2 Corinthians 2:7

"Now it is time to forgive him and comfort him. Otherwise he may become so discouraged that he won't be able to recover." (NLT)

Last time I talked about how God turns unreprentant sinners over to their sins. And how 1 Corinthians 5:5 says we should do the same. But this is not where it ends. We are not to abandon, shun or turn our backs on them. Paul makes it clear that if we were to do so, we'd be turning our backs on the world:

"When I wrote to you before, I told you not to associate with people who induldge in sexual sin. But I wasn't talking about unbelievers who induldge in sexual sin, or who are greedy or are swindlers or idol worshipers. You wouuld have to leave this world to avoid people like that. What I meant was that you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a Christian yet induldges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or adrunkard, or a swindler."n 1 Corinthians 5:9-11 (NLT)

As long as the unrepentant sinner is not claiming to be a Christian, we are to be involved with them. And once they show they repent their sin, we are to forgiven them and comfort them.

We are all sinners. Christians don't reject or exclude anyone because they have sinned. However, a mark of a Christian is the desire to change by turning away from sin. Someone who is sinning, and celebrating their sin, is not a Christian. They have not turned from their sin, and thus their sin keeps them separated from God and the church.

A person who sins, but is struggling and working to overcome that sin, and who has accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior, is a Christian--and that person needs the support of good, Christian fellowship (church) to encourage and comfort them.