of God the arbiter of all difficulties - the ultimate court of appeal. How many perplexities would be avoided if, like Mary, we sat at the feet of Jesus - desirous only to "learn of Him". How many fatal steps might be avoided - how many tears!
    In every questionable situation, when the foot is trembling on debatable ground, knowing not whether to advance or retreat; our final criterion should be: "What saith the Scriptures?" The world may ridicule; erring friends may disapprove; Satan may tempt; ingenuous arguments may explain away; but, with our finger on the divine Word, let the words of our Great Exemplar be the constant formula for our guidance: "This commandment have I received of my Father!"


IT IS ALWAYS A BLESSING TO HEAR FROM OUR READERS. YOUR PRAYERS AND FINANCIAL HELP ARE A REAL ENCOURAGEMENT.

Scripture Lesson: I Corinthians 5:1-13.

    INTRODUCTION: "For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God", (I Pet. 4:17)?
    Such as have been called to share all things in common with Jesus Christ are unspeakably blessed. This calling is to a high privilege - accompanied by weighty responsibility. It is to holiness - necessitating a walk that is circumspect before God and men. It is to glory - contingent on our suffering with Him that we may also be glorified together, (I Thes. 4:7; Tit. 2:3; Heb. 12:10, 14; Rom. 8:17).

I. A SCANDALOUS SIN WENT UNJUDGED AT CORINTH, (vs. 1-2).

1. THE CORINTHIANS WERE "PUFFED UP" - proud of their Philosophic superiority over others. Yet, they were:
1. Divided over men.
2. Vainly flaunting their knowledge.
3. Glorying in their gifts.
4. Despising such as fell behind them in anything.


2. WITHOUT THE SLIGHTEST HESITATION THEY PASSED THE MOST HARSH JUDGMENT ON THE LORD'S OWN APOSTLES.
1. Questioning the authority of some - rejecting the spirituality of all.
2. Pretending themselves king, wealthy, honorable, wise and strong.
3. Despising the foolishness, weakness and dishonor of such as were willing to "be counted the skum of the earth" and the "off- scouring of all things" for Jesus' sake.
4. But, a situation that cried out for judgment was ignored; it required a spirituality that was REAL.


3. THAT ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE CORINTHIAN CHURCH WAS LIVING A SCANDALOUS LIFE WAS COMMON KNOWLEDGE.
1. His was such a repulsive sin as even the pagans would not tolerate.
1. He had stolen the affections of his father's wife.
2. The church had sunken beneath the standards of the heathen.
3. Until the sin had been repudiated, the WHOLE CHURCH was

4. However lustily one may sing of his love for Jesus, or of his "Marching to Zion", the fact is that SO LONG AS SIN REMAINS unjudged in our personal or church lives we are REALLY headed for discouragement, despair, defeat and ultimate destruction!

II. THUS, PAUL URGES THEM TO TAKE DISCIPLINARY ACTION WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY, (vs. 3-5).

1. HE HAD NO DIFFICULTY IN DECIDING WHAT WAS RIGHT TO DO ABOUT THIS MATTER - even at a distance, (Col. 2:5; I Thes. 2:17).


2. HE COMMANDS THEM TO ASSEMBLE "IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST" FOR THE SPECIFIC PURPOSE OF DEALING WITH THIS MATTER, (Jn. 20:23).


3. AND HE TELLS THEM WHAT MUST BE DONE: "DELIVER HIM UNTO SATAN!"
1. This is "for the destruction of the flesh".
1. It has been a catering to fleshly desires that has produced this terrible sin.
2. He must learn to "have no confidence in the flesh".
1. It is unworthy of man's confidence, (Phil. 3:3).
2. It profits nothing, (Jn. 6:63).
3. It must be crucified, (Gal. 5:24; 6:14).
2. Such action (on the part of the church) is necessary to the ultimate salvation (deliverance) of the erring one from the bondage of sin.
3. Others have profited from similar experience, (Job 40:4; 42: 5-6; Lk. 22:31; I Tim. 1:20; Prov. 23:13-14).


4. THE PURPOSE OF THIS ACTION WOULD BE TWOFOLD:
1. It would publicly clear the name of the church (Christ's body) from suspicion of approval or toleration of such sin in its midst - thus, in effect, secure the name of Christ from dishonor.
2. It would, further, arouse within the offender an awareness of the seriousness of his sin and, if possible, bring him to repentance - making possible the restoration of fellowship with both God and the church, (see Matt. 16:19; Jn. 20:23).

III. THEY HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO CHRIST, AND THEIR FLESHLY BOASTING IS AN OFFENCE TO HIM.

1. A LITTLE LEAVEN SOON PERMEATES THE WHOLE MASS OF DOUGH.
1. Sin is a deadly contagion, (Rom. 6:15-23).
2. Whoever it touches is affected by it.
3. The only way to save the "loaf" (representing the church as

"one body") is to purge out the leaven before its deadly poison spreads too far.

4. Beyond a certain point, no remedy will prevent the contamination and destruction of the whole.

  B. THUS, PAUL COMMANDS THE CHURCH TO PURGE OUT THE OLD LEAVEN.

1. This is necessary that they may be a "new lump".
2. It is necessary because "ye are unleavened" - so far as God's purpose is concerned. (These are NOT contradicting figures.)
1. This suggests that it was Passover time, and that the Corinthians observed the feast, (Ex. 12:15-20; 13:7; Deut. 16:1-8).
2. Prerequisite to observing the Passover a meticulous search was made in all Jewish homes for leaven - that it might be destroyed. They could not observe the passover before this was done.
3. Assuming that they were meticulous about the "figurative", he now commands them to follow through in the realm of that to which the figurative pointed.

  C. THEY ARE REMINDED THAT JESUS CHRIST, OUR PASSOVER LAMB, HAS BEEN SACRIFICED FOR US, (Mk. 14:12; I Pet. 1:18-19).

1. This is all the more reason for keeping the feast properly.
2. Participation in the feast with leavened (sinful) lives would be a reproach on His name.
1. Malice and wickedness are characteristic of leavened lives.
2. Such may not properly participate in the festivities of the Passover Feast - or the Lord' s Supper.
3. When the whole church comes together as an unleavened loaf the name of Christ is magnified.
1. Unleavened lives will be characterized by "sincerity and truth" (faithfulness).
2. Christ is glorified when the old leaven is cast out.
3. It is our responsibility to Him to see that the body (His church and witness on earth) is kept unleavened.
4. John the Baptist required "fruits meet for repentance" before he would administer baptism to the Pharisees and Sadducees.

IV. THE CHURCH ALSO HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TOWARD THE WORLD, (vs. 9-13).

  A. PAUL HAD WRITTEN EARLIER THAT THE CORINTHIANS SHOULD NOT FELLOWSHIP WITH FORNICATORS - those guilty of unrepented sexual sins, (2 Cor. 6:14; Eph. 5:11-12; 2 Thes. 3:6-7).

1. This did not mean that the church was to cease all contact

with people guilty of such sin - an impossible task!
2. To do this would necessitate our leaving this planet!

  B. THUS, PAUL HERE CORRECTS THEIR MISUNDERSTANDING BY FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS.

1. In reality, the mission of the church has to be fulfilled in the very midst of sinners; we are sent forth "as sheep in the midst of wolves"! That is where we belong.
2. Nor is it our business to pronounce judgment upon the world; that is God's business! We must, rather, give them the Gospel!
3. Paul's order here is to deal specifically with unrepented and unforsaken sin in the lives of "brethren" within the church.
1. Social pressures were to be applied.
2. With such an unrepentant one the church is not even to "eat" - evidently referring to the Lord's Supper.
3. He (or she) must be made aware of the disapproval and displeasure of the church over such sin.
4. And, if this is not effective, the sinning one must be excluded from the fellowship.

  C. EVERY CHURCH MEMBER HAS AN INESCAPABLE RESPONSIBILITY TO "JUDGE" THOSE THAT ARE WITHIN THE BODY.

1. The command to "Put away from among yourselves that wicked person" is given to the whole church, (Dt. 13:5 17:7, 12; 21:21; 22:21). But, how shall it be done?
1. Shall he be forcibly ejected from the building and forbidden to return?
2. Shall he be declared insane and committed to some institution?
3. Shall he be decapitated? or cast into a barrel of boiling oil until he promises to reform?
2. NO, it is a matter of placing a seal on the deal that the erring one has already made with Satan - the master whom he (or she) has deliberately chosen to serve. But, how?
1. First, every member must judge his own sin - confessing and forsaking it.
2. Then, the whole church assembles in the name of Christ.
3. A charge is brought against the sinning one - who has refused to repent.
4. A vote is taken and, such as have judged themselves - repudiating their own sin - NOW vote to repudiate that in the life of their brother (or sister) which desecrates the name of Christ, puts the whole church to shame and casts a stumbling-block in the way of lost sinners!

    e. Under the Spirit's direction, the decision to publicly, openly exclude the erring one from fellowship in the body is UNANIMOUS - for the "love of Christ" constrains it!
      1) Just as the church voted, upon the profession of his faith, to RECEIVE him into fellowship (following his burial in Christian baptism, wherein he pledged himself to a walk of faith- obedience); so now, the whole church votes to WITHDRAW that fellowship BECAUSE HE HAS REPUDIATED HIS BAPTISMAL PLEDGE - bringing into the body the leaven of wickedness which (if not cast out) will destroy the purity and testimony of the whole loaf.
      2) And the vote to withdraw that fellowship is JUST AS BINDING

as the one that confirmed his membership at the first.
      3) This does NOT mean that the repudiation of the church has made this one a "lost sinner" - taking away his salvation and condemning him to hell! (Yet many reject the responsibility of judging on the basis of such emotional nonsense.)
      4) It DOES MEAN that the disciplined person is placed outside the sphere of covenant fellowship, outside the household of faith, outside the commonwealth of (spiritual) Israel - considered a Gentile, who has no claim on the promises made to the faithful - outside the special sphere of the Spirit's indwelling, and destined to walk in shame and nakedness at the Lord's appearing EXCEPT HE REPENT!
    CONCLUSION: It is encouraging to know that the Corinthians obeyed the apostle's command and that the Lord was glorified in it all (2 Cor. 2:6-10). It must have been a great day when they were able to FORGIVE this brother (after there was genuine evidence of his repentance) and RESTORE HIM to a place of fellowship and usefulness in the body! The Lord is always glorified when His people render joyful and ready obedience to His Word. Such exercise trains us for the role of judging that is to be ours in the age to come. God's ways are right. And our attitude toward His sovereign authority must ever be one of joyful submission and ready obedience!