You may have heard it said, "You are the best Christian somebody knows." But what happens when your life contradicts, rather than complements, the Gospel message? It is then that your church family must hold you accountable. In 1 Corinthians 5, a church member was living in such blatant sin that he was ruining the reputation of Christ and His church. Like today, the church was proud of its "tolerance." Paul said they needed to demonstrate tough love. Whether it is with a rebellious child, an unfaithful spouse, or a disobedient church member, tough love says, "I love you too much to let you continue on this self-destructive path."
Scripture:
1 Corinthians 5:1-13
1 Corinthians 15:33
"He that hath slight thought of sin never had great thoughts of God." -John Owen, early 19th century American pastor.
