The principle of purity- Part 2
In my thirty years of being a Christian, I have observed a number of different methods of presenting the Gospel to the lost. The brotherhood continues to look for the perfect method. I heard someone say in a sermon years ago that which should be echoed again and again throughout the brotherhood: “While the church continues to look for better methods, the Lord continues to look for better men.”
But what happens when individual Christians fail to take the call to purity seriously? Not only is that person’s reputation affected, but the reputation of the congregation where he attends is also affected. One can easily determine how God considers the matter of sin in the camp when the New Testament is carefully studied, especially the book of Acts. Specific incidents are recorded that show God’s disdain for sin. Acts 5, for example, records the incident where Ananias and Sapphira lied to the church. They were both struck dead to serve as an eternal reminder that God holds us responsible for our actions.
A few chapters later, we read of Simon, a sorcerer who became a Christian in Samaria as a result of Philip’s preaching. His sin was recorded along with the appropriate actions of the church because he had sinned. He was told, “…your heart is not right before God” (Acts 8:21). He was told to repent because it does make a difference as to how one lives in the church. Church discipline was taught and enforced for the sake of church purity.
The New Testament is crystal clear about what must be done when repentance does not occur. Withdrawal of fellowship is commanded against false teachers (Rom. 16:17). Also, the church is not allowed to “keep company with someone who is a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner" (I Cor. 5:11). Those who sin personally against other Christians and do not repent are to be disciplined as well (Matt. 15:15-17), along with those who walk disorderly (II Thess. 3:6). Most congregations have ignored these commands. Why? Do they not believe that God knows best how to direct the affairs of the church? He does. Man does not (Jer. 10:23). Many consider that practice of church discipline unloving, but it is out of love for lost souls and the purity of the church that such drastic action must be taken.
If we are going to be the Lord’s people, then we cannot pick and choose the commands we want to follow and ignore the rest. Every command has been placed in the Bible by an all-knowing God to be obeyed. We cannot preach the importance of obedience to denominations and to the lost and dying world and then ignore the command to withdraw fellowship from those who refuse to repent. One major reason why the New Testament church is not growing today, as it should, is because of the failure to abide by the principle of purity.