Scandal has struck the Royal Family, and there are a lot of people reacting to it. As the host of The Royal Family Podcast, I felt like it was necessary to address the fact that it was going on…but not to talk about what is actually going on. Gossiping about celebrities is still gossip, so regardless of putting themselves in the public eye or not (this guy was born into it – no choice in the matter!), I’m not going to hash out he-said/she-said discussions.

But I do understand all the hullabaloo.

When royals are involved in something unsavory, the world takes notice. And, subsequently, said unsavory choices bring shame and dishonor upon the family they represent. It’s the same way within God’s royal family. We are set apart – different from the rest of the world around us because we’re a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9-10). And because we aren’t just any royals – we’re children of the Most High God – we don’t want to bring reproach on the family name.

God has set up a system within the Lord’s church for keeping the name pure. Some call it withdrawing fellowship. Others call it disfellowshipping. Whatever the case may be, it is just that: removing the relationship with the brother/sister because they are openly shaming the Lord’s name/body, living their lives in a way contrary to what Jesus’ teachings command.

That’s what’s happening on The Royal Family Podcast today. You can find the episode here, or as always, just subscribe in iTunes. Or, if you’d like, subscribe to the TLN newsletter, which will let you know about all of the episodes directly in your email inbox.

Here’s an excerpt of today’s episode:

It’s hard. It’s a hard teaching, and it’s even harder to actually practice. But clearly it’s important to God that the family be pure, honorable, and walking in the Light. Now, does that mean that every time one of us sins we’re immediately withdrawn from? That when a brother or sister sins, the royal family of God moves away from them? No! That’s where the blood of Jesus comes in. As long as we’re trying to walk in an upright way – as long as we’re striving to imitate Jesus – then His blood will cover us. It is when we let our sins go un-repented of, when we let our lives be characterized by ongoing sins we’re not sorry for or trying to correct, that’s when this purification and discipline must be enacted.