1. “That we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21).
The result of God’s judgment of Christ on the cross is that all those who believe into Him are justified by God. God made Christ sin on the cross so that we might become the righteousness of God in Christ. This not only justifies us before God but also makes us the righteousness of God in Christ. We were sin and should have been judged; now we are the righteousness of God in Christ. We are completely justified according to God’s righteous requirement. We will no longer be judged by God for our sin, and we are completely pleasing to God.
2. “He who believes into Him is not condemned”; “Does not come into judgment” (John 3:18; 5:24).
Since God caused Christ to bear our sins on the cross and to be condemned on our behalf, receiving God’s judgment on our behalf, He will not condemn or judge those who have believed into Christ. God cannot condemn or judge us twice, because He is righteous. Since He condemned and judged us in Christ, He cannot condemn or judge us again. Since Christ bore God’s righteous judgment for us, fulfilling His righteousness and satisfying His righteous requirement, according to God’s righteousness, we cannot be judged by Him again. We can no longer be condemned or judged by God for the sins that we committed prior to our salvation.
God’s second judgment on man is in His church. After Christ bore God’s judgment on the cross, He rose from the dead, ascended, and poured out the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit was poured out, the church was produced. From the time of the church’s existence, there has been judgment in the church. God’s judgment on the cross is one kind of judgment, and His judgment within the church is another kind of judgment.
God’s judgment in the church is called the judgment of the church because it is carried out through the church on sinning believers. Most people are unaware of this matter, and most believers ignore this matter. This judgment, however, is an important link in God’s government, and it is also a part of God’s government in the church. If we want to understand God’s government and live within the church, we cannot be ignorant of this judgment.
1. “The one who has done this deed might be removed from your midst” (1 Cor. 5:2).
The church’s judgment against sinning believers occurs whenever it is needed. Whenever there is a sinning believer, the church should judge him without delay. In the early days there was a sinning believer in the church in Corinth, but the church did not judge him. The apostle Paul had to rebuke them for not removing the one who committed the deed of fornication and for not judging him. Whenever there is a sinful believer in the church, the church should judge him without delay.
1. “Be removed from your midst” (1 Cor. 5:2).
The church’s judgment upon sinning believers is within the local church. It does not need to be taken to the apostle or even to another local church. In the early days the apostle commanded the church in Corinth to judge the sinning brother by judging him themselves, that is, by judging him within their own local church. This shows that the judgment of sinning believers is within a local church.
1. “Do you not judge those who are within the church?” (1 Cor. 5:12).
The apostle told the church in Corinth to judge the sinning brother among them. Therefore, concerning the judgment of sinning believers, the church that judges is the local church. This judgment is carried out by the local church. It is not carried out by the apostle, by other people, or by another group.
1. “Now I have written to you not to mingle with anyone who is called a brother, if he is a fornicator or a covetous man or an idolater or a reviler or a drunkard or a rapacious man, with such a one not even to eat” (1 Cor. 5:11).
When the church judges sinning believers, the church judges believers who commit blatant sins and refuse to repent. The apostle spoke of those who are called brothers (in the house of God even sisters are brothers) being fornicators, covetous, idolaters, revilers, or being drunken or rapacious. With such ones we are not even to eat. This is to judge and separate ourselves from them. The six sins that the apostle lists are very offensive to God and man. They are blatant and immoral. With the exception of idolatry, even unbelieving Gentiles condemn these sins. Therefore, any brother or sister who commits any of these sins and who refuses to repent should be judged by the church and removed from the church. The church must judge such a one by removing him in order to avoid corruption inwardly and to care for the church’s name outwardly.