What does it mean to be handed over to Satan (1 Corinthians 5:5)?

(Vv. 3-5). The Apostle proceeds to give them definite directions how to act in a proved case of public wickedness. He was absent in body but present in spirit, and had already judged as present, that when gathered together, according to the directions given by apostolic authority, and with the power of the Lord Jesus Christ, to act in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, by delivering “such an one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus”. It is well to note carefully these directions and what they involve.

“When ye are gathered together” supposes the assembly in its normal condition, composed of all the saints in the locality, acting in the spirit which energised the Apostle, and the power of the Lord Jesus with them. Gathered thus they would act as representing the Lord Jesus Christ in delivering such an one to Satan. This further supposes that outside the assembly there is the world dominated by Satan. The offender had behaved in such a way that he had proved himself unfit for the presence of the Lord, so was delivered over to Satan's sphere — outside the assembly. Even so, he was not looked at as an unbeliever, for it was for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

But here we come to a remarkable sample of God's power over the evil, nay of His use of it to fulfil His own holy purposes. The man is to be delivered to Satan for the destruction of the flesh. He is put into the hands of the adversary, who can now show himself plainly as the adversary that he always is. He can serve himself no longer by the sin of one who has been expelled from the Christian assembly. He has, therefore, nothing that he can do except to manifest his enmity against one who has borne the name of Christ, perhaps with the thought of driving him to despair by that which falls upon him, or, as in Job's case (one, of course, so different in himself from the person before us now), urge him into railing against God Himself. God uses him, on the other hand, that in the destruction of the flesh the spirit may yet be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. This is a principle which we find afterwards noted in His dealings with the Corinthians themselves, of whom, for the dishonor of the Lord's table, there were many who were weak and sickly, and many who slept. The apostle adds: "For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged; but when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world." God must manifest Himself against the sin; and if it is not to be eternally, it must be now in time; except indeed self-judgment come in, as he tells us here: "If we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged."

If any would inquire as to what is meant by the "destruction of the flesh" in 1 Cor. 5:5, it is not the body that is referred to, but the evil moral principle that is connected with the body in us all. "Delivering to Satan," as in 1 Cor. 5:5 and 1 Tim. 1:20 is apostolic action; in the first case operating in conjunction with the assembly and in the second apart from the assembly altogether. The evil persons in question, having failed to learn their lessons in God's gracious school, had to be broken and humbled by Satan's cruel instrumentality. Divine discipline in all its forms is a deeply serious matter, but always with ultimate blessing in view, "that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus."

But if a Christian incurs by his behaviour the designation of a "wicked person," and is as such cast forth from God's assembly, and "delivered unto Satan," he is not surrendered to the power of darkness, nor abandoned by the Lord who has redeemed him for Himself. With a stern yet loving severity he is handed over to the prince of this world, as God's instrument "for the destruction of the flesh." The apostle's language is general, and we need not seek for its further historical elucidation.7 Morally its force is this: Satan, as we know from Scripture, is the willing inflictor of personal distresses of all kinds, including even bodily death; but at the discretion of Him who, as it respects His saints, has already wrested from him the power of death. He torments men with remorse after having successfully incited them to sin. He plagues, moreover, the bodies, and corrupts the substance of God's chosen, when He sees fit to heat the furnace of affliction to an extraordinary pitch, for the eventual benefit of their souls.8

Church discipline, then, if administered as an act of faith and obedience, will never fail to bring upon its subject (if a real Christian) its proper and positive effects.9 The chief of these is sorrow of mind; the dreadful consciousness of being at a distance from the Lord, and under His immediate displeasure. This feeling (the needful precursor of genuine repentance) may be produced instrumentally by any of the numerous methods which divine wisdom may see fit to employ, or allow Satan to use, for humbling and weakening the native energy of the will. Having transgressed through wilfulness, the offender has to learn against his will, that the way of transgressors is hard. But the way of man is not the end of the Lord. His name is Saviour, and those whom He once loves He loves unto the end. In His own day He will be supreme in the sovereign assertion of His grace.1

The apostle had delivered up two persons of this character to Satan, that is to say, outwardly. Though already deceived by him, they were not under his dominion as having power to torment them and make them suffer. In the assembly, Satan has no power of that kind. It is protected by God and by the power of Christ. Satan can tempt us individually; but he has no right over the members of the assembly as such. They are within, and, weak as they may be, Satan cannot enter there. They may be delivered to him for their good. God dwells in the assembly as His house, by the Spirit. Without is the world of which Satan is the prince. The apostle (by the power bestowed on him, for it is an act of positive power) delivered these two men into the power of the enemy — deprived them of the shelter they had enjoyed. They must be made to feel what he was to whom they had given ear. God thus made use of Satan himself as a rod for the good of His rebellious children. Satan should instruct them through the pains he would make them suffer — in order that their will might be broken and they brought into subjection to God. The love of God can order all things for the purpose of delivering a soul and bringing it to Himself."

The apostle had delivered up two persons of this character to Satan — that is to say, outwardly. Though already deceived by him, they were not under his dominion as having power to torment and make them suffer. For in the assembly (when in its normal state) Satan has no power of that kind. It is guarded from it, being the dwelling place of the Holy Ghost, and protected by God and by the power of Christ. Satan can tempt us individually; but he has no right over the members of the assembly as such. They are within, and, weak as they may be, Satan cannot enter there. They may be delivered to him for their good. This may take place at all times — witness the history of Job. But the assembly ought to have the knowledge, and be the guardian and instrument of the accomplishment of the dealings of God with His own. Within the assembly is the Holy Ghost; God dwells in it as His house by the Spirit. Without is the world of which Satan is the prince. The apostle (by the power bestowed on him, for it is an act of positive power) delivered these two men into the power of the enemy — deprived them of the shelter they had enjoyed. They had listened to the enemy — had been his instruments. It was not in the assembly, with members of Christ, that this should have taken place. They must be made to feel what he was to whom they had given ear. God thus made use of Satan himself as a rod for the good of His rebellious children. Satan should instruct them, through the pains he would make them suffer, of whatever kind it might be, whether anguish of soul or of body, and the latter is the immediate effect, in order that their will might be broken and brought into subjection to God. Solemn discipline! Marvellous power in the hands of man! but a proof that the love of God can order all things for the purpose of delivering a soul and bringing it to Himself.

Let me add that delivering to Satan is an act of power; putting out a wicked person is a duty attached to the faithfulness of the assembly. No doubt exclusion from the assembly of God is a very serious thing, and leaves us exposed to sorrow and just trouble of heart, and that from the enemy: but direct delivering to Satan is the act of positive power. It was done in Job's case for his good. It was done by Paul in 1 Corinthians 5, though acting in the gathered assembly, for the destruction of the flesh; and again, without reference to the assembly, in 1 Timothy 1, as to Hymenaeus and Alexander, that they might learn not to blaspheme. All discipline is for the correction of the individual, though to maintain withal the holiness of the house of God, and clear the consciences of the saints themselves.

The case to which you refer in 1 Corinthians 5 illustrates the nature and object of Church discipline. The man was put away from the assembly where the Holy Spirit ruled and delivered over to Satan, not that he might be lost, but “that his spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” In the Second Epistle he is restored to the fellowship of the Church. We believe, most assuredly, that every assembly of Christians is solemnly bound to exercise discipline and put away evil from their midst. If they refuse to do so, they are not on the ground of the Church of God at all. We are most thankful for the blessing you have received through our pages. To God alone be all the praise! Continue to pray for us.

In 1 Timothy 1:20 the apostle delivers Hymenaeus and Alexander to Satan. It sets forth an act of solemn discipline by direct apostolic power. In 1 Corinthians 5 the assembly at Corinth is commanded to deliver the evil doer to Satan for the destruction of the flesh. In both cases we take it to be an act of discipline. A person put out of the assembly where the Holy Spirit ruled, was handed over to the power of Satan so that his flesh might be thoroughly judged and crushed — serious but needed work! May we learn, dear friend, to judge ourselves in secret before our God, so the assembly may not have to deal with us. If the roots of evil are judged in private, the fruit will not appear above the surface of our practical life.

"To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the name of the Lord Jesus" (1 Cor. 5:5).

One might have imagined that to be delivered to Satan would mean the ruin, soul and body, of the unfortunate man. But here it is definitely stated, that it was for the object of "the destruction of the flesh," and for his ultimate salvation. Satan may surely overshoot the mark in his hatred against God and His people, and bring about just the opposite of what he desires, and be the instrument in God's hand of great blessing for God's people.

Excommunication was a fearful thing in those days. The “within” was the sphere where God was known, and whence the light of His truth radiated. The “without” meant the world of paganism and Judaism, Satan’s sphere. One might have thought the excommunication of this sinning saint would have been for his destruction. But, no, it was for the destruction of the flesh. It was that his spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. The discipline of the house of God is for the blessing and recovery of the one disciplined. Excommunication is a solemn matter at any time, but in apostolic days to be outside the assembly of God upon earth was to be outside everything Christian, and to be thrown into Satan’s sphere. That the discipline of the Lord, which may come in connection with assembly discipline, is for ultimate blessing, is plainly taught in Scripture. We read: