1 Corinthians 5:10 Commentary and Bible Study

Paul’s instruction to separate did not apply to the fornicators of this world – people at work, in your place of employment, people in your college, family members who are unsaved. You cannot have nothing to do with the fornicators of this world, or the covetousness, or extortioners, or idolaters; for obviously you would need to leave the world. They will not be your best friends, but you cannot separate from them. Although every human being is under the law of God and will be judged by it, the church is not responsible for the behaviour of unbelievers, nor does God give it the impossible task of ‘making the world a better place’, of being the moral policeman of the world, of trying to enforce God’s law on those who have not been born again. John Calvin set himself such an task in Geneva and it was a futile task. God’s law is not satisfied with outward conformity, which is all that can ever be achieve when dealing with the unconverted. The church influences the world through the gospel, and unless the gospel changes an individual life and brings that person to Christ, then there will never be true obedience in the heart. We seek to change the world in the most radical way of all, but we do not expect to be able to change it without the Spirit regenerating individuals. The New Testament teaches the separation of church and state. The saints no longer live in a mixed multitude as they had to in Old Testament times. That state of affairs showed that fallen human nature can never be persuaded to please God. No matter how long God held out his hand to them, they continued to be rebellious, unless they had true faith. It is true that the saints will judge the world (1 Corinthians 6:2), but not yet. At the present time we plead with all men to come to Christ for forgiveness. Only when God terminates this opportunity of mercy at Christ’s return will the saints become the judges of the world. We are to ‘Let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven’ (Matthew 5:16). That leaves the unbelieving world without excuse and speaks to their consciences. We may indeed have an effect on this world to restrain it from descending into even greater evil, but that example alone will not bring anyone to the new birth. It is the preaching of the cross of Christ alone that will do that.