The Hope for the Separated and the Excommunicated Who Were No Longer Be Accepted Back to the Church According to the Bible

Disclaimer: This article is based from the topic outlines prepared by the MCGI presiding minister Bro. Eliseo F.
Soriano, as presented orally by him and other appointed ministers to the members, usually in Tagalog dialect, though sometimes other languages are used.As they deliver the topic, I do note taking, writing the details, then reconstruct my words, hence I make this kind of written discourse. Though the words used to construct the texts (except Bible verses and quoted statements) are my composition, the ideas presented here are not mine, which I believe came from Bro. Eli (in the same manner, he will say that these ideas are not his own but from the Spirit teaching him).

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We shall know first the nature of "excommunication" It's from the Greek word exairō, pronounced as ex-ah'ee-ro, to remove: - put (take) away. But the question is, are they already sentenced on hell, or are they absolutely hopeless? Contrary to the common misconception of the people, we shall find out if those that are separated and the excommunicated still have a remaining hope for the Judgment day.

It is indeed a Christian practice of putting away the wicked person or pagtitiwalag. Let's read I Corinthians 5:11-13, "But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person." It is not true that Christians should not judge his fellow servant, but like what the verse had said, putting away the wicked person from among ourselves is judgment already. Another term for excommunication is rejection, which is done for those who repeatedly commit offence despite of reprimanding them. Let's read Titus 3:10, "A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;" Heretic as translated in Tagalog, taong may maling pananampalataya, but in other translations, they are schismatic, those who stirs up divisions. However, we should know that personal offences done by other brethren ALONE is NOT enough to be a ground for excommunication, but you have to forgive him always. Let's read Matthew 18:21-22, "Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven." However, there are sins that leads unto death, which differentiates from the ones sinning not unto death. Let's read I John 5:16, "If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it." An example of sins leading unto death (no forgiveness for those) is blasphemy against the Holy Ghost or the Holy Spirit in other translations. Let's read Mat 12:31-32, "Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come." Another one is willfully sinning (intentional) after receiving the knowledge of the truth, in which St. Paul's example is willful disregard to assemblies and gatherings. Let's read Hebrews 10:26-27, "For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries."

Now, we shall know what kind of congregations (Churches) are those that does not practice excommunication and if ever they excommunicate, later on they will accept them back. Let's read I Corinthians 15:33, "Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners." No wonder how they are corrupted for they don't remove from themselves those who was causing them to corrupt, for they letting themselves being deceived by evil communications. Take note that NOT ALL the times we should let ourselves being deceived, as written in I Corinthians 6:7, but if those persons will start speaking things against the Gospel which the Holy Spirit preaches to the preacher appointed by God, we should not let them stay inside and to reject them so that they will not progressively corrupt the congregation. Let's read I Corinthians 5:7-8, "Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." We sould not tolerate those who were continually walking in malice and wickedness, or else, we will be those who are having a reprobate mind, having not God in our knowledge. Let's read Romans 1:32, "Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them." Being a congregation/Church different from outside, we should not have pleasure with those commit things worthy of death, but to reject them from us.

The question is, are those persons hopeless at the Judgment Day? Let's read again I Corinthians 5:13, "But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person." We should notice that we simply put those persons apart from us, and at that moment he was separated / excommunicated, it is now God who will judge for him. We don't have the priviledge to judge that person now (which will happen in the Judgment Day), but it is in His discretion whether that person deserves to be in hell or not, so that person still have hope, only if God will have mercy for him. To prove that those persons are not hopeless to attain salvation, let's read II Timothy 1:16-18, "The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain: But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me. The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well." St. Paul shoudn't say that if Onesiphorus was already condemned to damnation, for he shouldn't be praying for those who sin unto death. The Lord may give mercy unto him in that day and whatever His decision will be the authority, for it is not our responsibilty in judging another's servant. Let's read Romans 14:4, "Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand." The Lord will be the one who will bring to light (to reveal) whatever that person had done. Let's read I Corinthians 4:5-6, "Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another."

Here are the further proofs that hope is possible for an excommunicated brethren in the Church who being outside the congregation shall be judged by God. Let's read Hebrews 6:4-6, "For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame." It's up for them to intensify their offences, but it doesn't mean that they can no longer have hope in that Day. But for those who refuses to repent (admitting their mistakes but not necessarily forgiving them) doesn't have any chance of obtaining hope, but are expecting tribulation. Let's read Revelations 2:18-22, "And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass; I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first. Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds." Nonetheless, having mercy can save them from being condemned by God. Let's read James 2:13, "For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment." This shows that hope is not really absent for them, but if they really wanted to be saved, they must be able to show mercy so that He will be able to show them mercy in that Day. However, if they will not cease from sinning and even progress in an ever downward spiral, what hope can they expect? Where will the blasphemers and heretics of the Gospel will be?

As for the conclusion regarding this matter, excommunicated or separated brethren can still obtain hope in the Judgment Day if God will have mercy for them. But they cannot expect mercy from Him if they will continue in doing things He hates, especially the unmerciful ones and those who are having hatred with the Lord despite of their wrongdoings they committed, which instead of hope they will expect for a fearful and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries (Hebrews 10:27).