I Timothy one ends with 19, “Continue to trust God and do what you know is right. Some people haven’t done this and their faith is now in ruins. Hymenaeus and Alexander are men like that. I have given them to Satan so they will learn not to speak against God.” 

This is a difficult passage, but not the only time Paul has used the phrase “given them to Satan.” He also said this in I Corinthians 5.5, which gives us more insight into what this might mean. 

The member in I Corinthians 5 was handed over to Satan for physical punishment so that he could be saved at the end. This appears to be very similar to what Satan was allowed to do in the book of Job — though in these situations, it appears that he has the power to punish Christians physically when they have one foot in the world and one in Christianity, but with a lot more weight on the foot that’s in the world. 

This obviously doesn’t happen to every — or probably even most — Christians who fall away, but I Corinthians 5.5 gives us at least some hope for those who end up in Satan’s hands. This passage uses a phrase that likely means, “I have given Satan permission to kill this person.” But it doesn’t end there: “…so that their spirit will be rescued in the day of the Lord.” The original word used here (ινα or hina) means, “Resulting in,” or, “So that”. It’s used to describe the purpose or intended result of something. 

Perhaps this means that God’s grace will allow some Christians’ physical lives to be lost before they reach the point of no return, ultimately saving their soul. After all, God doesn’t want anyone to die spiritually, but for everyone to be converted (II Pt 3.9), something repeated by Paul in I Timothy 2.4. Even in judgment God shows mercy!