"Deliver such a one to Satan"

In Paul's letter to the Corinthians 1:5:1-13, he writes concerning a man in their church "that has his Father's wife."  He instructs the church to "deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh."  How exactly is this to be done?   The usual understanding seems to be that this speaks of a kind of excommunication, that is, removal from the Church in some way.  I'm not sure how the removal is carried out, but Paul does go on to say "not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral..." and "put away from you the evil person."  

The church was addressing the sin.  Pride is usually the reason—not wanting to admit something is wrong.  The exact nature of the man's sin is not completely clear, but I have thought the man’s father was still living and married to the stepmom, for would there need to be a mention of the stepmom, if it was just a matter of fornication (if the father was dead or divorced from her)? Either she’s still married to the father, or it’s just wrong to marry a stepmom. The Old Testament did stipulate against seeing the nakedness of a father’s wife.  But the mention of the stepmom seems to suggest the action is doubly wrong because of both adultery and the OT stipulations:  he’s not only committing adultery, but with his stepmom!

This is a bad testimony, and it needs to be dealt with by the Church.  Here we have judgment that is to be exercised.  This is not judging motives, but the actual act.

A little leaven affects the whole lump of dough.  Whether leaven signifies sin or not, it signifies how something can affect everything.  This sin will affect the progress of the church: a lowering of standards and a bad witness.

The delivering unto Satan is a curious phrase.  Connected to this is the destruction of the flesh.  Does this mean believers have a hedge built around them?  I don’t know.  Does this mean God will allow Satan to do more than usual to afflict?  Do Church elders pray that God will allow Satan to afflict more than usual?  I think it may signify that the church is to give the person up to pursue their destructive course.  “Satan” signifies this destructive course.  Romans 1 comes to mind in which God gives people up to their thinking and actions, and the result is they will receive in themselves the consequences:  "God gave them up to uncleanness...receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due."  Romans 1:24-27 (1:18-32)

The destruction of the flesh does not have to mean physical death, but it can speak of the consequences for the one who pursues immorality.  The prodigal son is an example of one who suffered the consequences of the life he wanted to pursue, that after it led to his physical suffering, he returned to his father.  Another example is those in 2 Peter 2:20-22 who return to the former immorality—it is worse for them the second time.  The aim in giving them up is that through the physical consequences, they will come to their senses and want to get right with God, and thus, their “spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.”  See 2 Timothy 2.24-26 where Paul writes of those who "may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil."  To deliver to Satan is to give one up to the snare of the devil, which they have chosen to give themselves over to, and through the destructive consequences, they may come to their senses, Lord willing.  Paul wrote concerning..."Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme." 1 Timothy 1:20

We are to judge those in the church, that is, we are to take corrective action concerning those who continue in a sin without repentance.  With these, our relationship with them has to change, unlike with those who are not saved.  We still love them, and pray for them, but we can’t carry on as nothing is wrong.