The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

I Corinthians 5:9-11, “I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people;

10 I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous

and swindlers, or with idolaters; for then you would have to go out of the world.

11 But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he should

be an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a

swindler– not even to eat with such a one.”

Churches are made up of people. Hopefully, they are saved, moral, upright

people. That’s what the LORD intends His Church to be. But sometimes

churches fall short of what the LORD wants; sometimes, even pastors fall

short. This is what was happening in the Church at Corinth. There was at

least one person who was behaving pretty badly and Paul said in a letter

that the rest of the church should have nothing to do with him! But letters

are sometimes misunderstood, and some held the opinion that Paul meant

they were not to associate with anyone whose behavior was not pure, whether

they were in the church or not.

Paul said that what he meant was anyone within the church –not anyone in

the world. After all, where would we go to get away from all the immoral

people? –to another planet? Some people are covetous. They just want

more of everything than anyone else has. That’s wrong to be like that.

Other people are swindlers. They lie and cheat people to get things they

want. Some people actually worship idols –gods they think are greater

than the LORD Himself. Don’t even eat with someone like that, Paul says.

Well, how are we going to win immoral people to Christ if we separate

ourselves from them completely? Keep in mind that the immoral activity

of which Paul was speaking was occurring in the Church! We’re not

responsible for what people outside the church do; but we certainly are

responsible for what goes on inside the church. And you and I may not

be able even to control all of that, but we can and must control ourselves.

It all starts with us. When we do right, we set the example for those who

are wrong. When we do right, the church is cleansed, and the LORD will

then use His Church to reach the lost.

We pray to be what the LORD wants; and we pray the same for you,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”