WE NEED MORE ON THE LIST AND LESS ON THE ROLL

1 Corinthians 5:9-13

1Co 5:9 In the previous letter, I wrote to you not to network with those who commit sexual sins–

1Co 5:10 not everyone in the world who commits sexual sin, nor those who are greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world.

11 So, just now I wrote to you not to network with anyone who names himself a brother if he commits sexual sin or is greedy, or is an idol worshipper, an abusive person, an alcoholic, or a swindler– not even to eat with such a person.

12 Because who am I to be judging the outsiders? Is it not the ones within whom you are to be judging?

13 God is judging those outside. “Remove the evil person from among you.”

network management

Paul’s instruction cuts directly against a pattern that often emerges in church life. The Corinthians were tolerating a man whose lifestyle openly contradicted the gospel, and they were proud of their tolerance. Paul insists that such pride is misplaced. Yet the opposite error is just as common: excluding people outside the fellowship because their lives are messy, while embracing anyone who claims to belong, no matter how defiantly they reject Christ’s commands. The instinct is to protect the group’s reputation by distancing from outsiders, while expanding the group’s numbers by lowering expectations for insiders. Paul exposes how backward that instinct is.

The desire for numerical growth can easily distort judgment. When attendance becomes the measure of success, the church becomes willing to welcome anyone who shows interest, regardless of whether that person has any intention of submitting to Christ. Leaders become hesitant to confront sin because confrontation risks losing people. The result is a fellowship that includes individuals whose lives openly contradict the gospel, yet remains strangely closed to those outside the church who struggle with sin but have not yet encountered Christ. The church becomes a place where belonging is cheap for insiders and costly for outsiders.

Paul calls for a reversal of this trend. The church must widen its relational circles to include those who do not yet believe, those who are searching, hurting, or confused. These are the very people Jesus sought out. They are not threats to the church’s purity; they are the mission field. At the same time, the church must be more discerning about those who claim to follow Christ while living in open rebellion against him. Such individuals do not need affirmation; they need loving confrontation. Their presence, when unaddressed, confuses the message of the gospel and damages the witness of the church.

This is not about harshness. It is about clarity. The church is a place where sinners are welcomed, but it is also a place where Christ’s lordship is taken seriously. Extending “grace” to those who refuse repentance is not grace at all. It is a distortion that dishonors Christ and harms the very people it pretends to help. True grace invites the outsider in and calls the insider to holiness.

LORD, give us the courage to reverse the trend!