I'm reminded of a quote from mathematics:
"For every problem, there's a solution that's simple, elegant, and probably wrong."
Given the number of times I've been told that I'm going to hell, I never believe anyone who seems absolutely certain about where other people are going. I'm certain that god hasn't spoken to those people directly about who's in and who's out. I am also also certain that god's the making the judgement call, and god's not likely to delegate the task to anyone at the Folsom Church.
Karl R,
No one should other people, as far as their everlasting life. Elders within God's congregation do have the authority to judge, people who are in the true faith, not as to their eternal life, but as to their qualification to remain within the congregation, consider what is said at 1Cor 5. It is such a short chapter, you really need to read all of it to make sure you get the right understanding, but especially notice the last verse, where we're are told to remove the wicked person from yourselves.
I have seen that many people are critical of this principle. Even though, at first thought, this might seem cruel, it is, actually a loving thing to do, both for the congregation and for the removed one. The people in the congregation would not have the bad association, that could stumble them, 1Cor 15:33. The person who was removed from the congregation
would realize just how important it is for the Christian Congregation to remain clean, and if his heart is right he will make a serious effort to be accepted back into the congregation, by praying to God, and repenting from his former actions. The man that was removed from the congregation was re admitted to the congregation, after he changed his course, as was recorded in 2Cor 2:1-11. If he had not been removed from the congregation he could have continued on the same course, and would have been removed from the congregation by God Himself, even though not being removed by the Elders, which could lead to God removing His blessing from the congregation, and the man remaining disapproved by God.
There are many scriptures that warn about judging people, so clear evidence must be presented to make sure, that when a person is removed from The Christian Congregation, he truly deserves it, otherwise the people who removed him could be guilty of stumbling that one, Matt 18:6,7.
