The Reality of Extortion and Sin in the Church

The Reality of Extortion and Sin in the Church

The Apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 5:11, instructs believers to avoid fellowship with those who claim to be Christians yet habitually engage in certain sins, including fornication, covetousness, idolatry, railing, drunkenness, and extortion. While these sins are often associated with overt immorality, many believers today may not recognize how they can manifest within the modern church setting.

The Two Interpretations of Avoidance

There are two primary ways to interpret Paul’s command regarding separation from sinful believers:

1. Avoiding a believer who is actively committing the sin at the moment.

1. Avoiding a believer who habitually engages in the sin, whether daily, weekly, or periodically, without repentance.

A one-time act of sin does not necessarily warrant full separation, but habitual and unrepentant sin—even if occasional—places one under the category Paul warns about.

Fornication in Different Forms

Fornication, in biblical terms, refers to any form of sexual immorality. However, its application can vary:

- A person diagnosed with an STD due to past fornication.

- Someone who once engaged with a harlot but has since repented.

- A person who watches pornography regularly but does not engage in physical sexual immorality.

- An individual cohabiting with a partner outside of marriage.

- A person who has a mistress.

- A believer who has repented of physical fornication but still struggles with pornography.

The key distinction is whether the individual is living in unrepentant sin or actively striving against it.

Drunkenness: A Sin Overlooked in the Church

Drunkenness is one of the sins listed in 1 Corinthians 5:11, yet it is often overlooked or excused in church settings. While most believers recognize that drunkenness is sinful, the application of Paul's command to avoid a "drunkard" can be complex.

What Defines a Drunkard?

The Bible warns against drunkenness repeatedly, but there are two primary ways to interpret what it means to be a "drunkard":

1. Avoiding a believer who is actively drunk in the moment. If a person is visibly intoxicated and engaging in sinful behavior while under the influence, some interpret Paul's command as a directive to separate from them during those times.

1. Avoiding a believer who habitually engages in drunkenness. A person who regularly consumes excessive alcohol without repentance—whether weekly, monthly, or in patterns of binge drinking—falls under the biblical category of a "drunkard."

Biblical Warnings Against Drunkenness

Several verses highlight the dangers of drunkenness:

- Ephesians 5:18 - "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit."

- Proverbs 20:1 - "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise."

- Galatians 5:21 - Drunkenness is listed among the "works of the flesh" that prevent one from inheriting the kingdom of God.

The Social and Spiritual Consequences of Drunkenness

- Impairs Judgment - Alcohol weakens self-control and can lead to sinful decisions.

- Damages Testimony - A believer who frequently drinks excessively may cause others to stumble and bring dishonor to Christ.

- Creates Dependency - Drunkenness is often tied to addiction, which can enslave a person physically and spiritually.

How Should the Church Respond?

While Paul instructs believers to separate from unrepentant drunkards, the goal should always be restoration rather than mere exclusion. If a believer struggles with alcohol but seeks help and repents, the church should support their recovery rather than cast them out.

The Overlooked Sin of Extortion in the Church

While fornication and drunkenness are frequently addressed, extortion is often ignored in modern church discussions. Extortion is not limited to financial corruption but can manifest in manipulative, coercive behaviors within church leadership and congregational dynamics.

Subtle Forms of Church Extortion

- Spiritual Blackmail: Leaders who know of a member’s past sins or struggles may use this knowledge to manipulate them into obedience, tithing, or servitude.

- Social Pressure: Members may be indirectly coerced to fit in, contribute financially, and work voluntarily through the fear of exclusion or disapproval.

- Guilt-Based Giving: Churches may push members into tithing or sacrificial service using spiritual manipulation, claiming that failure to do so demonstrates a lack of faith.

- Abuse of Authority: Leaders may demand blind obedience, equating questioning leadership with rebellion against God.

- Prosperity Gospel Extortion: Promises of financial blessings in exchange for greater donations create a transactional, manipulative relationship between giving and spiritual reward.

- Withholding Peace and Community: Those who resist unbiblical pressures may find themselves subtly or openly ostracized.

The Social Consequences of Applying 1 Corinthians 5:11

Paul’s command presents a real-world challenge—avoiding all believers who struggle with these sins could leave few, if any, members in the church. Many believers may unknowingly be involved in one of these sins, and if one were to strictly avoid all such individuals, they might find themselves without a church community at all.

However, Paul’s instruction is not about perfection but about unrepentance. The key issue is not whether someone struggles with sin but whether they live in sin without repentance.

A balanced approach involves:

- Avoiding hypocrisy—judging one sin while tolerating another.

- Recognizing that believers struggle with sin, but repentance and growth distinguish the faithful from the disobedient.

- Holding leaders accountable to prevent spiritual extortion and manipulation.

Leaving the Institutional Church: A Better Path?

For many believers, the best way to address the corruption, manipulation, and extortion found in modern churches may be to leave the institutional church entirely. The traditional church system, with its hierarchical leadership, financial pressures, and social control, has often proven to be a failed project that does not reflect the true body of Christ. Instead of participating in structured church organizations, believers can seek fellowship in more biblical ways.

Meeting Outside the Church System

Rather than attending a conventional church, believers may find true Christian fellowship through:

- House churches – Small gatherings of believers in private homes, free from institutional control.

- Underground churches – Secret fellowships where Christians can meet without government or denominational oversight.

- One-on-one discipleship – Simply meeting with another believer in Christ for prayer, study, and encouragement.

The Need for Hidden Meetings

In some cases, believers have found that hidden gatherings are the safest and most spiritually free way to meet. Some strategies include:

- No electronic devices allowed – To prevent surveillance, meetings can be conducted without phones, computers, or other trackable technology.

- Dead drop locations – Instead of announcing meeting places in advance, secret locations can be shared via indirect means.

- Constantly changing meeting spots – Never meeting in the same place twice can help avoid infiltration by spies or disruptive individuals.

Why Avoiding the Church System Matters

- The modern church is often compromised by financial greed, false doctrine, and government influence.

- Many churches enforce legalism and control, rather than true Christian liberty.

- By stepping away from organized religion, believers can focus on Christ alone, rather than institutional expectations.

For those who desire true Christian fellowship, abandoning the church system does not mean abandoning the faith. Instead, it allows believers to worship freely and avoid the corruption that has infiltrated much of organized Christianity.

The Church's Judgment vs. God's Judgment

Paul is not saying a believer is a drunkard, idolater, or fornicator in a spiritual sense—only that if someone outwardly engages in such behavior, the church should treat them accordingly for discipline.

- A saved believer is not connected to sin in their identity, even if they sin.

- This is about the church’s judgment and purity, not the believer’s standing before God.

- A believer who drinks is not a drunkard in God's eyes, even if the church disciplines him for his actions.

Paul's instruction in 1 Corinthians 5:11 is meant for the practical function of the church, not to define a believer’s eternal identity.

Conclusion

1 Corinthians 5:11 serves as a warning against normalizing sin within the church. However, its application must be discerning and consistent—aimed at those who live in sin without repentance, rather than those who struggle but seek righteousness. Among the most overlooked sins, extortion remains a silent but powerful force in many church structures, often keeping believers in spiritual, financial, or emotional bondage.

While church discipline should be exercised with wisdom and fairness, grace must be extended to those who genuinely repent. Blindly avoiding people based on outward appearances while tolerating hidden, manipulative sins creates hypocrisy and division. The goal is to uphold biblical holiness while offering true restoration to those who seek to walk in Christ’s ways.