Hesedken

(This is not a personal letter.)

The following is a contemporary ecclesiastical letter which I wrote after having received a letter from an erring minister who said that I attacked him in a former letter--I was not aware of his sinful circumstances at all at the time! The spaces between the brackets are used for the purpose of elaboration, and since the letter was written in a relatively crude form, it has been edited to some degree.

(In reference to the condonation of EMS, Franconia Conference, and negligent participants)

Dearly Beloved,

Though I may not know some of you personally, I not only have the right to write unto you in a manner such as the following, but more so, I am instructed to do so through obedience unto the scripture: "Also the things, which you have learned and received, and heard, and saw in me, do these things; and the God of peace shall be with you" (Philippians 4.9).

It has been reported to me that there is fornication among you [by means of a personal testimony of a minister in Middle America who should have been corrected long ago and never have been appointed under his sinful circumstances]. When a person who calls himself a Christian (that is, a born-again Christian, a person who has a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ), commits fornication (which may be termed adultery in some cases), the church is instructed by the Apostle Paul not to associate with such a person, neither to eat with such a one, and that this wicked person needs be removed from among the congregation (1 Cor. 5:11-13).

An example [of Scriptural revelation as to a specific circumstance] of adultery is: " ... whosoever shall marry her that is divorced commits adultery" (Mt. 5.32). The Greek verb for "commits" is present tense, continuous, meaning "is committing". So, to make it plain and simple, anyone who is married to a woman who has been divorced is committing the act of adultery.

In this same verse, that is, Mt. 5:32, the word "fornication" is mentioned. Adultery is a particular species of fornication. Hence, the word "fornicator," which is used in 1 Cor. 5:11 may be inferable to mean "adulterer."

1 Cor. 5:2 implies that the church should not be puffed up, but rather mourn to the effect that the one who is committing fornication may be taken out of your midst.

1 Cor. 5:3-5 instructs (through exemplification) that the congregation while being gathered together in union with Paul's spirit, with the power of the Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver such a one to Satan unto destruction of the flesh, in order that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

The early church had many problems. It still has many problems today. The devil wants to defile people and to give the church a dirty and weak image. Satan wants to mix in a little old leaven, a little leaven of malice and wickedness in order that the whole church will be leavened. Your glorying is not good. Don't you know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? (1 Cor. 5.6) Purge out therefore the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, even as you are unleavened. For also Christ our passover was sacrificed for us.(1 Cor. 5.7) Let us celebrate the feast therefore with the unleavened bread of sincerity (purity) and truth. (1 Cor. 5.8)

May peace, mercy, and love be multiplied,

Br. Ken

P.S.

God has total and complete control of all things. If a child of His gets out of hand, God may use Satan's negative powers to bring about a positive result according to the purpose [correction] of the Lord.

The church needs to recognize the power of the Lord, and to acknowledge the exemplification of this power while they are gathered together in union with the spirit of the Apostle Paul.

Administrative debate was not the case in this situation [at Corinth] as far as resolution is concerned. Acknowledging the spiritual power of the church (Paul did not even have to be present), in the power of the Lord is necessary; and subsequently, applying this recognition in faith according to the instruction of Paul.

An obedient church is a unified, powerful, pure, and soul-loving-saving church, and its mandate is the word of God.

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