[Amanda S.]

My husband is teaching through I & II Corinthians on Wednesday nights and I was struck by the seeming harshness in the passage...Why if we were to not fellowship with a brother for any reason the world and sadly the brethren would certainly call us hateful and condemning...

But amidst the harshness is - that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

It's not to be mean or to glory in a fallen brother, but it's for his own good.

Then I was a little frustrated that we are so apt to categorize sins...

Now fornication!? THAT's the big sin...Drunkard...that one too. But covetous?! Nope, never ever heard that a brother was "put away from" the brethren for being covetous...A railer? I've known quite a few in my lifetime...never once saw them turned away from fellowship.

Anyway, I certainly would feel unqualified to put away someone that was covetous!?

And does this only apply in the church? What about family? Having a couple of uncles that are fornicators and drunkards (at times) do I avoid eating with them at family get togethers and not keep company with them? They both claim salvation and 1 especially has a clear testimony of salvation but that is as far as it goes.

Just a few thoughts to start a discussion. Feel free to bring up anything from this chapter and discuss it.