Harry's point is well-taken.

Too often, the end result of "treating like a tax collector or sinner" or
the 1 Cor. 5 formulation of the same thing is anger toward the erring
person. We are mad at them and I have heard it preached as pretty harsh.
"Treat them like a sinner" is read as "be mean to them and despise them."

I think it means that we are to treat them as unbelievers, because their
actions permit us to conclude that they are not, in fact, converted people.
Thus, we are to speak to them as to unbelievers and deal with them as we
would unbelievers, outsiders to the body. They do not take communion, for
example, but they can come to hear God's word. They can sit in our classes,
but they cannot lead in prayer or teaching.



James W. Allen
jallen@...