Ephesians 5:3-5 (KJV) ... But fornication, and all uncleanness, or
covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; 4
Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not
convenient: but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this ye know, that no
whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater,
hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
NASB ... Do not let immorality or any impurity or greed even be named among you, as is proper among saints; and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting...
NIV ... But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking which are out of place ...
Exhortation: (Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet)
My next door neighbor identifies himself as "elder" and often a church van sits in front of his house. He makes his living in a secular job but considers himself to also be a preacher.
A few days ago, I was going to mail box and his elementary school aged son was bringing out trash. The son said, "You live in that house don't you?" (He pointed at my house.) I replied that I do live there. Then he said, "You must be very rich to live in a house like that." I replied that God provides for me and that I do not even have a salary. He responded: "What's a salary?"
I knew he was simply repeating to me that which his parents were saying about me and I knew there was a form of greed working there!
Then the son said, "My dad built our house."
That was not at all true. I was living here when a contractor built the house and it was for sale. It stayed on the market several weeks or months. The contractor lowered the price and these people bought it.
The son is a liar.
All these things warn me about these neighbors although the man calls himself "elder". From time to time the postman accidentally puts his mail in my mail box and often the letters addressed to him are to "Elder" followed by his name.
Another example: It is terrible to find a person in a church group who is committing fornication. I have come across this twice in our group. Both times, I have done exactly what Paul said to do. I have put that "wicked" person away from us. I have named that person by name to our church group. We have no more to do with that person. We do not pray for that person. We do not socialize with that person. We do not eat and drink the word of God with that person. When we see a person who calls himself a "brother" in Christ doing these things, we put that person away from us just as Paul said to do.
I Cor. 5 ... Paul says ... 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.
In this same section of scripture, I Cor. 5, Paul explains that a little leaven leavens the whole lump. Do not allow such to sit in the congregation among us.
Paul makes the following interesting statement: For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, 4In 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? I Cor. 5