Saved on the Day the Lord Returns

1 Corinthians 5:5 "hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature  may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord" NIV

      Lord, I must admit that this sounds very harsh.  I have a note beside this verse from a sermon I heard long ago: When a believing sinner dies, the sin nature dies with him.  So death would deliver this man from his sin and he would still not lose his salvation, but his sin would no longer infect the church. 
     The New Living Translation put it this way:
"Then you must throw this man out and hand him over to Satan so that his sinful nature will be destroyed  and he himself  will be saved on the day the Lord  returns." 
      Either way, this man's well being and the well being of the church are both of utmost importance.  This is not a vengeful act, as it is seen by the outside world, but a very loving act. 
      Oh Lord, as a mom I have had to in love deliver some harsh discipline to my children when they were young.  It was not meant to be a hateful abusive act, but was meant to correct harmful behavior that would be a detriment not only to them, but to our family unit or the others around them.  Giving or receiving discipline is never fun, nor it intended to be.  But again, it is like surgery or very bitter medicine that cures the diseased part of the body so the whole body can live and be healthy.  The healing process can be very painful indeed, but the outcome can be wonderful!