Fri.’s Devo - Walk in the Fear of the Lord

Read: Ezra 8:21-9:15; 1 Corinthians 5:1-13; Psalm 31:1-8; Proverbs 21;1-2
Ezra was feeling the weight of what they were about to do. He was going to lead several hundred people, cattle and millions of dollars worth of gold and silver across a path know for robbers and thieves. He didn’t want to ask the king for soldiers because he had already told the king that God’s hand was upon them. So he had the people fast and pray before they started. It was a miracle of God’s protection that they made the four day journey unharmed or unhindered.
When they arrived in Jerusalem, they accounted for all the gold and silver and had a huge celebration with sacrifices and praise to God. Ezra met with the leaders and was told that some of the people, including the some priests and Levites had joined with the Gentiles and worshiped their gods. Some had intermarried with them. Ezra was appalled. At the evening sacrifice that day, he offered a prayer of repentance for his people. He laid out their many sins before God and asked for forgiveness and mercy.
Paul was facing the same sin in Corinth. A man was having an affair with his step mother. Yuck! Instead of being appalled like Ezra, they were proud and unrepentant. Paul judged this man because we are suppose to judge people of the faith if we are in the faith. We are not to judge the sins of sinners because they are not responsible. His advise to them was to hand them over to Satan that his sin nature might be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord.
When we turn someone over to Satan we are taking God’s protection from them and letting Satan “teach them a lesson” since they wouldn’t let God. This should bring a true believer back to the Lord for help. We only turn someone over to Satan when they have refused to repent and are truly rebellious in their sin. It is done because we love them and truly want them to repent.
Paul told the believers not to associate with Christian believers who were sexually immoral people or greedy, swindlers, or idolaters. We do not judge sinners outside of the Body of Christ, but we are to take care of business in our Christian family.
Lord, help us to walk in the fear of the Lord.