What will God do to a believer who continues in known sin?
If a believer continues in known sin and refuses to shape up, God will take that person out—physical death—rather than let His name be dragged through the mud. Scripture warns that many are sickly and some have already fallen asleep, meaning they died.
Les explains that it is not our prerogative to pray for someone to be taken out, but the Lord does have that prerogative. If a believer will not shape up and continues to walk in known sin, then yes, God will take them, because He will not let anybody drag His name through the mud. Les also notes that some people have made a profession of salvation and been church members, yet do the same things. If the Lord does not deal with them or chastise them, then Paul teaches in the book of Hebrews that they are not His children. If they were truly saved and did something like that, God would take them out. That is what is meant when it says many are sickly and many are already asleep—they died.