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Writer's pictureFred Rochester

Delivered To satan.

1 Corinthians 5:1-5 (NKJV) “It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles—that a man has his father’s wife!


And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you. For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed.


In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.”


Then there’s 1 Timothy 1:18-20 (NKJV) “This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare,


having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck, of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.”


These are the only two places where people were delivered to satan for the destruction of their flesh, but in the passage of 1 Corinthians 5, we see “that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.”


Now in Acts chapter 5, we see Ananias and Sapphira having died because they’ve lied to the Holy Spirit about giving only a portion of the money of the selling of their house but called it the full amount.


I’m not sure this qualifies as having been turned over to satan for the destruction of their flesh that they be saved in the day of Jesus Christ, but we will see much later.


So with 1 Corinthians 5 and 1 Timothy 1, one was charged with marrying his mother, and the others blasphemed. These are serious charges, but again, not that at least with the charge of incest, Paul said to deliver such a one to satan for the destruction of their flesh that he may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus Christ.


This leaves a very serious question.


In 1 Corinthians 6, Paul said,  “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived…”


According to Leviticus 18, incest is a very serious sin.


It must be read and understood that sin is never tolerated with the Lord and that the consequences is very serious. In any case, we must never “…tempt the Lord.”


To try and test the Lord, especially when the consequences are clear in the Scriptures, I must never assume that I will get into heaven because I engage in sin and the Lord will “excuse” me.


1 John chapters 1, 2, and 3 is clear.


Blaspheming the name of the Lord or His Scriptures is another charge that we must never take lightly.


When it comes to making serious accusations against the Lord, no man should take the punishment given by God lightly. Neither should we assume that the Lord would take it easy with us.


Just because we don’t see the Lord, it’s never reason enough to test Him and assume that because He’s a “loving God” that He will automatically have mercy on me.


Romans 9:14-16 (NKJV) “What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.” So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.”


Many people believe that it’s unfair that the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh. That Pharaoh had no chance against the Lord. But how did the story start out?


Pharaoh started out with a hard heart against the Lord. Also we must remember that the Lord, He is God. The clay has no power over the potter.


Romans 9:16-21 (NKJV) “So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.


For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.” Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.


You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault?


For who has resisted His will?”


But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God?


Will the thing formed say to him who formed it,


“Why have you made me like this?”


Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?”


Therefore…….


Isaiah 55:8-9 (NKJV) “For My thoughts are not your thoughts,

Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD.

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

So are My ways higher than your ways,

And My thoughts than your thoughts.”


Who are we to instruct God?


Job 40:1-2 (NKJV) “Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said:

“Shall the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him?

He who rebukes God, let him answer it.”


1 Corinthians 2:16 (NKJV) For “who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.


Isaiah 40:13-14 (NKJV) Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD,

Or as His counselor has taught Him?

With whom did He take counsel, and who instructed Him,

And taught Him in the path of justice?

Who taught Him knowledge,

And showed Him the way of understanding?


Romans 11:34-36 (NKJV) “For who has known the mind of the LORD?

Or who has become His counselor?”

“Or who has first given to Him

And it shall be repaid to him?”

For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.


Why do men become bold to instruct the Lord?


The answer is simple.


We don’t see Him in front of us.


Why do men become so bold to sin against the Lord?


We don’t see Him in front of us.


Why do men become so bold to blaspheme his name?


We don’t see Him in front of us.


Should the Lord fully display Himself, the fear of the Lord comes instantly.


When there’s an absence of the fear of the Lord, it’s very easy to speak boldly, blaspheme His name, and challenge His Word.


We speed because we don’t see the trooper or cop. We know that they may be present, waiting in places where you don't see them, but we know that they may be there.


So we test it at the wrong time.


Then the red, white, and blue lights are seen in the rear view mirror.


Caught.


Ecclesiastes 8:10-13 (NKJV) “Then I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of holiness, and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done.


This also is vanity.


Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.


Though a sinner does evil a hundred times, and his days are prolonged, yet I surely know that it will be well with those who fear God, who fear before Him.


But it will not be well with the wicked; nor will he prolong his days, which are as a shadow, because he does not fear before God.”


Being delivered to satan for the destruction of the flesh is no pleasant thing, but should the Lord do so, it's for His purpose. So don't be caught doing what we're not supposed to be doing.


Even with communion in 1 Corinthians 11 is a very dangerous thing.


So what's the point?


How God does His dealings with the affairs of men is what it is.


He deals with you is how He deals with you.

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