Yes — Paul instructs the church to openly confront and remove from fellowship a believer living in gross immorality, and the church is sinning if it does nothing.
Les Feldick teaches from 1 Corinthians 5 that when a congregation knows of gross immorality, it must mourn rather than be puffed up, and when gathered together in the name and power of the Lord Jesus Christ, it is to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh. The goal is not eternal destruction — the man remains a saved believer — but the breaking of the flesh that is dragging reproach on Christ. The attitude must be grief and prayer, not jesting, and the ultimate object is restoration (Galatians 6:1).
1 Corinthians 5:5 — This verse is the Bible's direct answer: the gathered church is to deliver the immoral man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh so that his spirit may be saved.
Galatians 6:1 — This verse gives the complementary goal of church discipline — restoring a brother overtaken in a fault in the spirit of meekness.
Paul confronted a specific case of gross immorality in the church at Corinth: "It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife" (1 Corinthians 5:1). He rebuked the believers for being "puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you" (1 Corinthians 5:2) — that is, removed from the congregation. Paul had already judged the matter and commanded the gathered church: "In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 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" (1 Corinthians 5:3–5). The Scripture's stated aim is the salvation of the spirit, not the loss of the person. Galatians 6:1 then gives the attitude for dealing with a brother "overtaken in a fault": "ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness." And in 2 Corinthians 2:6, Paul shows that the punishment was "inflicted of many" — a congregational action.
Les identifies the Corinthian offense as a stepson living with his stepmother as husband and wife — gross immorality even for that city. The real point of Paul's condemnation, he says, is that the church was "puffed up" and had not mourned that the offender "might be taken away from among you," which means removed from the fellowship of the congregation, not put to death. When a believing community is fully aware of gross sin, Les insists it must not turn the other way or say "I can't judge" — it must take the bull by the horns and point out that the person is living in sin. The remedy Paul gives is for the whole congregation, gathered together in the name and power of the Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver the guilty man to Satan. Les stresses this is "not for the destruction of his soul, but for the destruction of the flesh." The man is a saved individual, a member of the congregation; even if the discipline inflicts sickness or death in the flesh, his spirit will be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Just as God limited Satan in the case of Job, so Satan cannot touch the man's spiritual relationship with Christ. Les also addresses the church's attitude and responsibility. The punishment was "inflicted by the majority," and the church is just as guilty as the sinner when it does nothing. Instead of joking or making light of a believer's fall, believers should be burdened, pray, and seek to restore the person into fellowship (Galatians 6:1). Les adds that it is never the church's prerogative to pray "Lord, take them out" — but the Lord Himself may take a believer who persists in known sin rather than let His name be dragged through the mud, and if a professing member is never chastened, that person may never have been saved.
Les, following what the commentators were pretty much agreed on, says the situation was a stepson and his stepmother living together as husband and wife — "a gross immoral situation, even for Corinth." The whole church knew about it, yet the Corinthians were puffed up instead of mourning. Paul's instruction was that the man "might be taken away from among you," which Les explains means removal from the church congregation — not putting him to death.
Les explains Paul's words: in the name and power of the Lord Jesus Christ, when the church is gathered together, the guilty man is to be delivered to Satan "for the destruction of the flesh," not for the destruction of his soul. The offender is a saved individual whose spirit may still be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Using the example of Job, Les shows that God sets the limits — Satan can only go so far and cannot touch the man's spiritual relationship with Christ. Paul's later reference in 2 Corinthians 2:6 shows the punishment was inflicted by the majority.
Les contrasts the Corinthians' puffed-up indifference with the proper attitude: mourning that the sin is there. If a Christian falls into gross sin, the believer's heart should break; the church should be burdened and pray for that person, never joke or laugh about it. The average church today makes light of sin, Les says, but church leadership has the responsibility to go to that person and do all they can to restore them into fellowship. Galatians 6:1 sets the pattern: "you who are spiritual" restore such a one.
Les says the church is just as guilty as the sinning man when it does nothing — the Corinthians were condemned for being puffed up instead of mourning that the offender be taken away. And if a believer continues to walk in known sin, it is the Lord's prerogative, not the church's, to take him out; God will not let anyone drag His name through the mud. Les also notes that if a professing member is never chastened by the Lord, Paul teaches they are not His children — they never were saved.
Les draws on Galatians 6 to show the outcome the church should aim for: restoration of the brother into fellowship, not gossip or glib dismissal. The punishment was inflicted by the majority (2 Corinthians 2:6), and the man who was disciplined is still a brother to be restored. Les applies this as practical Christian living: we can't just wink at it or glibly let it go its way — we are to deal with these people and restore them. Paul's instruction in Galatians 6:1 is for believers — "brethren" — to restore a man overtaken in a fault.
The Corinthian Scandal: Gross Immorality in the Congregation
The church must recognize gross immorality for what it is — a stepson living with his stepmother — and not be puffed up as the Corinthians were; the offender must be removed from the congregation's fellowship, not put to death.
Restore, Don't Joke About a Fallen Brother
The church must never joke or make light of a believer who falls into gross sin; instead, believers should be broken-hearted, burdened, prayerful, and — especially church leadership — go to that person and restore them to fellowship.
The Man Is Still Saved — and the Church Is Equally Guilty
The disciplined member is still a saved individual; the destruction is of the flesh, not the spirit — and the church that ignores the sin is just as guilty as the sinner.
We Cannot Say 'I Can't Judge'
When the congregation is fully aware of gross sin, it must not turn the other way or say 'I can't judge' — it must plainly point out to the person that they are living in sin.
Gathered Together to Deliver to Satan
Paul's instruction for the gathered congregation is to deliver the guilty man to Satan in the name and power of the Lord Jesus Christ — for the destruction of the flesh, not the soul.
Don't Wink at Sin — Deal and Restore
Believers cannot wink at or glibly let gross failure go — they must deal with the person and restore him, because the fallen one is a brother in Christ.
God's Prerogative to Take the Unrepentant
Never pray 'Lord, take them out' — that is the Lord's prerogative alone; but God may take a believer persisting in known sin so His name is not dragged through the mud, and the unchastened professing believer may never have been saved.
Satan's Power Is Limited — As with Job
Satan can go only as far as God permits, as with Job — delivering a believer to Satan for the destruction of the flesh cannot touch that believer's spiritual relationship with Christ.
1 Corinthians 5:1: It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.
Defines the gross immorality that Paul demands the Corinthian church address.
1 Corinthians 5:2: And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.
Shows the church's sinful indifference — they were proud instead of mourning that the offender be removed from the congregation.
1 Corinthians 5:3: For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,
Paul had already determined the matter before writing, and expected the church to carry it out.
1 Corinthians 5:4: In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Establishes that the disciplinary action is taken by the gathered congregation in Christ's authority.
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.
The key verse answering the question — deliverance to Satan targets the flesh, not the eternal spirit.
2 Corinthians 2:6: Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.
Paul later affirms the congregational punishment of the man and shows it was inflicted by the majority.
Galatians 6:1: Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
Shows that the goal of confronting a fault is restoration, and the attitude must be meekness.
Yes. Les teaches that when the believing community is fully aware of gross, immoral sin, it must not turn the other way or claim 'I can't judge.' The church is to take the bull by the horns, point out to that person that they are living in sin, and deal with the matter to bring about restoration.
No. Les emphasizes that the offender in Corinth was a saved individual, a member of the congregation. Paul's instruction was to deliver him to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, not for the destruction of his soul or spirit — his spirit would be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Even in this discipline, Satan's power is limited by God, as in the case of Job.
Les says the mindset should be grief, burden, prayer, and a desire to restore — never joking or making light of it. The average church may gossip and laugh, but the believer's heart should break, and church leadership is responsible to go to that person and restore them into fellowship (Galatians 6:1).
According to Les, the church is just as guilty as the offender when it does nothing — the Corinthians were condemned for being puffed up instead of mourning. He also notes that while believers should never pray 'Lord, take them out,' God Himself may take a believer who will not shape up so His name is not dragged through the mud.
Watch the Teaching: What Does the Bible Say About Church Discipline and Sin?