Should a church accept into their membership someone who owns a brothel? Or a bar?
Admittedly, anyone can come to Christ for salvation. A church should welcome sinners, and accept repentant sinners into membership. However, if a person is in a business that promotes sin (adultery, consuming life-altering drugs, etc.) Should the church refuse to offer fellowship to this person? Shouldn't the person get out of the sinful business? Wouldn't his continuing association with the sinful lifestyle have the effect of corrupting the church's membership? (I Cor.15:33)
James 4:4
NKJV - 4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
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Asked February 08 2015
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Peggy Carter
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Jack Gutknecht
This is a very good question, Peggy! My opinion is that the person should get out of the sinful business. If he is allowed to join the church, his continuing association with the sinful lifestyle would have the effect of corrupting the church's membership (I Cor.15:33). I just finished reading the book, Fallen, by Annie Lobert and seeing her video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMyrkXj1kF8 This will convince you, I'm pretty sure, as it did me! Once when someone wanted to have a close relationship with one of my family members, I recall encouraging him to get out of the liquor truck delivery service. He drove one of their trucks. Sure, he was making more money than the rest of us, but encouraging people to drink just leads them to drink to excess, which is wrong. He followed my advice.
Pradeep Ivon
Salvation and kingdom of Lord Jesus is for everyone and we even as a regular church-goer do not know if we are really sinner or righteous in the eyes of God; we are no one to judge others and allow and welcome all to receive the Word of God which can save that person from going into the eternal condemnation reserved for the enemy Satan and his followers. After all even Jesus had fellowship with the so called sinners of the society and he himself said that the doctor's duty is first for the sick and not the healthy people.
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