Often we get private requests / questions that would benefit many others all over the world if they were public. I will then answer them here on the teaching blog and this is one such case. A dear saint we are united to asked me about my thought on this verse:
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 context of this verse is Apostle Paul dealing with sexual sin in the body (a man having sex with his step mother).
Paul is rebuking the Corinth body as they did NOTHING about it and were even glorying in it. We know this all by these verses in 1 Cor 5:
Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
Based on this text and others (Romans 16:17, Matt 18 and Titus 3) we know that true believers are commanded to call out then put out or leave association, with sinful people who claim Christ. To not do so is a sin / stain against Christ's Holy body that He died to redeem. As Paul warns a little sin will affect the entire body in that chapter. We easily see the terrible affects of allowing sin in the body when we look at denominational churchianity all over American and the globe. It should NOT be so among God's holy set apart people.
While we know Paul is removing the man over his sin, what does it mean deliver to satan for the destruction of the flesh?
The Greek word for destruction is olethros and it means:
for the destruction of the flesh, said of the external ills and troubles by which the lusts of the flesh are subdued and destroyed
This is a total ruin of a man's flesh and as Romans 8:8 tells us we cannot please God in the flesh. So to ruin the flesh could be viewed as tearing it down / helping one come back to repentance/unity with God (like a drug addict coming to a total end of himself/illness and broken in the flesh to then seek a solution or way out).
Moving on:
We need to always allow God's Word to help us "understand" His Word. If we look we see a similar statement made by Paul in 1 Tim 1:20:
Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.
Paul had power and he seemed to turn over these men who were also in sin/against the gospel to learn better so the goal was they be redeemed. Was satan given more access to them?
We also see in Job 2 God having power allowing satan to do some physical harm to Job in this verse:
And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life. So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.
While Job (not in sin) the two men in Timothy (are in sin) and the man in 1 Cor 5 (was in sexual sin) are all different cases ; I think we can draw some comparisons. It appears that "godly authority" was used by either God or an Apostle to teach, protect the body and allow satan to then cause unusual physical harm to a person for a godly outcome or in cases, for a final judgement. In Job, it is to test him, in 1 Tim 1 it is to teach a lesson and in 1 Cor 5, it is to hopefully purify him to the saving of his soul. We know the outcome was good here as later, Paul tells them to allow him back in the body after he repented.
2 Cor 2: 6-8
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. Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him. For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.
It seems to me that Paul was protecting the body, teaching theology and releasing this man to go further into his fleshly sexual ways / turning him over to satan. He was going to get more of the fruits of his evil ways. The devil of course is happy to help in it all as a roaring lion seeking whom he can devour. (1 Peter 5:8) The man, now on his own, in his flesh could then be torn at making a possible way for him to go worse and then see his great spiritual need to repent. Again, we often hear how those in sin or addictions often have to get to their very lowest before they ever seek a way out? I have seen that over and over in my ministry experiences with people and even my own past fleshly ways.
I believe three key factors are at play here in understanding this verse:
1) God's Word teaches we reap what we sow (Gal 6:7) in our ways/flesh and Paul is making sure the man and the body both understand this well! ( you want sin, go have more!!)
2) Being born again in Christ (entering His body) is the ONLY ARK that saves us from God's wrath to come. If we willfully sin (Hebrews 10:26) there is no sacrifice left and we are thus lost. So Paul is placing this man "OUTSIDE of the body" so he can be all alone to see his great need for repentance to salvation back into Christ.
3) I believe lastly we can rest in this key fact that will help us understand it all. This turning over to satan for a destruction was an act only done / possible by God or an Apostle with special power given by the Lord. (we know only God has the say/control over satan) The Apostles could heal and raise the dead so "is it possible" the Apostles had the power to allow satan more rule to inflict fleshly harm on some in certain cases? It appears so and this backs up the theological fact that only God can USE evil for His good!
Paul says this in 1 Cor 5:
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, In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Paul, an Apostle called by God, given the commands of God (1 Cor 14) has made a judgement in this case. This "turning over for destruction of flesh" is not something we see instructed for today in the NT body. We know this as it was done/described for then and NOT prescriptive or commanded for today. It requires Apostolic knowledge/power that has passed with that age. We know those powers have faded with the passing of the Apostles (see Eph 2) as the foundation is done / built on Christ, Prophets and Apostles alone. (who keeps building a foundation once it is done?)
Note:
I think Acts 5 also helps illustrates this point as Peter is given power, he judges and then we see a death sentence on a couple over their lie. Their flesh was destroyed, NOT for the saving of their souls but for a judgement of God and a dire warning to us all for the ages to come.
In short; I do not believe we have the power or authority today to act as Paul and Peter did. It seems clear that 1 Cor 5:5 satan destroying flesh must be viewed in light of their God given powers, for that time.
What is very clear today is that we are told to use church authority to call out/rebuke (1 Tim 5) and discipline saints who are in sin then separate from them if they remain in it.
See this link with various articles on that topic: http://spiritandtruthdiscernment.blogspot.com/search/label/Biblical%20Separation
Rest assured that God has satan on a leash for today but He will give him more power the last days, just for a season. Also, we know that no man today has the Apostolic authority to judge/allow satan to destroy a mans flesh.
In closing, God has NOT left us powerless as we do have the authority to judge rightly then put out the sinner from among us to keep the body pure for Christ's glory. We will let God decide today on his flesh and satans access to them.
1 Cor 5:11-13
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 idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
I hope this helps you understand 1 Cor 5:5 better?
God be praised
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