Expert: Pastor Don Carpenter - 11/4/2009

Question
Do you think that 1 cor. 5:9 applies to family groups? I am speaking of parents with adult children, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. We have (young) adults in the family who were raised in the Lord who do no obey his word now (drunkeness, sexual immorality), nor do they go to church or really care. Although if you ask them if they are a Christian, they would likely say "yes". Are family members not to associate, or eat with them?

Answer
Hello Susan,

Thank you for this great question.  I am sorry for my late response.  Let us look at verse 9 in context:
1 Corinthians 5:1-13


It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife. 2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you. 3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,  4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. 6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:  8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.  
9 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: 10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. 11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. 12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?  13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.
Paul is writing to the church at Corinth.  The church has sanctioned by their silence the unspeakable acts of one of their members.  THey are to remove him from the assembly and remove fellowship from him as a church act.  It may be wise to remove fellowship or closeness from relatives not walking with God, but this passage is speaking about a coorprate church act.  That is how they can put this wicked one from among them, they are removing his membership and fellowship privelages.

I hope that this helps you.

In Christ
Pastor Don