Church Discipline #1

Church Discipline #1

Intro.

A. Discipline: “(a) training which corrects, molds, strengthens, or perfects; (b) punishment, chastisement; (c) control gained by enforcing obedience or order, orderly conduct; as troops noted for their discipline...” (Webster). Paideia: “denotes the training of a child, including instruction; hence, discipline, correction, chastening, Eph. 5:4, suggesting the Christian discipline that regulates character; so in Heb. 12:5,7,8...in 2 Tim. 3:16, instruction” (Vine).

1. Instruction is discipline - God molds men through instruction (Tit. 2:11-14; 1 Tim. 3:15).

2. Correction, or punishing,  is discipline - the rules taught must be applied/enforced:

a. In the home (Eph. 6:1)

b. In government (Rom. 13). Suppose no one was punished for ignoring our laws!

c. In the church (2 Thess. 3:6). Will study the necessity, how it should be done and the

consequences of not doing it. (One congregation I worked with had never withdrawn from anyone - fine if no one ever needed it, but not good if they did!)

B. God has always provided discipline for His people:

1. Man picking up sticks on the Sabbath (Num. 15:32-41)

2. Nadab and Abihu (Lev. 10:1-7)

3. Achan for stealing “a beautiful Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels of silver and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels” - I saw, I coveted...took and hid (Josh. 7:21,25).

4. Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5) - notice result “and believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women” (v. 14).

5. Adulterous man in Corinth (1 Cor. 5). Result - repentance (2 Cor. 2:6-8).

C. This lesson - what is the meaning of discipline?

Body:

A. Note (mark) and avoid factious teachers (Rom. 16:17,18; Tit. 3:10,11).

1. Note them - “to look at, behold, watch, contemplate, is used metaphorically of...a warning against those who cause divisions, and in Phil. 3:17, of observing those who walked after the example of the Apostle and his fellow-workers, so as to follow their ways” (Vine).

2. It seems that the “avoiding” (turning away from) would follow the “noting” - which would also apply to other cases. (Not hasty - observe and give time for correction, but not neglect the responsibility.)

B. Deliver - to Satan (1 Cor. 5:5).

1. He must be “taken away from among you” (v. 2) - “deliver such a one to Satan” (v. 5) -

“purge out the old leaven” (v. 7) - “not to keep company” (v. 9) - “not even to eat with such a person” (v. 11) - “put away from yourselves that wicked person” (v. 13).

2. Other specific sins (5:10,11).

3. The “judging” is limited to the local church (5:12).

a. No Scripture teaches a universal responsibility to withdraw (Gal. 2:9 the “right hand of fellowship” is joint participation; only what we participate in can be withdrawn! Cp.

Phil. 1:5; 4:15)

C. Withdraw from, do not keep company with,  the disorderly (2 Thess. 3:6-14).

1. Disorderly - ”deviating from the prescribed order or rule” (Thayer). “It was especially a military term, denoting not keeping rank, insubordinate; it is used in 1 Thess. 5:14, describing certain members who manifested an insubordinate spirit, whether by excitability (irritable) or officiousness (meddlesome/overbearing) or idleness” (Vine).

2. Walks - is a present tense - continuous manner of conduct. Not occasional lapse in doing duty - the continual manner of life (the rule, not the exception). Matter involves judgment. Deciding when a person is “out of step” by neglect or forsaking - depends somewhat on his attitude (does he show repentance and effort to change?).

D. Treat as a heathen and tax-collector (Mt. 18:15-18).

1. One who will not correct mistreatment of a brother.

2. Note the process - keep private, limit the number, then make public.

3. Jesus ate with tax-collectors, but general attitude of Jews was not to do that (Mt. 9:9-11).

4. Same kind of eating that is forbidden in 1 Cor. 5:11. (Not talking about L.S. either place.)

Concl.

There was this child riding his bicycle when suddenly it slid under him bruising his leg. His friends carried him home and his mother insisted upon treating the bruise. But he began to kick and scream saying, “NO! NO! It will hurt!” And no treatment was given. Several days later the mother noticed the bruise was getting worse and called in the father to examine it. At once, the father ordered treatment and again the boy began to kick and scream saying, “NO! NO! It will hurt!” And again no treatment was given.

Two weeks later the doctor was called because the leg hd continued to worsen all the while. After a thorough examination the verdict was to amputate in order to save the boy’s life. Again the boy began to scream and kick - again the boy had his way. Two weeks later, the mother and father were in deep sorrow, for they had just buried their son. But during their mourning they were able to comfort each other by saying, “We were never harsh with our boy; we were always kind and compassionate; he realized how very much we loved him.”

There was this church, growing in knowledge and truth, when suddenly sin raised its ugly head and made several members sick – sick unto death. The elders attempted to apply the “balm of Gilead,” but the patients and the spectators began to kick and scream saying “NO! NO! It will hurt” and no more treatment was given.

A few year later, the church building was boarded up. A few tears were shed, they offered comfort to each other saying, “We always were kind and understanding. We had much compassion....”       -Author Unknown

Those who love God, keep His commandments (1 Jn. 5:2,3).