Resetting to True North: Purge the Evil From Among You
Each Wednesday, we take a moment to pause midweek—to recalibrate our hearts, refocus our direction, and realign with our True North: Christ. Whether the week has brought distraction, discouragement, or drift, this is a space to slow down and reset as we walk His Path, Daily.
Still reading through Deuteronomy this week, and I
came across a large section where we hear GOD repeatedly calling His people to:
“Purge the evil from your midst.”
In fact, that phrase appears nearly ten times in the
book.
Admittedly, it can be hard to read at times—but it’s an important reminder for
us to meditate on occasionally: That’s how serious sin is.
It’s not a “struggle,” not a “weakness,” and certainly not a “personality
flaw.”
It’s a cancer.
And if someone refuses to repent, they simply cannot be part of Christ.
This isn’t about perfection, as I often say—but it is
about repentance and obedience.
This call echoes all the way into the New Testament. Paul,
writing to the Corinthian church, brings it up in 1 Corinthians 5:
“I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with
sexually immoral people—
not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and
swindlers, or idolaters,
since then you would need to go out of the world.
But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name
of brother
if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler,
drunkard, or swindler—
not even to eat with such a one.
For what have I to do with judging outsiders?
Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge?
God judges those outside.
“Purge the evil person from among you.”
— 1 Corinthians 5:9–13 (ESV)
What I love about this passage, even in its smaller context,
is that it highlights a truth we often miss:
This is about family cleanup—not fixing the world.
As Paul points out, if we were supposed to avoid every
sinner completely, we’d need to leave the planet.
Church Discipline: Not Rejection, But Rescue
Unrepentant sin must be dealt with. That’s part of the discipline
and health of the body.
In fact, this ties directly to the practice of church
discipline—which may not seem loving, but in reality, it’s the
most loving thing the church can do. Its purpose isn’t to condemn, but to restore.
“...you are to deliver this man to Satan for the
destruction of the flesh,
so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.”
— 1 Corinthians 5:5 (ESV)
That verse is often misread—but it’s critical. The goal is
always restoration.
We don’t cast someone out without hope.
We pray that, by separating them from the church, the discipline will awaken
their need to repent and be restored.
Until then, the evil must be removed.
But for those in Christ, there’s hope.
Christ Did the Greater Purge
What better time to reflect on this than Holy Week?
We may spend a lifetime, by the Spirit’s power, fighting
sin—daily working to "purge the evil" from our hearts. But CHRIST…
oh perfect and matchless CHRIST… has done the ultimate purge.
As we ponder the events of this week—from the weight of Good
Friday to the joy of Resurrection Sunday—may we never forget the once-for-all
cleansing that Jesus accomplished for His people.
We no longer look in the mirror and see sin as our
identity.
We see scars, yes. The battle never feels like it lessens—sometimes we just see
more of it.
But if we are in Christ, we do not fear being purged from His midst.
Why?
Because the Father now looks at us through the lens of atonement.
A crimson-red grace has washed us clean.
Christ has purged the evil from our midst.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
We are an Easter People—all year long.
So fight sin.
Hate sin.
Take warning from those who claim His name but walk in unrepentance.
Understand why it must be purged…
…but never forget:
In Christ, it is purged.
Celebrate Church!
~His,
Matt
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