Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
From time to time a person will come to me saying he (or she) is Christian while committing grievous sins.
There is a man who mishandles scripture, adding foolishly to the Bible, leading astray those who will hear him. He came to me wanting to flaunt his doctrines in front of me. I corrected him many times by scripture. But he just continued to speak unwisely concerning scripture without a fear of God. I would have no more to do with this man. He almost begged me to hear his various teachings and correct him. I refused. for to do this would destroy the ministry which I have been given which is to exhort the church in ways of God. I could not afford to become entangled in the careless doctrines of this man.
A woman came to me complaining about a pastor who had made sexual advances toward her. She identified herself to me as a Christian. But she herself was committing fornication. She came a second time and repented of some sins but never mentioned her fornication. I corrected her.
Jesus did not "condemn" the woman taken in adultery. (Jn. 8) ... But Jesus said to her, "Go, and sin no more."Jesus is saying, "Your sin has been forgiven but you must not go out and take up that sin again." Stop doing that sin. In this case (Jn. 8) the woman's sin was adultery. In order to be justified after being forgiven she would have to turn away from that sin she had been doing and do it no more.
Heb. 10 ... For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. 28He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: 29Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? 30For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. 31It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
I believe it is "a sin unto death" when a person who says he (or she) is Christian commits fornication (and such) and then goes back again to fornication after knowing fornication is a sin.
John spoke of "a sin unto death" ... and John told us we should not pray for those who are committing such.
I Jn. 5 ... If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. 17All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.
Heb. 10 tells us there is no more sacrifice for sin so when that person "willfully" commits a sin he "counts the blood of Christ wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace."
These people often want to be accepted by us, by the Church, while they continue in their sin which ends up being a sin against the Spirit of God.
I do not fellowship with such people. I do not keep company with such people. And I do not count them as one in the congregation and I would not attend any church if that church knowingly allow that person into the congregation. I would just leave that church group.
Paul told us to put them out of the church and that is what I do. 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.
Jimmy Swaggart is one who committed fornication. Paul said to put such a one as Swaggart out of the church. I Cor. 5 Do not keep company with such. But his church group took the direction of praying for "brother" Swaggart instead of withdrawing fellowship from him. Then he was caught with prostitute by a police officer and when questioned Swaggart reportedly replied, "It is flat none of your businesss." (Wickepedia )
Yesterday I was reading Psa. 1 and I noticed something I have not seen before.
Psa. 1:5 ... the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
I Jn. 1 ... If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
We do not sit with those who call themselves Christians while they continue to live in sins. They are deceiving themselves and others when they do this. They are like a leaven. Paul says to put them out of the church and do not keep company with them.
And Jesus warned us that in the last days "many" would come saying HE, Jesus is Lord and because they said Jesus is Lord they would deceive many. Jesus told us not to be deceived by them. Mt. 24
Those who continue to commit sin are of the devil and not of God, though they want to think they are of God.