It is church discipline: an unrepentant believer is handed over to Satan for physical affliction or death, while their spirit remains saved.
The phrase comes from 1 Corinthians 5:5, where Paul tells the Corinthian congregation to deliver a sinning believer to Satan "for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus." Les Feldick emphasizes that this is not about destroying the person's soul or losing salvation. The believer's physical life may be taken, but their spirit is still saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
1 Corinthians 5:5 — This is the key verse Paul uses to instruct the church to deliver an unrepentant believer to Satan for the destruction of the flesh while the spirit remains saved.
1 Corinthians 11:30 — This verse applies the same principle: believers who abused the Lord's Supper became weak, sickly, and some even died, yet their spirits were not lost.
In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul writes to a church that knew about a believer living in gross sexual immorality. They were "puffed up" and did nothing about the open sin. In verse 5, he commands the gathered congregation "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 verse contrasts the flesh — the physical body — with the spirit, showing that the physical life is in view, not the eternal soul. In 1 Corinthians 11:30, Paul again connects physical discipline with sin, telling the believers at Corinth that "many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep" because they abused the Lord's Supper. Hebrews 12:6 also says, "For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth" — showing that God disciplines His children in this life.
Les explains that Paul is not telling the church to destroy a man's soul. The guilty individual is still a saved member of the congregation. The purpose of "the destruction of the flesh" is to inflict physical sickness, or even to take the person's life, so that the spirit may still be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Les also points out that the Corinthian believers were just as guilty as the sinner because they were not dealing with the gross immorality. Paul told the whole congregation, meeting in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver the man to Satan. This was not a private act of revenge; it was a solemn act of church discipline. Les compares this to Job: God allowed Satan to go only so far and no farther. In the same way, Satan can only go as far as God permits in the destruction of a believer's flesh. This physical judgment does not touch the person's spiritual relationship with Christ.
No. Les makes it very plain that Paul says "for the destruction of the flesh," not for the destruction of the soul. The guilty person is still a saved individual and a member of the congregation. The physical life may be taken, but the spirit is still saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
Paul addressed the whole church when he told them to "deliver such a one" to Satan. Les observes that the Corinthian believers were "puffed up" and not bothered by the open sin, even though it was bringing reproach upon the name of Christ throughout the city. The gathered congregation was responsible to confront the sin rather than ignore it.
Les uses the example of Job to explain that God's permission to Satan has limits. God told Satan he could go only so far against Job, but no further. In the same way, delivering a believer to Satan for the destruction of the flesh does not touch the man's spiritual relationship with Christ. God will not allow His name to be dragged through the mud, and if a believer will not shape up, the Lord has the prerogative to take his physical life.
Les explicitly teaches that believers should never pray, "Lord take them out." That is not our prerogative. The Lord alone has that right. If a believer continues in known sin and refuses to shape up, God may take their life, but that decision belongs to God, not to us.
The Corinthian Church's Failure to Act
Les points out that the whole congregation at Corinth knew of the sin and was "puffed up" instead of doing something about it, even though the sin brought reproach on Christ throughout the city.
Deliver to Satan, Not to the Destruction of the Soul
Les makes the key distinction: Paul tells the gathered congregation to deliver the guilty one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, not the destruction of his soul.
God Limits Satan as in the Case of Job
Les compares this discipline with Job — God allowed Satan to go only so far, and this destruction of the flesh cannot touch the believer's spiritual relationship with Christ.
Physical Death but Spirit Saved
Les explains that the destruction of the flesh may be sickness or even death, but the saved individual's spirit is still saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
Only the Lord Takes Life, Not Us
Les warns that we should never pray for God to take someone out; that prerogative is the Lord's, and He will take unrepentant believers rather than let His name be dragged through the mud.
Spirit Not Touched by Physical Death
Les applies 1 Corinthians 11 to the same principle — many were sickly and some slept because they abused the communion table, but God took their physical life, not their spirit.
Believers Can Still Sin
Les confirms that a true believer can still let sin reign in the mortal body, and God's first response is discipline, because whom the Lord loves He chastens.
God's Discipline Escalates to Physical Removal
Les teaches that if discipline and chastening do not bring a believer back, God may take them out physically — they are not lost, but removed so they no longer bring reproach to His name.
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's direct instruction about the church's action toward an unrepentant believer in gross sin.
1 Corinthians 11:30: For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
Paul's explanation that some Corinthian believers had become physically sick or died because of their abuse of the Lord's Supper.
Hebrews 12:6: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Shows that God's discipline is a mark of His love for His children.
Job 1:12: And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
Demonstrates that God places limits on what Satan can do to a believer.
No. Les emphasizes that Paul says "for the destruction of the flesh," not the destruction of the soul. The guilty person remains a saved individual; the purpose is that his spirit may still be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus, even if his physical life is taken.
Paul tells the local congregation, gathered in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver the guilty man to Satan. Les stresses that the Corinthian believers were just as guilty as the sinner because they were "puffed up" and did nothing about the open sin.
Les says yes. He points to 1 Corinthians 11:30, where many were sickly and some slept because of abusing the Lord's Supper. If a believer will not shape up and keeps dragging Christ's name through the mud, the Lord may take his physical life, though not his spirit.
Watch the Teaching: What Does the Bible Say About Church Discipline and Sin?