Paul made an important distinction for us. He said those outside the Church should not be the object of our judgment. He said, “It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning. God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, ‘You must remove the evil person from among you'” (I Corinthians 5: 12-13).

In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul described those people as spiritually confused, “Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him” (Ephesians 4: 18).

Those who are living outside of Christ will not follow the leading of the Spirit doing things not approved by the Lord. It is our responsibility to judge those within the Church who are confusing people by living a compromised life, not the other way around. 

Paul warned his readers as they differentiated between a believer and a non-believer, “Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people” (vs. 3). He also said, “Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins” (vs. 6). Some within the Church today are issuing confusing messages that lack clarity under the guise of inclusion. That confusion thins the line between sin and righteousness so much that it blurs the message.

As the light of God’s truth illuminates evil, an awakening will occur in our thinking. That awakening will reflect a resurrection from a dead way of thinking, “Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” (vs. 14). The light of revelation always follows an awakening.

A resurrection of our thinking will clarify the difference between the life of a believer and the unrestrained life of sin represented by a non-believer. That difference will help us clarify our response to those who do not yet know the Lord and challenge those within the Church who have slipped into a confusing season where they are representing a compromised life.

It is in that place of separation where our message and our advocacy will become clear. It will also keep us from getting angry at those outside the Church who do not yet know what a Spirit-led life looks like.