Yes, Christians are to take deliberate disciplinary action, including separation, toward believers living in open sin.
Les Feldick teaches, based on Paul's instructions, that while we cannot avoid immoral people in the world, we must not keep company with a professing believer who persists in gross sin. The goal is restoration, not harshness, as the church is to confront and, if necessary, separate from such a one to bring them to repentance.
1 Corinthians 5:11 — This verse directly instructs believers not to keep company with a so-called brother who is immoral, greedy, an idolater, a reviler, a drunkard, or an extortioner, not even to eat.
In 1 Corinthians 5:9-10, Paul clarifies that his instruction not to associate with immoral people does not refer to the immoral of this world, for then believers would have to leave the world. Rather, in verse 11, he specifies: 'But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.' This commands separation from a professing believer living in such sins. The purpose is not isolation out of hatred but restoration, as seen in 2 Corinthians 2:6-7 where Paul mentions the punishment inflicted by the majority to be sufficient, and they should forgive and comfort him.
Les Feldick emphasizes that Christians are in the world but not of it, and thus they cannot avoid contact with the world's immoral people. However, when a person claims to be a brother and is part of the local church yet lives in open sin, believers are to take corporate action. He teaches that the church must confront such a couple and, if necessary, separate from them to the point of not eating with them, as Paul instructs. This separation is not meant to be cruel or personal, but to bring the sinning believer to his senses, since a saved person cannot truly be happy in sin. Les also notes that if a believer continues in known sin and does not respond to discipline, God may even take their life, as in the case of a 'sin unto death.'
Les Feldick explains that the instruction to 'not keep company' means believers are to have no fellowship with a professing believer who persists in gross sin, even to the point of not sitting down to eat with him. This is a deliberate act to make the person aware of the seriousness of his condition. It is not about being personally nasty, but about corporate discipline that the church must exercise, as seen in 1 Corinthians 5.
Les Feldick clarifies that it is impossible to avoid all contact with immoral, greedy, dishonest, or idolatrous people in the world, for that would require leaving the world. Believers are to be in the world but not of it, and they will inevitably rub elbows with even the grossest sinners in daily life. The biblical command to separate applies specifically to those who claim to be believers yet live in sin.
The purpose is restoration, not punishment. Les Feldick teaches that the church must confront the sinning believer corporately, and if they do not repent, they are to be separated from fellowship. This is meant to bring them to their senses, as a saved person cannot be truly happy in sin when the Lord is dealing with them. The ultimate goal is that their spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus, as Paul mentions in 1 Corinthians 5:5.
The Command to Separate
Les reads 1 Corinthians 5:9-11 showing that believers are not to associate with fornicators of the world, but with a brother who is in sin, they are not even to eat.
Corporate Confrontation Required
Les stresses that the church must take corporate action against gross immorality, confronting the couple as a body, not ignoring it.
In the World, Not of It
Les explains that believers cannot avoid contact with the world's wicked people, but they are to be separate from its ways.
God's Ultimate Discipline
Les warns that if a believer continues in known sin, God may take their life, as He will not let His name be dragged through the mud.
Sin Unto Death and Restoration
Les discusses 1 John 5:16, noting that there is a sin unto death, and God's first step is church discipline to restore such a believer.
Punishment by Majority and Forgiveness
Les references 2 Corinthians 2:6-7 showing that the punishment inflicted by the majority is sufficient, and the goal is restoration and comfort.
Separation Lost in Modern Church
Les laments that the concept of separation has been lost, and Christians are not distinguishable from the world.
The 3-Day Journey: How Exodus Foreshadows the Resurrection of Christ
Because as soon as God brings the nation of Israel out of Egypt, they are to be a separated people. And we'll see that in the next half hour. The instructions were clear cut. They were to have nothing to do with the people around them. They were to be a separated, holy nation of people. Again, the lesson comes right in for you and I today. You see, this is what's happened to Christianity.
1 Corinthians 5:9-11: I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
This is the key passage Paul writes to the Corinthians, commanding separation from a professing believer in sin without avoiding the world's sinners.
1 Corinthians 5:5: 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.
Paul indicates the purpose of delivering the sinning believer to Satan is ultimately for the salvation of their spirit, showing restoration is the goal.
2 Corinthians 2:6-7: Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.
After the discipline, the church is to forgive and comfort the repentant one, revealing the restorative intent.
1 John 5:16: If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.
Les uses this to show that there is a sin unto death, and God's discipline can be severe for unrepentant believers.
No. Les Feldick teaches that believers are in the world but not of it, and it is impossible to avoid all contact with the world's immoral people. The biblical command to separate applies specifically to professing believers who live in open sin, not to unbelievers.
The goal is restoration. Les teaches that the purpose of separating from a sinning believer is not cruelty but to bring them to their senses, so that they may repent and be restored to fellowship.
The church should confront them as a body of believers, as Paul instructs in 1 Corinthians 5. They are to take corporate action, not ignore the sin or let them continue without consequence.
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