Why should a church hand an unrepentant sinful couple over to Satan to destroy their flesh?
The church should deliver an unrepentant sinful couple to Satan for the destruction of the flesh—not the soul or spirit—so that their physical life is taken, preventing continued open sin that brings reproach to the name of Christ. The spirit may still be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
Les teaches that Paul is not demanding the destruction of this man’s soul and spirit, because he is a believer. The church could turn such a one over to Satan to destroy his physical life or flesh, and Satan can only go as far as God permits, as with Job. If this couple will not clean up their act and come away from open sin, they are to be turned over to Satan’s power to take their lives physically, lest they keep bringing reproach to the name of Christ. That does not mean spiritual annihilation; the purpose is that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Les acknowledges this is hard for many to comprehend—that people in such sinful condition are still saved—but they will not get away with it.
To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
More Questions
Does delivering a sinner to Satan for the destruction of the flesh destroy his salvation?
Paul's instruction to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh would not touch the man's spiritual relationship with Christ — he was still a believer.
What did Paul mean by delivering the immoral man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh?
Paul, though absent in body but present in spirit, had already judged the offender, so that when gathered together in the name and power of the Lord Jesus Christ, such a one would be delivered unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh — not the soul — meaning physical death if the man would not straighten up.