Discipline in the Church
Discipline is a subject that is often neglected in our society. Lack of discipline is one of the biggest problems in our society today. Children are not taught discipline, which leads to teenagers and eventually adults who cannot or will not live within the framework of our laws. The police are forced to deal with and the court system is overwhelmed with the failures from our homes and schools. The church is composed of members of our society and therefore also has to deal with those who will not or have not been subject to discipline. It is neglected because of our failure to edify and restore one another. This is often due to family involvements, unpopularity and now even possible legal reprisals. There is not one single reason, even these, that should deter us from being obedient to God.
Discipline can be from two categories. The first is instructive. Instructive discipline can be seen as preventative as it is meant to keep us from falling into error in doctrine or behavior. We should be exercising this in all things, especially in preaching, teaching and our encouragement to one another as a normal part of our daily interaction. This can be seen in the “one another” passages in our New Testament.
The second, and subject of this article is corrective discipline. This type is penalizing in nature. Its object is punitive, or to correct or to chastise. This type of discipline is a result of a failure on the part of someone. This could be failure by the home, parents or even in the church itself. This failure to instruct will ultimately result in someone or the church having to correct the failure in example or behavior. (This type of correction is often opposed by the examples given in the first paragraph.) The ultimate goal, if all else fails is to save the soul which is in serious jeopardy or to eliminate the possibility of the error being spread by the erring individual to others among the body of Christ.
Those among us who seek to work and worship after the examples given to in the New Testament know that Jesus taught his disciples: “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.” This can be found in Matthew 18:15-17. In this it can be seen that a type of procedure for dealing with sin is laid out by the Lord himself. To begin, (1) the person who feels that they had been sinned against will go to the “offender” to rebuke in private. If the problem is taken care of, that is all. If not, the offender is approached again with one or two witnesses and tell it to the local church. (2) the church is to speak on the matter. This can be seen in the expression “If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church.” (3) If that does not fix the problem, “let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.” The sinning party is to be excluded from among the fellowship of the church. A “Gentile” or “tax collector” was most definitely not invited home for dinner, or even spoken to. After the close relationship formerly held among brethren, this was to be very painful as well as intended to be corrective as the individual would want to have the fellowship that was lost when the brethren “withdrew” from him/her. Besides these “personal sins,” immorality and unrighteousness -1 Cor. 5:1-13, (also 1 Cor. 6:9-10, Gal. 5:19-21) are also issues needing to be addressed. In verse 4, discipline is to be a congregational matter. The offender was to be delivered to Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved.(verse 5) Discipline is vital to maintain the purity of the church.(verse 6-8) Jesus walks among the congregations watching. (Rev.1:12-13) Those saints who have remained faithful are to have no company with a brother who is immoral, covetous, swindler, reviler, drunkard, idolater. This short list is not all inclusive but gives an example of someone with which we are not even to eat.(vs. 9-11) Basically, if something causes a break of fellowship with God, it needs to cause a break in fellowship with the church. (vs. 13) Another sin is walking disorderly as seen in 2 Thess.3:6-15. We are to withdraw ourselves. That action is on the part of the church. It clearly says in verse 14 to ‘mark him.” Have NOTHING to do with him!! (ASV “have no company.”) He had already been warned in 14. Don’t treat him like an enemy but as a brother. (vs. 15)
The purpose for this withdrawal is to 1) Keep the church pure. 1 Cor.5:5-13. This would be similar our physical body forming an abscess around an infection to keep it from spreading. Also, the illustration of leaven is used. 2) To save the guilty party. (1 Cor. 5:5) To cause him to be ashamed so he will repent and be saved. (2 Thess. 3:14-15) 3) as in the example of Ananias and Sapphira, to serve as a warning to other members. (Acts 5:1-11)
Finally, it needs to be remembered that the discipline needs to be applied for the reclamation of the erring saint. It needs to be a church decision, not a preacher decision. If elders exist, it needs to be done by their direction. If not, discipline needs to be done by congregational direction and not by a single individual.
In conclusion, it must be remembered that the church needs to practice discipline on behalf of the souls of the members. It is also vital to maintain the purity of the church and its acceptability to the Lord. Without this, none shall see the Lord and be saved.
Kyle D. Frank