when to call (to repent) and when to judge

Christians are given the authority to call for repentance and to judge. Neither is to be done in arrogance, but from a humble heart transformed by the saving power of Jesus Christ. We can't call for repentance without being repentant ourselves. And we can't judge when our heart is filled with pride in seeing others fall.

1 Corinthians 5 speaks directly to these two responsibilities. In it Paul is addressing an issue of sexual immorality roaming free in the church in Corinth. Apparently, no one was willing to step in and call the brother out on his defiant rebellion against God. The problem was not his sin, for everyone in the church remains a sinner. The problem was his heart lacking any desire to repent and obey. Very clearly, Paul called the church to remove him for both the sake of the man and the church. Then Paul closes his address as such:

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.” ~1 Corinthians 5:9-13

And from Paul's words two things can be made clear: we are to call both believers and unbelievers to repentance, but can only judge rebellious brothers and sisters. Unfortunately, we have a tendency to do the opposite.

As Paul states, God is the one who judges the lost (outsiders). Our job is to echo Peter's words in Acts 3:19, Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out. This is all we can do. We can tell them what they are doing is wrong, and plead with them to turn to Jesus Christ for forgiveness and new life. We are not to condemn, rain down curses upon, or decide punishment for them (unless their sin is prohibited by law). We call them to repent, share Christ with them, and pray for God's Spirit to work His saving grace in their hearts.

For unrepentant believers, Paul tells us to judge. Obviously this comes after multiple callings for repentance (Matthew 18:15-17). If they should go ignored, the church is permitted to judge and administer discipline. And this can also be said individually as well. If friends or loved ones are unrepentant, removing them from our sphere of influence is not intolerant. According to Paul, it's loving.

Earlier in chapter five, Paul goes into detail how one rotten leaven can spoil the entire loaf. Removing the bad piece will save the rest. Again, it's not that the church is perfect. It is still filled with sinners saved by grace. However, unrepentant sinners are dangerous to repentant sinners. Removing the unrepentant loves them through discipline. Hopefully absence from the body will call them back to Christ. It loves the body by protecting it.

We hear a lot about churches being intolerant. People come in and don't feel welcomed because of their lifestyle and/or beliefs. As the church we should step back and consider the reasoning. Are we accepting of those whose lifestyles and/or beliefs are within the bounds of Scripture despite being different from our own? If not, we need to repent and ask for forgiveness, because we are, in fact, being intolerant.

But what becomes frustrating is when people want to join or be a part of a church as they are. (Let me first say, yes, people start in the church where they are. You don't have to change to be welcomed in) However, those in Christ will acknowledge they are in a constant state of flux. God's Spirit is at work in the lives of each and every heart every single day. You can't be the same person from week to week let alone over the course of a lifetime.

So when addicts (of all kinds), sexually immoral (which covers just about everything outside of sex between one man and one woman in the covenant of marriage) thieves, liars, abusers, gossipers, slanderers, murderers, and every other sinner receives God's saving grace they won't want to be the same. They won't leave a church because it calls them to repent, and holds them accountable. They won't say "stop judging" or "you're intolerant" because they will see the church as treating them with the love of Christ. Instead, they will wonder why their church is fine with their unrepentant heart. They will thank God for His mercy poured out through His church.