Purge the evil person from among you.

1 Corinthians 5:9-13, I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”

Paul deals directly with troubling problems in the early church that persist today: those who claim to be brothers in Christ who live immorally are to be purged from the church. This is an unpopular idea even today, where the message is tolerance towards any kind of evil actions. Other scripture shows us steps in how this is to be done, always in love, and seeking gentle restoration. But once a person is purged from among us, they are like any other non-believer. For non-believers, we are to take the good news of the love of Christ to them, that their eyes may be opened so that they will turn to Him for healing!

Give us discernment in all that we do; thank You that You have given us the power to turn to You and receive Your healing that we may bring Your good news to others!

ESV Lectionary