The Church Needs Discipline

by Chuck Jones

For the church to be salt and light in the world it must follow the instructions given in Scripture. In the matter of church discipline, the Church of God has no option to choose or reject this principle. It is mandatory for a church that has Christ as Lord to follow all of the commands and directives of its Lord. From the great commission, Jesus’ instructions were plain: “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19).

It’s the “teaching them to observe ALL things” that’s important

Responsibility for this lies with the congregational leadership, the pastor and elders. The idea of church discipline is not based on personal preferences. It can’t be stated too firmly that all we have to go by is what is revealed in Scripture. We have an example in the Bible of this sort of activity taking place, and we can also see the outcome. It would be good to visit this passage and see what we can learn from it. That passage is 1 Corinthians 5:1-13 (verse numbers were purposely left in to aid in following along).

1. It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles—that a man has his father’s wife!

2. And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you.

3. For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed.

4. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,

5. deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

6. Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?

7. Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.

8. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

9. I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people.

10. Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world.

11. But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person.

12.  For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside?

13. But those who are outside God judges. Therefore “put away from yourselves the evil person.”

Starting with verse 1, the situation is explained. The details are not really necessary, except to know that this group allowed a sin to continue that even outsiders and unbelievers would not tolerate. How far could the church fall?

In verses 2 and 6 we see the condition of the membership. They thought they were quite forgiving. They allowed this sin to continue with no restraint, no confrontation, no rebuke. The standards for Christian conduct were thrown out, and they felt they were still right. It is this “forgiving and accepting” attitude, contrary to God’s word,
that Paul was disgusted with.

In verses 3 and 4 Paul states his authority to speak as he does, and that he didn’t need to know more than he already did to make a judgment. His judgement was “in the name (authority) of Jesus Christ.”

In verse 5 is the penalty Paul passes down on the one “that has so done this deed,” to deliver or give into the hands of satan, for the destruction, ruin or punishment, of the flesh (body) that the spirit (life) may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. I will advance two reasons why this judgment was given.

1) For the benefit of the offending person. “Do this,” says Paul, “that his life may be saved.” Anyone breaking fellowship with God must also have a break in the fellowship with the Church. This helps them see the seriousness of their action and sin and it will provoke them to repentance and reconciliation.

2) It keeps the Church pure. Those who do not follow the leading of Jesus should be put out. The rottenness of sins makes the Church weak and feeble. Jesus stated in Matthew 18:17, “But if he neglects to hear the church, let him be to you as a heathen or a tax collector.” Which should indicate that he does not have standing within the group. Especially the leadership.

Verses 9-11 give us more insight into this process. We are told, “not to keep company with any brother that is…” Paul broadens the limit of this principle by showing it involves any sin, not just fornication. I want to be clear here that I am not advocating the process of shunning. It is rather a process by which we do not socialize with them, “with such a one do not eat.” Total avoidance would not do what is expected, therefore, “Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother” (2 Thessalonians 3:15).

Those who choose to live in disobedience must be disciplined. It is for their good to direct them to repentance. The purity of the congregation is at stake as well. “A little leaven will leaven the whole lump.”

Is Church Discipline Effective?

We will see later in this article how this situation turned out. Before that, I think it is wise to speak to some questions that may be floating around. “Is this good for Church growth?” So many now a-days will try any number of methods if church growth is assured. That isn’t the case here. What is assured is being in the will of the Father. We haven’t the choice of choosing this or rejecting it. We must do it. It will produce personal spiritual growth. That congregation, that chooses discipline, may well be the place Yahweh calls others that are being saved into a group that is growing spiritually mature and following His spirit. The effectiveness of this may only be seen by our Heavenly Father.

In being honest, there are some who fear it will drive people away or that it won’t have the correct effect. Yes it may drive some people away. But remember that it’s better to fear Yahweh than man. Yahweh will uphold the people who are faithful to His word!

How This Process Works

We have our Lord’s teaching on this issue. It’s best to go there and see what he teaches about it. Matthew 18:15-17. This passage does not stand alone. It comes in a chapter that highlights the importance of each individual. This chapter starts out with a teaching on who is the greatest in the kingdom...those like little children. Jesus warns anyone who would choose to offend one of these little ones. The parable of the lost sheep is also found here. The one that strayed away is as important as the ninety nine that didn’t stray. Restoration is a top priority to our Savior. In this chapter we are taught the importance of forgiveness. Forgiveness is an vital element in fellowship. The whole of chapter 18 teaches us the significant worth of each individual and reconciliation of fellowship.

This chapter does not tell us how to weed out those who don’t conform to our personal preferences. Or use exclusion as a threat to press our ideas on others. As you read it you will see how to regain our brothers through repentance and forgiveness. The idea of Church discipline is positive rather than negative and this must be remembered. This process is not used to simply punish someone. This helps them see the seriousness of their action and sin and it will provoke them to repentance and reconciliation but to encourage them to repentance. Let’s take a closer look at what Jesus taught. “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector” (Matthew 18:15-17). I want to consider these as four steps to reconciliation.

Step one

“If your brother shall trespass against you...go!” This statement carries a great deal of weight. It is often hard to go to someone who has offended us, and point that out. However, in order to be obedient of our Lord, we must do what he says. This directive is similar to the one found in Matthew 5:23-24; “If you remember that your brother has anything against you...go!” The shoe is as it were on the other foot. By these instructions Jesus has taken care of every excuse we could muster. If an offense has been brought to your attention, whether you caused it or received it. Go. Ideally, this step should happen half way between the homes of both people involved.

The excuses dissolve. One like, “I didn’t do anything wrong.” Jesus didn’t say the guilty party only was to go. Or, “I’ll try to work it out myself. Give me some time.” This won’t work either because if you can’t readily forgive...then go.

A blessing is connected with this step. “If your brother hears you, you have gained your brother.” This is the real reason to go. We don’t want to dump a lot of guilt on our brother, we want to gain him back. There is the possibility that your attempt at reconciliation may fail. Surely you’d try more than once or twice. If this possibility does present itself, Jesus gave us more instructions. This first step cannot be by-passed so we can jump to the next step.

Step two

If there can be no reconciliation between these two people, then (and only then) two or three others are to be brought into the situation. This is to hear the whole story, both sides. This establishes the “facts” so that the story can’t be changed later. In this step too, it may be that the offended party learns (through sound counsel) that they were wrong. Those who are brought into the process here can perhaps shed light on God’s word in such a way that will stimulate reconciliation. However, if after a reasonable time and repeated attempts, the offender remains in a hard hearted state and is unwilling to listen, there is yet another step to take.

Let me say here that if any person hardens himself to the word of God to the extent that the case must go this far, it is an unusual case. If two people who love the Lord Jesus are separated and don’t want to remain that way, what can keep them apart? Therefore for a case to go this far would be unusual.

Step three

If it has been impossible for you and the pastor and elders to provoke the offender to reconciliation, a more severe step must be taken. As Jesus said; “tell it to the church.” How much information is disclosed when the church is told? All the “juicy details” don’t need to be made public. Nothing more needs to be said than that these two people remain in an unreconciled condition. It isn’t the place of the congregation to judge who is right or wrong. It is enough to know that
reconciliation is needed. It may be stated that the Pastor and Elders have had unsuccessful at tempts at secur ing reconciliation between these two, and now the whole congregation is being brought into this process. The overseers of the congregation will be able to decide whether or not reconciliation is being worked toward.

So, now what is the congregation supposed to do with this information and charge? The Apostle Paul gives us commands to this question. “And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him [to be intimate with], that he may be ashamed. Yet do not count him as
an enemy, but admonish him as a brother” (2 Thessalonians 3:14-15). “And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed.” “Do not keep company with him” is not a shunning process, but rather indicates a socializing or mixing with this brother. This will bring him shame. That’s the sting of the process. In giving this brother the reason for not being willing to socialize with him is where the admonition comes in. It should be more important for us to help this person be restored to fellowship with God than to have a relationship with him as if nothing happened. Remember the slogan; “a real friend won’t let a friend drive drunk”? By that same token, a real Christian won’t let his brother remain unreconciled to a brother.

The lack of socializing shows the seriousness of the problem. The congregation must stand together in a united voice to say we do not condone sin. We cannot allow you to remain in this state of sin as if nothing happened. Yet, if this member does not repent, or show signs of a desire for reconciliation, there is only one final step to take.

Step four

This final step is described in different ways in the New Testament. From Jesus’ teaching we have, “But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.” This is a stand the congregation must take. These standards cannot be compromised. Nothing is being “imposed” upon this brother, the congregation is simply responding to his choice. Status and privilege as members is given to individuals because of their choices. By their choices that status and privilege should be removed as well.

This whole process must be started with humility and sincerity in truth. The goal of this process is reconciliation, not guilt building, or blame assignment. If two people are separated by an offense and come together in the power of Yahweh to find reconciliation so that Yahweh may be glorified, then the second through fourth
steps will seldom be taken. The congregation must stand together in a united voice to say we do not condone sin.