Delivered to Satan, Part 2 B

The foundation on which air comes the soil out of which air grows is the soil of on holiness. Truth does not rise out of no error battle. Your well armed in a fortified position and you have a platoon of well trained soldiers. You can depend on. But what if one of those soldiers you thought was watching your back fighting for you was really undermining your efforts compromising your ability to fight. It's that sort of dangerous scenario within the church that John MacArthur turns our attention to today as he continues his series titled spiritual warfare. Now here's John. I mentioned last time we studied this debt in order to be turned over to Satan, we must assume that prior to that one was not fully under his control to be turned over to Satan, then, is to take that believer or that unbeliever who was in the family of the redeemed, at least outwardly, and push them out into the full fury of Satan's world.

Sometimes the Lord turns a true believer over to Satan for a positive reason tied to his own sovereignty and we saw that an illustration in the life of Job. But today I want to talk about another aspect of it being delivered to Satan not for a positive reason but for a negative one because this is the issue in first Timothy chapter 1. Let's go to first Corinthians chapter 5 first Corinthians chapter 5 in a familiar passage is reported commonly verse one says this is common knowledge.

Everybody knows it. False.

As I've heard it, not from one source but from many sources. There is fornication. That's the word porn AR for which we get pornography. There's fornication among you. This is a church folks, this is the church at Corinth who prided themselves I'm a Pauline of Apollo Simon Cephus I'm of Christ. Those who thought they were kings. Those who thought they knew all the answers.

This is a church and fornication is among you and the kind of fornication that isn't even discussed among the pagans. What kind of fornication is that incest that one would have his father's wife. Now there couple of things you need to know about this. The fact that the for the word fornication is used rather than adultery leads us to believe that it could mean something out of marriage, so that what may have happened here is the father's wife indicates a stepmother, otherwise he would use the word mother having sex with your mother but father's wife puts it, probably in the category.

The stepmother and the word fornication can take it out of marriage. So what may have happened was a son starts a sexual relationship with his stepmother and ends in divorce in the relationship is carried on as a fornication outside marriage. After the divorce. That's a real possibility. It may well be the woman was even in the church but instead of the church doing something about this incestuous relationship that perhaps had caused the divorce and may have been going on with an unregenerate woman. All of these things instead of them doing something about it. Verse two says you're proud about your puffed up, and you haven't even been sorry about it. You should've taken away the one that has done this deed from among you should've excommunicated them to put it simply said turn over to Satan, put them out of the church.

Don't let them enjoy the protection of the church essays as a believer I think it is, as we shall see. Paul says in verse three I verily is absent in body, but present in spirit of judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that is done this deed, I'm not there, but I know how to be done. I'm not there, but I know exactly how this person ought to be treated. I've made my judgment in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together in my spirit, with the power of the Lord Jesus Christ, deliver such a one to Satan was you, me, put them out there.

The only other place. The terms of first Timothy 120 are you turn them over to Satan, which means putting out of the church. Don't let him enjoy the protection of the church in the words of Matthew 18, you've gone through the disciplinary process of going to him two or three going to link the church going to them now. Treat him like a pagan or a tax collector.

Like an outsider. Put them out. The instruction comes to mind.

Also in second Thessalonians 3. Six. Withdraw yourselves from every brother that walks disorderly verse 14. If they don't obey the word of this epistle.

Note the man and have no company with a put them out, turn them over to Satan is what church discipline is when it runs to its limit, but I have noticed through my own ministry that there are some people we don't even know about that.

The Lord puts out and I often wonder why people disappear and don't show up for long periods of time and then I hear about the tragedy of the way their life is going a messed up marriage, immorality, drunkenness, and all these kinds of things and I realize that what we didn't know God knew and what we couldn't purge God did put them out. He sits your boasting is not good, don't you know the little leaven leavens all up. You can't have that in the church, purge it out and then down in verses nine and 10. He says I'm telling you not to company with those people with fornicators and covetous and extortioners and idolaters, I'm not talking about the worldly ones I'm talking about the ones that are called a brother who are fornicators and covetous and idolaters and regulars and drunkards and extortioners don't even eat with them universe.

13. Put away from among yourselves that wicked force term oversight. Now back to verse five when you deliver them over to Satan. It is for the destruction of the flesh to get is for the destruction of the flesh was at me, poke me a lot heart attack cancer. I've seen that venereal disease AIDS becoming the adultery in a marriage, it could mean the destruction of the home. It could mean the illness of a family member. Listen, what was it for Job to be turned over to Satan all of those that could be the last of the job loss of your career when you're turned over to Satan. There is no way to project what might happen, but I think we overlooked the reality that that goes on a lot more than we are willing to admit and we may chalk up diseases and disasters to a lot of other things when they belong in this category right here. The destruction of the flesh noticed the destruction is limited.

It was limited on Job and it was limited on Paul. It was limited on Peter and it's limited here. Satan can destroy his flesh but his spirit will be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. That's why believe you have a question here and also the reference to a brother in verse 11.

You can't destroy his soul belongs to God, but you can sure devastate us. His physical world is physical life.

It can happen. You want to be turned over to Satan as a chastening. I want to show you another passage. It speaks to this revelation chapter 2. This is a church. This is the church.

The church at the city of Thyatira in Asia minor and in writing to the church the Lord Jesus Christ says I know your works. Verse 19. Your love, your service, your faith, your patience, your works in the last to be more than the first. You're very busy church very active church, but I have a few things against you. Here they are.

You allowed that woman Jezebel. It may not be a woman literally named Jezebel but a Jezebel type and idolatrous, God hating woman who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce my servants to commit fornication and eat things sacrificed unto idols. This woman came along lead that church and immorality and false doctrine, and he says I gave her and her followers of course space to repent of her fornication and she repented not immorality and false doctrine because there was no repentance.

I will throw her into bed implication all right. She wants to be in bed all throw her in a bed all right. I'll throw her in a bed with Satan. That's what I'll do in all them that commit adultery with her and that bid will be a bed of great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. And I will kill her children with death and all the churches will know that I am he who searches the minds and hearts and I'll give unto every one of you according to your works, but unto you I say, and under the rest in Thyatira watch this as many as to do not have this doctrine. They don't follow Jezebel and you have not known the depths of Satan. He contrasts those true believers and obedient believers from the ones thrown in the bed of trouble in fornication who have known the depths of Satan, the literally plunged into the depths of Satan, what a phrase. What a phrase. Think of it, turned over to Satan.

We need to be very cautious you that are unbelievers in the church who just come for whatever benefit you can gain are in danger of being turned over to Satan for eternal judgment. Those of us who are believers by cultivating disobedience or false doctrine or immorality are in danger of being turned over to Satan for chastening which can result in all kinds of physical devastation. The disasters that are indicated in all these texts as well as death itself. You see, Peter said the devil goes about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may what devour swallow consume and when you're turned over to Satan you're turned over to his consuming power. Don't remember what is Paul saying let's go back to first Timothy and I think we have it in perspective. Now what is he saying here when he says I have delivered Hymenaeus and Alexander on to say. Most likely they were not believers because they had corrupted the gospel and he delivered them that they might learn the consequence of blasphemy.

Now we don't know whether it meant they would die whether it meant some disease or the devastation of their possessions or the loss of everything they had. Whatever devastation Satan wanted to bring within God's allowance would come, but Paul is saying, look Timothy, you have to fight a battle leadership in the church.

Remember what we said. First of all, you have a responsibility and accountability to the church. Verse 18 you have a responsibility and accountability to the Lord. Verse 19 to hold faith in a pure conscience and now you have a responsibility and accountability to deal with the enemy and I give you the legs. The example what I did to them. Your to do the rest of those who corrupt the church with. In an unholy. Now let's look at verse 19 and see what he says about them. He calls them some some there the same as the certain ones of verses three, six and seven.

They were some pastors at the church at Ephesus and perhaps surrounding churches who were teaching falsely but these pastors which some which refers to a good conscience were not interested in a pure conscience when I tell you bad theology always rises out of bad morals. A man's doctrine is always an accommodation to his morality, and when people reject the truth of the word of God.

They do it because they want to substitute a system which accommodates their desire for sin.

So there are some who have no interest in a good conscience their not at all interested in the in fact, which some, having put away. Have put away that word both that oh my very strong word means to violently reject it means to to discard aggressively. They don't want anything to do with it on a pure conscience they want to live for holiness. They don't want to live for purity. They want to look for their own lost their own's success their own gratification and as a result, when they throw away a good conscience.

They ship wrecked the faith. It's like throwing away the runner you're at the mercy of the wind and the sea. They confess to be Christians and pastors and teachers of God's law, but with no interest in purity, no commitment to holiness.

They are literally devoid of any truth. They ship wrecked the truth because truth does not rise out of an immoral part no evil conscience and error. Always go together in second Timothy two we find a note that should be compared with this.

It says there word. These kinds of people eats like gangrene. It kills of whom are Hymenaeus. Here is mentioned again and this time another fellow for leaders who concerning the truth have erred have erred, and then in verse 19 it says let everyone the names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

So we see error in iniquity again these men of their don't you wear so depart from iniquity with the foundation out of which error comes the soil out of which error grows is the soil of one holiness so these men were not interested in a good conscience. They were interested in evil and so they threw the rudder away which is the conscience that gives guidance and they were at the mercy of the wind and the sea and the ship wrecked the faith it names them for all time Hymenaeus was also mentioned as I read in second Timothy 217. We don't know anything about me just mention twice. The other one is Alexander.

There is an Alexander mentioned in second Timothy 414 and 15. There is an Alexander mentioned in acts 1933 and 34. There is no reason to believe they are the same because the name was as common as the name John is today a very very common name. What we have here then are two pastors, self-righteous egotist who wanted to be prominent teachers of the law but didn't know anything about.

They were what they were speaking of substituting myths and genealogies in fables and human reason for God's revelation of living ugly.

The ungodly lives and pauses. I put them out, and that's the pattern. Timothy, if you're going to be a good soldier in the noble warfare you understand your obligation to the church you understand your obligation to the Lord. I do understand your obligation to deal with the enemy. Now when he says, whom I have delivered him to Satan he means.

I put them out of the church. I put them out. I put those sitting people away from the protection and installation of God's people. I put them in the domain of the devil away from the influences of all that is good and godly. Why, that they may learn that you can't blaspheme and get away with it and the word learn pie duo is to train through punishment to train through punishment.

It's a very significant word is used in Luke 23 verses 16 and 22 it's translated chastisement speaks about the scourging's were given.

Christ is to train or to punish someone with the inflicting of physical blows in second Corinthians 11.

You know that familiar passage, Paul talks about the first Corinthians 11. Rather, the communion service and how some were weak and sickly, and some slept, and he says when we are jives when the Lord takes our life. When he lets the devil kill us or make us sick. We are chastened of the Lord.

That's that same word we are train through suffering.

Just like you have to train a child with physical pain and that's what is going to happen to these people. That word is is used repeatedly in the New Testament to speak of training through punishment training through suffering, it's used in second Corinthians 69 it says as chastened and yet not killed. In other words, the we we get be around physically although short of death again indicating its use.

That way in Hebrews 12. It's used in verse six, seven, 10 when the Lord chasing seat. He chastens through punishment suffering. Another point is this, you cannot see this word that they may learn without understanding that it carries the idea of physically inflicted punishment. I don't know what disease they got. I don't know what disaster came into their life.

I don't know whether it meant their death but they were turned over to Satan to be punished as a lesson that you can't blaspheme a lesson to them in a lesson to everyone.

Everybody blaspheme means to slander God the ridicule God, to blaspheme the worthy name by which are called James 27 says in the last days second Timothy 32 says there will be blasphemers but blasphemers.

Those who ridicule God and slander God are in grave danger to what you mean by that anything that you do the disobeys God is blasphemy anything you say. That speaks evil against God is blasphemy and any blasphemy needs discipline and you or I or anyone who does something against the will and the purpose of God who acts in an unholy way, who slanders God's character.

Slander is God's person or who denies or disobeys God's word is a blasphemer, to 1° or another, and therefore susceptible to having to be taught through physically inflicted punishment such lessons as might be necessary to call us away from that.

So there are those who by God's sovereign design are turned over to Satan and God has a positive purpose in mind. There are those who under the sovereignty of God and by the direction of the church are turned over to Satan and God has a negative in mind the inflicting of severe punishment for the sake of ultimate final and eternal judgment, or for the sake of temporal chastisement. In either case they might learn the consequence of blasphemy and blasphemy. I say again is any disobedience or any slander or rejection of the person and will of God several things to remember. Then as we sum it up, to be delivered to Satan may be for God's sake, like Job, for God's sake, for God to make his point. It may be for my own sake. Like Paul, but I maybe maintain humility and dependence. It may be for others sake like Peter that I might be able to instruct others it may be, for the sake of God's desire to reward and give a crown of life. It may be to produce great praise when such is over, but on the other head, it may be for chastening sake like in the case of an incestuous brother in Corinth or Ananias is a fire, it may be for chastening sake on to death.

As in the case of the church in Thyatira committing fornication and listening to false doctrine. It may be also for final judgment sake, such as in the case of Saul or Judas are Hymenaeus and Alexander know what is the remedy. What is the how do you avoid the chastening part in the judgment for by receiving the truth and the holiness of God in Christ and that's really the message all that was to lead to this. It may be that God wants to turn me over to St. it may be that for his own purposes. He wants me to suffer some inflicted wounds from Satan, to 1° or another. In one way or another in my life. My only prayer is that will that it will be for his glory and my good and the strengthening and advancing of his kingdom, not for punishment, not for chastening and that if it need be that I have to suffer some messenger of Satan. If I have like Peter to be turned over for a period of time. I can only pray that out of it. God will gain the greater glory and I'll be more faithful servant. And that makes it a welcome turning over if that's God's design as opposed to being turned over to be physically punished for blasphemy.

So as believers we seek to avoid that by the pursuit of a holy life which bound prayer Lord God, we come with parts that have literally been stirred because of what the word has spoken to us today. We know were in a great supernatural warfare and we know that as Christians we belong to you and however you choose to use us as your soldiers. We want to be used whatever loss there might need to be in order that there can be greater gain.

We can accept. But Lord we seek not to be chastened to be turned over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh because of evil doing because of blasphemy against you because we have rejected the holy life to which you've called us and for which you have empowered us in your spirit so Lord God called us to obedience and effect that in us by the power of the spirit draws away from the world and the subtle sins which appear to us to be not sins at all, but are blasphemies against you show those to us. Those secret forms goes presumptuous.

Soon which the psalmist wrote that we might know your hand of blessing. And whatever make an that's John MacArthur helping equip you for spiritual warfare. That's the title of his current study here on grace to you spiritual warfare. John let me ask you a kind of personal question as we wrap up this study. You been a Christian for a long time you grew up in a pastor's home you been yourself a pastor for now you're in your sixth decade of pastoring and so you spent the majority of your life in the church engaged in spiritual warfare and this year of all years, the conflict you've had to face have been more public and more fierce. I think than ever. So let me ask as the spiritual warfare become easier over the years were harder, what's it like, I think there's a sense in which it's harder and there's a sense in which is easier.

It seems to be harder because the culture is so debased the culture is so profoundly evil when I started my ministry. There was a kind of Christian morality that was pervasive in the culture. You could say that though there was a kind of commitment.

Generally speaking, to biblical morality. So in a sense of the battles were easier.

They weren't as fierce and only in the sense that you weren't fighting a massive massive overexposure to wretchedness that just literally in both a world in sort of the moral sewage now that it is just overwhelming. You don't even know where to begin. You you don't know how to stop this onslaught. So in that sense, it's a much bigger it's like a global war or did she know he had skirmishes years ago. Vanessa global war, but on the other hand it's easier and it's easier in the sense that I know the word of God better and I can analyze it better. I can see what's coming about.

That's what were trying to do in the middle of all this you know were preaching and writing in and doing articles and blogs, even for secular organizations or saying help us understand all this. So I feel like the battle has become much more intense and much weightier, but at the same time. I know now, the Scripture well enough to apply the right things at the right point and also the third thing I would say is that I have seen God through all these decades and decades and decades. I've seen him work through his providence through his word in his providence, and I have no doubt that he is in charge and I have a lifelong experience of God's overpowering providence accomplishing his will so that I feel excited about the triumph of Christ.

Even in the global character of this sort of pandemic of moral sewage that were all drowning in so my hope is never been brighter and friend before we close. Let me remind you that for the next couple of days. Nearly everything we sell is 25% off the normal price including the MacArthur study Bible to place your order. Contact us today our number here 855 grace or visit our website de TY.org the MacArthur study Bible has 25,000 detailed notes written by John that can help you better understand the historical, cultural and theological context of each passage. This study Bible is available in the new King James new American Standard and English standard version. And again it is currently available at a 25% discount and that includes even the premium whether addition, the sale ends this Friday so order soon, call 855 grace or go to G TY.org and when you visit TTY.org. Make sure you take advantage of the thousands of free resources. You'll find there including daily devotions, our blog and gray screen. That's a continuous broadcast of John's preaching.

We begin in Matthew and go verse by verse through the entire New Testament. The website one more time G TY.org now for John MacArthur on Phil Johnson reminding you to watch grace to you television the Sunday and be here tomorrow when John begins a series on the incredible blessings you have in Christ. New series titled richer than you think. Don't miss the next half hour of unleashing God's truth one verse at a time on grace to