Exhorting the True Israelites

But if you bear the name "Christian" and rely upon the Word and boast in God, and know His will and approve the things that are essential, being instructed out of the Word, and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having in the Word the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth --

You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that one shall not steal, do you steal? You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you worship yourself?

You who boast in the Word, through your breaking the Word, do you dishonor God?

For "THE NAME OF GOD IS BLASPHEMED AMONG THE UNBELIEVERS BECAUSE OF YOU," just as it is written.

For he is not a Christian who is one outwardly, nor is faith that which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Christian who is one inwardly; and faith is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.

Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people.

I did NOT at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world.

But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler--not even to eat with such a one.

For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church?

But those who are outside, God judges. REMOVE THE WICKED MAN FROM AMONG YOURSELVES.

(Ref. Romans 2:17-29, 1 Cor. 6:9-11, & 1 Cor. 5:9-13.)