What has God mandated the church do when a believer is living in deep, open sin?
God has mandated that the church take disciplinary action when a believer is living in deep, open sin that is publicly known. That action is first and foremost intended to restore the believer to fellowship. The believing community is also told never to pray for the death of such a person.
Les teaches that when a believer enters deep, open sin—sin that people in general know about—God has mandated first and foremost a disciplinary action by the church, and the purpose is to restore that one to fellowship. He also says it has to be dealt with by the church, and God Himself will deal with it. Les connects this to First John chapter 5, verse 16, where John deals with a similar situation, though probably not as gross: sin in the church. John distinguishes a sin not unto death, for which a believer can ask and God gives life, from a sin unto death. Les notes that even if God takes such a believer out of physical existence, that believer does not lose salvation, and the believing community is admonished never even to pray for the death of someone like that.