In First Corinthian 5:1-13 God states that judgment must be ongoing in the church and sin must be eliminated. The church disqualifies these verses with the argument that everyone in the church is an inveterate sinner. She contends that, having had Adam’s sin miraculously infused into their spiritual DNA at conception, and having no power to overcome his temptations to sin, she has no choice but to obey him. See Human Nature. No one, she claims, can avoid this condition–all are at his mercy. Sin, she contends, is accepted and expected. Therefore, there can be no judging in the church, as one sinner cannot judge another sinner. But what does God say?

In His church judgment is ongoing (1 Pet. 4:17,18). Saints obey Philippians 2:12,13–working out their salvation by obeying Him. Salvation is an ongoing process in which His people daily compare their lives to His standard–His Word. If, as we are told, no one meets His standard, then who are the “righteous” Peter said would be saved? The church revels in the “fact” that the wages of her sins is not death, as God declares, but rather eternal life, as Satan declares (Gen. 3:4). As did Adam and Eve, the church rejects God’s Words and embraces Satan’s words. And why not? There is no judgment in the church and God looks the other way. Let us look at two episodes that took place in the early church which prove that these contentions to be lies.

Simon of Samaria, we are told in Acts chapter 8, “believed and was baptized” and joined the local con- gregation. When Philip came to Samaria, Simon, along with his fellow church members, listened to his messages. Later, Peter and others came to Samaria to see what was happening in the church that had formed there. As he was in the Samarian Church, the modern church would consider him a member in good standing. But Peter saw what others did not see due to his religiosity–he told him that he was not right with God and would burn. Peter judged this upstanding church member and found him wanting. For more information concerning Simon, send for Simon of Samaria: the Legacy which is free of charge.

Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5) were counted among the saints in the early church. However, due to their actions, Peter judged them and pronounced their fate. They both died where they stood. Judgment did indeed take place in the early church. Contrary to popular opinion, the modern version has not out- grown God’s command to continue the process.

Summary: Righteousness must be the primary characteristic of God’s saints. If “Christ in you (the saint) (is) the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27) is true, and if “In Him there is no darkness (sin) at all” (1 Jn. 1:5) is true, then there is no darkness in the saint, and therefore no darkness in the church. “For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness (1 Jn. 3:4)? And what communion has light with darkness? And what concord has Christ with Belial (Satan)” (2 Cor. 6:14,15)? The church claims to have continuous fellowship, communion and concord with Satan. But all is well because Jesus died to allow her to do so and get away with it. By reveling in her right to defy God with impunity she rejects God’s command to separate what is holy from what is evil (Eze. 22:26), thereby making Christ her “… minister of sin” (Gal. 2:17). Because she claims to be God’s people and has continuous access to His Word, the Institutional Church will be held to the same Biblical standards as His church (Jn. 12:46-50). As is noted in verse 50, only those who obey His Words will receive eternal life. Therefore sexual sins, including adultery and homosexuality, must be dealt with and eliminated, or else the offender must be removed (1 Cor. 5:12,13). This requires judgment on the part of the body.

Before one guilty of any type of sin can participate in the Body of Christ one must first prove his/her heart-felt desire to change course. Only following a period of counseling, Bible study and prayer, only after the pastor sees fruit verifying that the supplicant has in fact been converted (Mat. 7:16-21) is he/she allowed to physically participate in the Body of Christ. As has been shown Scripturally, if sin is later found in the person, he/she must be dealt with immediately and in accordance with God’s written standard (1 Cor. 5:1,13). For, as 2 Corinthians 6:14,15 tells us, God and Satan, righteousness and sin cannot exist together. The Counterfeit Church rejects this portion of God’s Word.