Yes — the church must confront and seek to restore an unrepentant member; if he refuses to turn from known sin, God has the prerogative to take him home.
Les Feldick teaches that when a believer is overtaken in a gross sin, the spiritual leadership is to restore such a one in meekness — not joke, gossip, or wink at it (Clips 0, 2). The church is to make a point of gross sin and confront the offender as a gathered body of believers (Clip 3). If the believer refuses to shape up and continues in known sin, that becomes what John calls a sin unto death, and the Lord Himself may take that believer home (Clips 5, 6).
Galatians 6:1 — Paul's command to restore a believer overtaken in a fault is the central text Les applies to the question.
1 John 5:16 — John's distinction of a sin unto death frames what happens when a believer refuses to turn from known sin.
The Bible addresses a believer overtaken in sin with a command to restore. Galatians 6:1 instructs, '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.' The goal is restoration, and the attitude is humility, not superiority. In First Corinthians 5, the church is directed to confront open immorality as a gathered body — 'In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together' — and Paul warns that 'a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.' Sin within the fellowship must be dealt with so it does not spread through the whole church. First John 5:16 distinguishes a sin not unto death from a sin unto death: '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 Feldick is frank that church discipline is almost impossible today, because all the gross sin of the world has come into the church and the church thinks nothing of it. Nevertheless, he insists the book says we have to deal with born-again church members who are bringing reproach to the name of Christ, and he warns that if you leave a little leaven, it soon takes over the whole lump (Clip 1). Rather than joking or making light of a fall, Les says believers must recognize that a fallen person needs prayer, encouragement, and forgiveness. The spiritual leadership is to restore such a one in the spirit of meekness, considering themselves, lest they also be tempted — because every human being is just as prone to fall as the next (Clips 0, 2, 4, 7). When sin is open and gross, the church is to make a point of it and confront the individual as a gathered body of believers; it is a corporate matter, and the stated goal is restoration, not expulsion (Clips 3, 7). For the believer who refuses to shape up and continues in known sin, Les directs attention to what John calls a sin unto death. God has mandated disciplinary action to restore such a one to fellowship; but if a believer will not shape up and continues to walk in known sin, the Lord has the prerogative to take that person home, so that His name is not dragged through the mud (Clips 5, 6). Les is also clear that this is never the believer's call — 'you never pray, Lord take them out. That's not our prerogative' (Clip 6).
Les Feldick teaches that when a believer is overtaken in a gross sin, the church leadership — 'ye which are spiritual' — is to restore such a one, not make light of it (Clip 0). The church cannot wink at open immorality; Paul's remedy is to take the offenders and confront them as a gathered body of believers in the name of the Lord Jesus (Clip 3). The book says the church must deal with born-again members who bring reproach to the name of Christ, because if you leave a little leaven it isn't very long until it takes over the whole lump (Clip 1).
Restoration is to be 'in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.' Les emphasizes that every human being is just as prone to fall into sin as the next one, and that anytime you come down in a harsh judgment on a fellow believer, you set yourself up to be the next one to fall (Clips 4, 7). Rather than smiling or joking about the failure, believers should recognize that the fallen person needs prayer, encouragement, and forgiveness (Clip 2). Paul's instruction to the church at Corinth was to forgive that man and continue to love him (Clip 7).
Les points to First John 5:16 and the sin unto death. When a believer goes into deep, open sin that folk in general know about, God has mandated disciplinary action on the part of the church to restore such a one to fellowship (Clip 5). But if a believer will not shape up and continues to walk in known sin, Les says God has the prerogative to take that believer home, because He is not going to let anybody drag His name through the mud (Clip 6). It is never the believer's place to pray for that outcome — 'you never pray, Lord take them out. That's not our prerogative' (Clip 6). Les also notes that if the Lord never deals with someone who has made a profession of salvation and then lives in open sin, that person may never have been genuinely saved (Clip 6).
Les acknowledges that church discipline today is almost an impossible thing, because all the gross sin of the world has come into the church and the church thinks nothing of it. But the book says the church must deal with born-again church members who are bringing reproach to the name of Christ, and must do whatever needs to be done to bring them back or bring them to the place where the Lord will take them home (Clip 1). If you leave a little leaven, it isn't very long until it takes over the whole lump — and Paul uses that analogy for the church (Clip 1).
Restoring the Overtaken Believer
Les defines 'overtaken in a fault' as a rather gross sin and shows that church leadership is to restore such a person — not joke about or spread the news of the failure.
Dealing with Reproach Before It Spreads
Les insists the church must deal with born-again members who bring reproach to the name of Christ, warning that a little leaven soon leavens the whole lump.
Prayer, Encouragement, and Forgiveness
Les contrasts the average Christian's smiling and joking with the real need of a fallen believer: prayer, encouragement, and forgiveness, followed by restoration.
Corporate Confrontation of Immorality
Les says open gross immorality must not be ignored; the church is to confront the offenders as a gathered body in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Meekness in Restoration
Restoration must be in the spirit of meekness, because every human being — including church leadership — is just as prone to fall into sin.
Disciplinary Action and the Sin Unto Death
Les shows from First John 5:16 that God has mandated disciplinary action to restore a fallen brother to fellowship, and that some sin is unto death.
God's Prerogative for the Unrepentant
For a believer who will not shape up and keeps walking in known sin, Les teaches that God has the prerogative to take them home — though believers are never to pray for that outcome.
Restore, Don't Expel — Forgive and Love
Les clarifies that the goal is restoration, not kicking someone out, and that harsh judgment sets you up to be the next to fall; Paul's word was to forgive and continue loving.
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.
This is the key command Les quotes for how the church must respond to a believer who has fallen into gross sin.
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.
This verse frames what happens when a believer refuses to turn from open sin — the sin unto death.
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,
Les references this verse to show that confronting gross immorality is a corporate act of the gathered church.
1 Corinthians 5:6: Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
This is the leaven analogy Les applies to show why undealt-with sin will spread through a church.
Hebrews 12:8: But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
This chastisement passage underlies Les's point that those the Lord never deals with may never have been saved.
No. Les Feldick teaches that the word is 'restore,' not 'kick out.' The spiritual leadership is to restore such a one in the spirit of meekness, and Paul's instruction to the Corinthians was to forgive the man and continue to love him (Clips 4, 7).
No. Les is emphatic: 'You never pray, Lord take them out. That's not our prerogative.' God alone has that prerogative, and Les says He will exercise it if a believer will not shape up and continues in known sin (Clip 6).
According to Les Feldick, a believer who goes into deep, open sin that people in general know about can commit a sin unto death. God has first mandated disciplinary action by the church to restore such a one to fellowship, but if the believer refuses to turn from known sin, God may take that believer home (Clips 5, 6).
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