Book of 1 Corinthians - Chapter 5 - Verse 5

Paul is instructing the Corinthians to deliver a man who is living in unrepentant sin to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. This harsh-sounding command is actually meant for the man's ultimate good. By removing him from the protection of the church and allowing him to face the consequences of his actions, there is hope that he will come to repentance and be saved in the end. This act of discipline is not meant to harm the individual, but rather to wake him up to the seriousness of his sin and lead him back to God. It is a reminder to all believers that sometimes tough love is necessary for the restoration of a wayward soul. Ultimately, the goal is always redemption and reconciliation, even if the path to get there may be difficult.

When examining the theological interpretation of the verse "To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus," it is essential to understand the context in which the apostle Paul is speaking. In this passage, Paul is addressing a situation of severe sin within the Corinthian church. The phrase "deliver unto Satan" is a form of church discipline, where the individual involved is temporarily removed from the fellowship of believers in the hopes that they will come to repentance and be restored to the church. The aim of this discipline is not to harm the person but rather to bring about their spiritual restoration. "The destruction of the flesh" likely refers to the suffering and consequences that the individual may face as a result of their sin, with the ultimate goal being that their spirit will be saved on the day of judgment when Jesus returns. This verse highlights the seriousness of addressing sin within the church community and the importance of discipline for the purpose of restoration and redemption.