1 Corinthians 5:5

To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
KJV
 

"To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh"

The individual here is guilty of fornication with his father's wife, (1 Corinthians 5:1).  Paul is instructing the entire Corinthian Lord's church to deliver this individual unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh. 

Some have postulated that this ability may be one of the miraculous manifestations of the Holy Spirit or something similar.  A list of these abilities is given later in 1 Corinthians 12:7-11.  We are not told whether this list of miraculous abilities is complete or not.  But one thing is significant in that the ability to deliver an individual literally into the presence of Satan where he would stand unprotected before him is not mentioned in verses 7-11 of chapter 12, which was written later in the epistle.  Such a thing would be the equivalent of a death sentence, and nowhere else in scripture is the Christian authorized to execute an individual who is a fellow Christian.  This punishment is reserved for God alone. 

In Paul's first letter to Timothy, he named two individuals who had made shipwreck of their faith.

1 Timothy 1:19-20
(19) Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:
(20) Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.

Paul delivered these two unfortunate individuals unto Satan so that they may learn not to blaspheme.  There is no reason to believe this is in any way different than the delivering unto Satan mentioned by Paul to the Corinthians.  These two men were being taught not to blaspheme.  If these men were dead, what reason would there be in teaching them anything?  What redemptive value is there in executing someone? 

Delivering someone to Satan would therefore mean to withdraw Christian fellowship from an individual as a group, leaving him to wallow in his sin before Satan, totally alone and without any kind of condonement or acceptance of any kind from any of his brothers or sisters within the congregation of the Lord's church.  An individual living a sinful life before Satan, in the world of sinful debauchery would then reap the consequences of his rebellion, whatever physical or emotional disadvantages that might involve on this world, and eventual spiritual death in the time yet to come.

If there is one shred of self guilt or conscience within this individual, he/she will repent and ask forgiveness, seeking to be accepted once again into the fellowship of the saints and the grace of God.

Romans 11:23
And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.

The sin of fornication is a willful sin before God.  The concept of putting the willful sinner from the presence of the faithful is not a new one.  It was commanded to the Israelites as well.

Num 15:28-31
28 And the priest shall make an atonement for the soul that sinneth ignorantly, when he sinneth by ignorance before the LORD, to make an atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him.
29 Ye shall have one law for him that sinneth through ignorance, both for him that is born among the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them.
30 But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
31 Because he hath despised the word of the LORD, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him.

God is intolerant of any sin, but He is especially outraged at willful sin.  The writer of Hebrews made this perfectly clear.

Hebrews 10:26-29
26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

"that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus"

It is significant that the words "may be saved" are in consideration.  This does not say "will be saved".  The words "may be saved" are translated from the single Greek word: sozo (sode'-zo); from a primary sos (contraction for obsolete saoz, "safe"); to save, i.e. deliver or protect (literally or figuratively):  This is an aorist passive subjunctive verb. The subjunctive mood is the key here; it's the mood of potentiality, not fact. So, Paul isn't guaranteeing the salvation of this individual in saying what he says here. He's saying that this is the best course of action to take in order to potentially procure this man's salvation. As it stood when Paul wrote the letter, the man was lost because no fornicator can inherit the kingdom of heaven (1 Corinthians 6:9,10). But there was a potential that this man could still be saved through this action of church discipline. That is why the subjunctive is used here, namely, to express that which is potentially possible, not that which is actual.

Never in scripture is the Christian given authority to pronounce a death sentence on another Christian.  We are commanded to teach, love and rebuke, with all longsuffering, (2 Tim 4:2).  Always living in the hope and to seek and to bring to salvation, the lost.  The penalty of death is reserved only to God, (Romans 12:19, John 5:22-23).

"in the day of the Lord Jesus"

Is in reference to the day of Judgment.

Ecclesiastes 12:14
For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Acts 17:31
Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

Romans 14:10-12
⁽¹⁰⁾ But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
⁽¹¹⁾ For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
⁽¹²⁾ So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

Matthew 12:36-37
⁽³⁶⁾ But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
⁽³⁷⁾ For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

John 5:28-29
⁽²⁸⁾ Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
⁽²⁹⁾ And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation

In light of the fact that this was not a death sentence, rather a remedial action to be undertaken by the entire congregation towards the individual s) involved, one cannot help but wonder if this severe punishment was successful.  Certainly in the minds of those today who might find themselves faced with such a dire decision, it would be greatly comforting if a positive outcome from such a severe action were successful in bringing to repentance, the one who had been delivered unto Satan.

Thankfully, the all wise and supreme God of the universe and our creator has not left us without an example of the success of unified church discipline:

2 Corinthians 2:1-11
(1) But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness.
(2) For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me?
(3) And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.
(4) For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you.
(5) But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all.
(6) Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.
(7) So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.
(8) Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.
(9) For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.
(10) To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ;
(11) Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

In this second epistle to the Lord's church at Corinth, Paul never specifically tied this to the individual spoken of in his first epistle.  Here are the facts we know from scripture. 

1)    Paul did not mention any names in the first letter.  The fornication of this individual was commonly known.  No description other than "one should have his father's wife", (I Corinthians 5:1), was necessary to identify him to the congregation.  It can be reasonably assumed that if there were any doubt in the mind of the apostle whatsoever that this individual could have been mistaken for another, he would have been more specific.

2)    Likewise, if this individual had been congregationally punished with remedial action, no identification other than what was provided in 2 Corinthians 2:6.  Paul knew who he was, and so did the Corinthians.  No names were necessary.  Paul knew that these epistles would be read aloud to this congregation and others.  No need to drag a sinner's name through the mud, and beat him down before the entire congregation if he has repented.  Sins forgiven, means sins forgotten, (Hebrews 10:17).

3)    The individual mentioned in 2 Corinthians 2:6 was punished by many.  The individual in 1 Corinthians 5:5 was commanded to be delivered unto Satan by the entire congregation.  Congregational punishment by many.

There is sufficient Biblical parallel here to draw the logical conclusion that the individual delivered unto Satan, was the same individual that repented and was being commanded by Paul to be received back into fellowship with the Lord's church in his second letter.  This repentant individual who had been punished by many was to be forgiven and comforted lest he be consumed by his grief and discouraged, (2 Corinthians 2:7).  The brethren were encouraged to confirm their love toward him, (V 8).

Paul explained in his second letter in chapter 2 verse 9 that one of the main reasons for writing his second letter was to make sure the Corinthian Christians understood this.  This is a key point tying these two accounts together.  Paul knew what a predicament this was for the sinner.  He knew how hard it would be for the Corinthian Christians when he repented.  And he wanted to make absolutely sure they were "obedient in all things", (2 Corinthians 2:9) unto God.  He specifically wrote them to tell them this so that they themselves would not fall into condemnation.  Obedience to the faith is the foundation of our salvation.  The Corinthians were obligated to unconditionally forgive and forget this individual's sin and welcome him back into fellowship, no questions asked.  The importance of obedience to the will of God cannot be overstated.

Matthew 6:14-15
(14) For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
(15) But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. 

Christians should take comfort from the fact that no matter what we have done, we can find forgiveness if we we truly repent with Godly sorrow and turn once again to walking in the light.  We are never to give up on each other.  We are never to give up hope for our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.  For as long as they live on this earth, there is hope for them for God is indeed merciful.

Praise God

1 Corinthians 5:5