1 cor. 5  Paul deals directly with a situation in the Corinthian church involving a member of the church in an immoral relationship with his step-mother.   The proper action that the church should have taken was to mourn and to remove the man from the church.

 Paul did not hesitate to judge this man and this church.  He spoke "in the Name of our Lord Jesus",  with the "power of our Lord Jesus."  His judgement was decisive and severe, " I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, that this spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus."  

The church was commanded to judge itself and its own members.  They were to "clean out old leaven"... the leaven is sin, including " the leaven of malice and wickedness" and " immorality".  Paul goes on to include covetousness, swindlers, idolaters, revilers, and drunkards along with those practicing sexual immorality. (v10-11)  The church is to preserve sincerity and truth in its midst by removing "the wicked from among" themselves.  ( v13).  Immorality in the church is to be judged by the church.  Immorality outside the church is to be judged by God.  

What does it mean to " deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh"?   The commentary suggests this might include physical illness and even death.  In Luke 22:31 Jesus told Peter that "...Satan had demanded permission to sift you like wheat;..."  This was a spiritual and emotional time of suffering for Peter.  We know that God allowed Satan to do exactly that, but that Jesus Himself prayed for Peter that his faith would not fail.  In 1 Timothy 1:20 Paul wrote, " Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have delivered over to Satan so that they may be taught not to blaspheme."  As an apostle and leader of the church of Jesus Christ, Paul did not mince words, nor did he fail to take action.  In the power of Jesus Christ, Satan is used as a tool for correction!

In our present society, immorality of all kinds has become prevalent and even overwhelming.  According to this passage, we as a church must judge that immorality within our boundaries, to preserve the sincerity and truth.  Any " so-called brother" who exhibits an immoral lifestyle of any kind should be removed from fellowship unless he genuinely repents.  We must pray for such a person that they would turn again to Christ in repentance.   As for those outside the church, we leave that up to God.  We can pray and preach the Gospel, living in truth and sincerity, but we do not judge them ourselves. This does not mean we are silent.  It means that we do not punish them ourselves. We need to speak the Truth in love and live a life of purity before them, not hiding the Light of the World behind a bushel...

Father in Heaven,  give us eyes to see and ears to hear You.  Give us hearts that are sincere and completely Yours.  Preserve Your Church, the Body of Christ. May we be faithful to remove the leaven in our congregations and to act in love that the spirit of men and women be saved in the day of our Lord Jesus.  Let Your will be done and Your Kingdom come in great power to the Church today.
Let Your Light shine in us and through us, Lord Jesus, so that others are drawn to You.  Bring many more people out of the darkness and into the Light we pray, in Your Name. Amen.