Dear Ohio, Sorry for the delayed response.
Thankful Jane, apologies accepted.
What? I don’t see “godly fellowship with the offender” in Corinthians. (Which verses show this?) I just see that he was put away from fellowship by the majority. I also see that Paul delivered him to Satan for the destruction of the flesh that his spirit could be saved in the day of Christ Jesus. I guess you could call that “godly fellowship” if you wanted to do so. He did repent, but it took a lot more than some kind of conversation with him.
Gal 6.1, Brothers, even if a man is overtaken in some offense, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of meekness." We also know that the brother was repentant and Paul encouraged the Corinthians in his second letter to restore the brother and to "confirm your love to him." 2 Cor 2.1-11 I encourage you to read these verses. They are the "flip side" of the verse "purge out the old leaven."
TJ, it's sad that the Texas brothers never presented a pattern of "godly fellowship" to the flock. Instead they have only presented a rotten example of ruthless humiliations and quarantines.
I see that some have been arguing using the phrase “guilt by association” as if I had used this phrase; however, I think that it was you introduced it. I guess you considered it was “guilt by association” when God judged the Israelites and 36 of them died in battle because of the sin of another (Achan), whom they were associated with by virtue of being part of the children of Israel. You said this idea was frightening to you. It is healthy for God’s judgment to strike a chord of fear in us. The Ai story also makes it clear that it wasn’t men on some kind of a witch hunt that found Achan, but it was God Who directed them to Achan. God is the one who pointed out the idolater. So this is not a story about man’s misjudgment, but God’s righteous actions through men who were willing to walk in the light with Him.
I may have introduced this specific phrase, or its alternate "broad brush," but it was not me who said, "
Then I don't think you have gotten it yet. Everyone was brought into the idolatry (me included). All you have to do is study history (including the history of Israel) to see that it is not just the leaders who are held responsible. The whole congregation is held responsible." Other things have been said that lumps all together as idolators. This is what I have protested.
The real judgment that the children of Israel experienced at Ai was that they were defeated by their enemies. God was not with them in battle. Why not? Because of the sin of one person among them—sin that no one apparently knew about except for God. Their defeat was His way of telling everyone something was wrong. I didn’t write this story, God did. I guess He wasn’t afraid of sobering us by it.
Not all Israel suffered discipline at Ai. 2 or 3 thousand were sent to fight by Joshua, and only 36 were smitten. Let me suggest that the real reason that they lost the battle was they didn't seek the Lord first. There were other times this also happened -- when the enemies disguised themselves, for example. After they lost that skirmish, then did seek the Lord and the "accursed thing" was exposed. God often uses our failures to bring us seeking to Himself, not with the goal of judging us, or worse -- judging us all.
Shouldn’t defeat by our enemies concern us? When we see the enemy prevailing, shouldn’t we humbly pray for God’s light on the situation and not start defending ourselves as innocent? The norm is blessing and victory, not cursing and defeat. The children of Israel were warned in advance they would lose God’s blessing if they served other gods. They were told they would experience pestilence, the sword, famine, and beasts devouring them. God told them what the loss of blessing would look like, so that they would recognize when they had offended Him.
Yes, a hearty Amen, we should humbly pray.
But ... we should ask what is on the Lord's heart, and not assume that others are guilty of idolatry.
Also, the age has changed. This is the church age, the age of grace. I am not judged just for being part of the LC's based on something done at a publishing house in Calfornia.