…holding on
to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered
shipwreck with regard to the faith. Among them are Hymenaeus and
Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme. 1
Timothy 1:19-20
In
Timothy’s church, apparently two individuals continued to push blasphemies (and
rejecting truth) so Paul saw it fit to kick them out of the church to protect
the others. By doing so, he cut off
Hymenaeus and Alexander from the protection and love the church offered
others. No longer could they hear the
truth until they decided they were wrong and repented.
Putting
someone outside the fellowship of the church makes them vulnerable to satanic
attacks and pushes them further from God for the purpose of getting them to
turn their lives around and return to God.
This is called “tough love,” hurting someone for loving reasons.
Leadership
has to do this to people so they can come home to God. It’s hard and not easily pursued, but
necessary to protect those they could influence and for the sake of the
blasphemers’ souls.