Church Discipline #3

Church Discipline #3

Intro.

A. Review: what is discipline? Delivering to Satan, withdrawing yourself, treat as a Gentile or tax collector (publican). Why? To obey God, to save the disorderly, maintain purity of the church.

B. From whom should a church withdraw and what are some objections that are made?

 

Body:

A. From whom should a church withdraw?

1. Some sins specifically named (1 Cor. 5):

a. Fornicator (Mt. 5:32; 19:9; 1 Cor. 5:1,2,9-11).

b. Covetous (1 Cor. 10:6; 6:9,10) - one greedy of gain.

c. Extortioners (5:10) - taking what belongs to another without his consent, plundering.

d. Idolaters - giving to objects or persons what belongs to God (Col. 3:5).

e. Reviler (v. 11) - abusive, reproachful; to heap abuse upon another.

f. Drunkard - intoxicated with wine or strong drink (Prov. 20:1; 1 Pet. 4:3).

2. Those who walk disorderly (2 Thess. 3:6,10-12).

a. Out of rank, undisciplined, military term to brake rank (AWOL).

b. Specific examples: idle and busybodies. What about one who lies, steals, curses (Col.

3:9; Eph. 4:29; Rev. 21:8).

3. One who is factious (Tit. 3:10; Rom. 16,17).

a. Could be in contending for false doctrine. (Could be contentiously contending for truth, or for his opinion (Phil. 1:16)

b. There is a difference between “contending for the faith” (Jude 3) and being contentious

4. What about those who quit attending?

a. They are walking disorderly (Heb. 10:25; 1 Cor. 11:23-26; 16:1,2).

b. Some who seldom, or never, attend still believe they are members - nothing was ever done about their unfaithfulness.

c. Sometimes churches wait too long to take action. If that is the case, should try to let those who do not attend know that we do not consider them members, and be more diligent in obeying God’s word in the future.

 

B. Some objections considered:

1. “It will not do any good; it will just run them away.”

a. This challenges the wisdom of God. He commanded it (2 Cor. 2:9).

b. If he needs to be disciplined - he is already “away from God.” He just doesn’t know it.

c. It purges out the old leaven (1 Cor. 5:7), and it often works in restoring the brother.

`     2. “It will run other people away.”

a. Those who are sincere about following God are run away by hypocrisy. When discipline is properly executed, people are drawn to God’s way (Acts 5:14).

b. Those who make this objection never mention those who are sincerely trying to do right being “run away” by the unfaithful bringing shame on Christ and His church  and nothing being done about it. How can they teach the unbeliever the importance of obeying God, when their brethren won’t do it?

 

3. “Judge not that you be not judged” (Mt. 7:1).

a. The context is not talking about withdrawing from the disorderly.

b. It is talking about partiality, or hypocrisy, in judgment (vs. 2-5).

c. God said we must judge (1 Cor. 5:12,13), and Jesus said “judge righteous judgment”

(Jn. 7:24).

4. “Let him that is without sin cast the first stone” (Jn. 8:7).

a. First - Jesus was not saying they should not obey the law! (Lev. 20:10). They were not doing what the law said, therefore were not innocent!

b. Jesus told her to change her ways (v. 11) - a judgment!

5. “What about the parable of the tares?” (Mt. 13:24-30)

a. The field is the world - not the church. (The wheat are those inside the kingdom; the tares are those outside.)

b. The parable teaches that God’s children are not to execute judgment on the world

(v. 30; 3:10-12). The parable teaches patience until the Lord’s coming.

6. “It won’t do any good, they will go to another congregation.”

a. If another congregation accepts them - they have not done them a favor.Their souls are still in danger (Jas. 5:19,20). But that is a decision that must be left to each congregation. If they receive such a one, that does not justify one church withdrawing from another. (There is no scripture for such a practice.)

b. Sins are forgiven by repentance - not by running to another church.

c. A church should investigate such situations and make a judgment. (They may have been withdrawn for doing right - but seldom is that the situation.)

 

Concl.

A. Discipline should not be hasty - but it should not be neglected either. It is a last resort (meaning that other efforts have been made to restore them).

B. It should be public - a letter, or statement made so everyone who is a member of the congregation will be informed (1 Cor. 5:4,5).

C. Paul wrote it in a letter which was read by other churches (although he did not call the man’s name) - and he probably didn’t have attorneys ready to file “slander” suits (which have been filed against churches that sent letters to other congregations).

D. God’s way is right and it will work. Continue to work to the salvation of those souls that have  wandered away from the fold (2 Thess. 3:6).