Misapplying Paul's Advice in 1 Corinthians 5
(nothing is said about Disfellowshipping)
1 Corinthians 5:9-11
“In my letter, I wrote you to stop keeping company with sexually immoral people, not meaning entirely with the sexually immoral people of this world or the greedy people or extortioners or idolaters. Otherwise, you would actually have to get out of the world. But now I am writing you to stop keeping company with anyone called a brother who is sexually immoral or a greedy person or an idolater or a reviler or a drunkard or an extortioner,p not even eating with such a man.” (NWT)
The word disfellowshipping is not found in this passage. The Greek expression: “mé synanamignysthai” means "to not mix together" (not disfellowship)! The Watchtower translates it as “Not keeping company”, urging continual disfellowshipping action!
Paul here was not establishing a legalistic disfellowshipping doctrine! The verses above simply describe ONE case of extreme immorality (condemned even by the standards of the Gentiles) that shocked Paul moving him to warn them of this danger.
Let's see what Paul meant in these verses:
“Stop keeping company with anyone called a brother who is sexually immoral…greedy… idolater…a reviler…drunkard…extortioner”
This passage deals with persons who claim to be Christians but live as immoral, greedy, drunkards, etc. Such ones have made it clear to all what course of life and behaviour they follow. According to Paul’s counsel, it is easy for all believers to decide individually (without congregational authority) whether to associate, invite, or have any close contact with such unrepentant brothers who could have a corrupting influence on them and their families if invited into their HOMES. This is why Paul introduced this matter saying, “Clear away the old leaven so that you may be a new batch.” (v.7 NWT)
Why does it say “Do not even eat with such people”?
First-century life was different than today’s. Christians did not own public buildings, churches, or kingdom halls. They only met and shared meals in their own private homes for several days. So, Paul was not saying to write off these brothers altogether. He is cautioning them to avoid close company (or mixing together) since the only way for them to meet was in private homes with family members and other believers present.
Today, most Christians meet in public places and for very short periods of time. So, the above counsel does not apply. It only applies when a Christian chooses to invite a brother to their private home knowing of their hardened and unrepentant behaviour. Then it’s advisable for them to heed Paul’s counsel and avoid the danger. These were loving and practical counsels and not law. There is no law among true Christians, other than the “law of Christ”.
Why “Quit mixing”?
Here, it does not mean ignoring a brother, refusing to greet him, avoiding eye contact, or offering aid!
The phrases ‘Quit mixing in company’ and ‘Not eat with such a man’ refer to SOCIALIZING on a personal level. But if the same person attends a public meeting, then encouraging and greeting him politely would be the Christian thing to do. This is not the case with JWs who misapply Paul’s counsel, creating a terrorizing false doctrine that wreaks havoc among families and inflicts maximum pain.
In his second letter, in 2 Corinthians 2:5-6 (NIV), Paul wrote about the same man saying: "If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you to some extent—not to put it too severely. The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient."
It’s notable that Paul did not insist that everyone participate in the rebuke. It was carried by the majority. This meant that some chose not to participate showing that the matter was up to the brothers to handle personally.
Misapplying Paul’s Counsel on Marking!
2 Thessalonians 3:6,14-15
“Now we are giving you orders, brothers, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, to withdraw from every brother walking disorderly and not according to the tradition you received from us. But if anyone is not obedient to our word through this letter, keep this one marked, stop associating with him, that he may become ashamed. And yet do not be considering him as an enemy, but continue admonishing him as a brother.”
“Keep this one marked” [Gk; sémeioó: mark; take note]
Unlike what JW ORG claims, marking included some serious sins as the context in 2 Thessalonians shows. Marking included disobedience to the written word of an apostle sent by Christ, not glorifying the name of Jesus Christ, laziness, and being seduced by apostasy. These were no minor matters to be marked!
No difference is found between 1 Cor 5:9-11 & 2 Thess 3:6,14-15:
JW ORG teaches that marking is somehow for lesser sins while disfellowshipping is for more serious sins. But Paul uses the same Greek expression “mé synanamignysthai” in both passages. But in the NWT, it is rendered differently, to make it appear that 1 Corinthian’s passage is somehow more serious than 2 Thessalonian's account!
In both passages, Christians are only admonished (not forced or arm twisted) to avoid fellowshipping on a PERSONAL level with anyone described in 1 Corinthians 5 and 2 Thessalonians 3. It was a personal matter to be handled by a Christian to help the offender realize his shameful persistent acts.
Neither passage teaches a DOCTRINE of disfellowshipping or marking. Paul was giving a common sense piece of advice that the Corinthians lacked (that even non-Christians practiced). It did not need to be enforced legalistically or call it a Church doctrine.
“Not considering him as an enemy…Continue admonishing him as a brother”
Unlike JWs, Paul was promoting a balanced approach. Although they were not encouraged to heavily socialize with a hardened wrongdoer, they were not to consider him an enemy either. In fact, they are to CONTINUE admonishing him as a “brother”. Pray tell me, how can they admonish such ones if they were completely cut off? Of course, he can be MARKED (or noted), but not disfellowshipped, shunned or cut off!
In Romans 16:17, Paul warned the brothers about serious offenders who could cause divisions and stumbling. Note that he did not call for disfellowshipping. He only asked to keep an eye on them. Other translations use the term, “watch out for those” (NIV), and “mark them” (KJV, YLT)
"Now I exhort you, brothers, to keep your eye on those who cause divisions and occasions for stumbling contrary to the teaching that you have learned, and avoid them.”
Misapplying John’s counsel about Greeting an Antichrist!
2 John 7-11
“For many deceivers have gone forth into the world, persons not confessing Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist. Look out for yourselves, that you do not lose the things we have worked to produce, but that you may obtain a full reward. Everyone that pushes ahead and does not remain in the teaching of the Christ does not have God. He that does remain in this teaching is the one that has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, never receive him into your homes or say a greeting to him. For he that says a greeting to him is a sharer in his wicked works.”
John wrote about remaining in “The Teaching of the Christ”
John’s message refers to the sin of not confessing Jesus as coming in the flesh (antichrist). He was not talking about all types of wrongdoings. What matters is not any teaching but “the teaching of the Christ” centred on the fact that Jesus is the Christ (The Anointed One) sent in the flesh to save us. John was saying to avoid brothers, who not only deny this but have become deceivers.
“Not say a greeting…He that says a greeting” {Gk, chairó: favoured, grace, rejoice}
Please note that the word greeting is not in the original. This was added by the translators probably to create a legalistic reason to shun others.
Here is the literal translation of verse 10,11:
“If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into the house, and do not tell him to rejoice. For the one telling him to rejoice partakes in his evil works.” (Berean Literal Translation)
Pay attention now and follow the Watchtower deceiving argument.
They claim that there are two words for greeting in the Bible. The one used above by John is chairó, and the other is aspasmos used elsewhere. Oddly, JWs think that aspasmos is somehow a stronger type of greeting than chairó. They then deduce, that if this was the case, then John was saying that even a common everyday greeting was not allowed! How absurd!
Watchtower forgets that ‘chairó’ is used interchangeably with ‘aspasmos’ in Luke 1:28,29,
“And he came to her and said, “Greetings (chairó), O favoured one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying and tried to discern what sort of greeting (aspasmos) this might be.”
Although ‘Chairo’ is a greeting word. John was not talking about whether you should say hello or not. ‘Chairó’ literally means ‘to be rejoicing’ as the Hebrew salutation ‘shalom’ or ‘Peace be upon you’. ‘Chairó’ does not express a simple common greeting. It expresses strong favour, rejoicing, and acceptance! And this is what John meant. He is not saying that a Christian SHOULD deny to an antichrist a simple ‘Hello’ which would be silly and unchristian! A Christian denies what ‘Chairo’ means which is acceptance, agreement, or favour to an antichrist individual who had fallen away.
To ‘greet’ him this way (or agree with him) would make one “a sharer in his wicked works.” So then, one can offer a courteous greeting or even refute and correct his belief. Are we not supposed to “snatch people out of the fire”? (Jude 1:23)
"Never receive him into your homes"
Keep in mind this was the first century. Christians met in their private homes for spiritual fellowshipping, sharing meals, and staying together for days. John had to say the above since such deceivers and antichrists would come into the brothers' private homes (not public meeting halls) and cause division.
[Important]
To justify their position, the Watchtower falsely accuses those who disagree with them or stop associating with them as APOSTATE and ANTICHRISTS, saying the following:
"The word apostasy comes from a Greek word that literally means a standing away from but has the sense of desertion, abandonment or rebellion ... [and included] abandonment of right moral standards ... willfully abandoning the Christian congregation thereby become part of the 'antichrist." (Watchtower 1985 Jul 15 p.31)
The above quote is so inaccurate by extending the meaning of ‘apostasy’ to include deserting and abandoning the organization, rather than limiting it to abandoning the teachings of God and Christ!
Unabashedly, they will continue to label as apostates any who stop associating with them, even if they profess faith in God, Christ, and the scriptures!
Jesus’ Words Are the FINAL Authority
Matthew 18:15-19
“If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. 16 But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you [singular] as a Gentile and a tax collector."
"18 Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven. 19 Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. 20 For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”
“Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. For this reason, the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves.”
"Go and show him his fault in private"
Jesus is not instructing us on how to conduct a judicial disfellowshipping as practiced by JW ORG. He is simply telling us what to do in any situation that involves two parties. This is what Jesus said to do:
Show the person’s fault between you and him PRIVATELY.
If not, bring two or three witnesses to CONFIRM IT.
If not, tell it to the congregation as a WHOLE (not a private committee).
If not, then take action between you and him ALONE (do not involve others).
“Let him be to you (singular), as a Gentile or tax collector”
Jesus never said to shun or never talk to the unrepentant wrongdoer.
Jesus said the matter is between the two only, “Let him be to you.” (Not to everyone).
Jesus was a friend of tax collectors and sinners.
Jesus did not avoid apostates such as the scribes & Pharisees (he talked and ate with them!)
Jesus spoke directly to the original apostate, Satan!
God spoke to his apostate nation all the time.
“For where two or three gathered together in My name…I am in their midst”
After instructing us on how to handle sins together, Jesus said that if we decide by Jesus’ authority (“My name”), He will guide and bless our decision guided by His Spirit. So, Christ is the final authority and not a religious Body of men.
"I do not say to you, up to seven times, but ( Forgive ) up to seventy times seven"
Then Jesus gave us a more glorious way to handle sins committed against us. While Peter thought he was generous to forgive a brother seven times before taking any action, Jesus tells him to forgive as much as possible (v. 22). Then He teaches extraordinary forgiveness by the parable of the “king and slave” (v. 23 ff). It’s far better for followers of Christ to forgive rather than be harsh. “MERCY triumphs over judgment.” (James 2:13)
What Did Jesus Say About Excommunication?
JW ORG habitually disobeys Christ’s commandments. They do what He never said to do, and do not do what He said to do! Jesus never said to expel or excommunicate one another as JW ORG does. Let’s see what Jesus and others had actually said about expelling:
“They shall put you out of the synagogues (aposunagógos): yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.” (John 16:2)
“These things said his parents, because they were afraid of the Jews, for already had the Jews agreed together, that if anyone may confess him -- Christ, he may be put out of the synagogue (aposunagógos).” (John 9:22 YLT)
“Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue (aposunagógos).” (John 12:42)
“Happy are ye when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate (aphorizó) you and shall reproach, and shall cast (ekballo: expel) forth your name as evil, for the Son of Man's sake.” (Luke 6:22 YLT)
Where did Excommunication Come from?
Here are other sources about the practice of ex-communication:
“Excommunication – The highest ecclesiastical censure, the exclusion of a person from the religious community, which among the Jews meant a practical prohibition of all intercourse with society…excommunication, as employed by the Rabbis during Talmudic times and during the Middle Ages, is really a rabbinic institution, its object being to preserve the solidarity of the nation and strengthen the authority of the Synagogue by enforcing obedience to its mandates”. — From Jewish Encyclopedia
“Ban – Post-Exilic Ban. In post-exilic times…it was employed as a means of ecclesiastical discipline to keep the community clear of undesirable, semi-heathenish elements…Here the Ban…meant no longer destruction, but confiscation of goods, and ex-communication—possibly exposure to starvation of the person.” – Jewish Encyclopedia
“After the Babylonian exile, the term herem began indicating the act of excommunicating people who disobeyed the law or authorities. If the elders and rabbis of a community believed a person to be disobedient, the offender was punished by being forced into isolation, removed from the community at large. The excommunication could last anywhere from a day to a lifetime, depending on the urgency of the convicted act. Once the allotted time has elapsed the individual may return to the community as long as he repents for his actions. The Talmud alludes to twenty-four offences punishable by ex-communication.”—Jewish Virtual Library
The above informs us of the dire consequences experienced by those who had been excommunicated in Jesus’ time. Excommunication meant a “practical prohibition of all intercourse with society.” This was undoubtedly a very severe disciplinary action that JW ORG tries to emulate today.
Happy are you if Disfellowshipped for Christ’s Sake!
The JW ORG is an organization led by powerful deceiving spirits teaching falsehoods. If you have been mistreated by them for Christ’s sake and the gospel, then “Raise your heads up.” Do not feel sorry for yourself over what happened to you. Jesus told us they would do all that. Leave it to Him and He will take care of you. “A man’s enemy will be people of his own household.” He was not talking just about our own fleshly families; he was spiritually talking about the “household” of faith. It’s the tares, the goats, the evil slaves, and the deceived Church who will do it to those who follow and hear the Shepherd's "voice".
The enemy wants to inflict mental pain and agony upon you. Realize that this is what deceiving spirits sadistically like to do. Disfellowshipping is nothing new. It was practiced by the Jewish Sanhedrin who were led by their father the devil (as Jesus mentioned). Similarly, the Watchtower faithfully follows in the devil's footsteps instead of Christ’s!
So, as your brother who was also mistreated like you, I say rejoice in it if you did it for Jesus Christ and His gospel's sake. Do not be afraid. Do not feel lonely, do not despair. Christ promised He will give you more spiritual blessings now and after. Do you believe Him?
Turn Your Mistreatment
into Joy. Listen to
Jesus’ Words and Others!
“Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” (Matt 5:11-12)
“And everyone that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.” (Matt 19:29)
“If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you.” (1 Pet 4:14)
“Esteem it all joy, my brothers, when you might fall into various trials.” (James 1:2) Berean Literal Bible
May the God of peace and all comfort be with you all. Do not forget to write to me if you need any support and spiritual help.
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