Acts 20 ... Paul said ... Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons, 19Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews: 20And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house, 21Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. 22And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: 23Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. 24But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. 25And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. 26Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. 27For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. 28Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. 29For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. 31Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.
There is a very evil thing in many church groups today. It is a church work without correction. It is a doctrine of false love which does not cause repentance in the congregation. It is a doctrine of acceptance of sin in the congregation. It is basically a cover-up inside the congregation.
But this is not what is supposed to happen when there is sin in the congregation. Paul told us to judge those in the congregation when there is sin. And Paul told us what to do about those who call themselves "brother" but commit such sins.
I Cor. 5 ... I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: 10Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. 11But 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 idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. 12For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? 13But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
Paul did not say to pray for that wicked person in the church ... Paul warned us not to allow such to sit among us for they are like leaven ... and they will infect the congregation ... therefore Paul said do not "eat" with such ... do not keep company with such ... put that person out of the church.
This happened to me once in our church group. There was a story about one of the men who had a "girl friend" ... What does that mean? ... I went to him and point blank asked him if he was having sexual intercourse with this "girl friend". He replied, "Of course." I told him he knew the Bible as well as I did and I would not be able to have him in our group any more. He didn't care. Later I had occasion to talk with him and he said sexual intercourse outside of marriage was no longer an issue with him for he had a sexual problem. But there was never any sign of repentance from this man.
I Cor. 5 ... In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5To 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. 6Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
7Purge 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: 8Therefore 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.
If a church group has a doctrine where unrepentant sinners who continue to practice the sin sit in the congregation as "brothers", then we must not sit with them. We have no choice but to leave that group.
Poison gas dream: In approximately 1980, God gave me the following dream. There
was a room filled with people and a man was speaking to these people. I
went in and sat down and began listening. Then another man rushed into
the room and said, "Stop ... can't you see. It's too late. It's already begun."
The first man resumed speaking. But I looked out the window to see
what was happening. I was shocked in what I saw. There was a civil
defense warning system on top of a tall pole. A type of poison gas was coming out of the speaker.
The shocking thing was this: The system that was set up to warn us was
being used to gas us to death. In the dream, I looked at the man sitting next
to me. His eyes were open. He had a big smile on his face. But he
was already dead! He was a corpse though he was looking directly at the speaker
and seemed to be paying attention. Then I looked at the other people
in the room and they were all dead though they looked alive. And as I
sat there listening to the speaker, I felt myself falling asleep
(dying). I knew it would kill me too if I sat there among them.
Later
God showed me this is what is happening in the church gatherings
today. Instead of being warned, people are being gassed to death with
the doctrines.