What is church discipline?
Church discipline is the loving, orderly way the church helps its members turn from sin and stay in the way of Christ: private appeal first, then witnesses, then the church, and for the unrepentant, the last step of removal from fellowship. Its goal is never punishment; it is restoration, the purity of the church, and the saving of souls. Jesus commanded it, and the New Testament expects it.
This question arose from studying Why do I need the church? and What does a healthy church look like?.
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What the Scripture says
Jesus commanded a specific order
Jesus gave the steps: 'If your brother sins against you, go, show him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained back your brother.' If he refuses, take one or two witnesses, 'that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established,' and if he still refuses, 'tell it to the assembly.' The order matters: private before public, gentle before severe, one person seeking one soul before the whole church is ever involved.
“If your brother sins against you, go, show him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained back your brother. But if he doesn’t listen, take one or two more with you, that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the assembly. If he refuses to hear the assembly also, let him be to you as a Gentile or a tax collector.
But if he doesn’t listen, take one or two more with you, that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
Don’t receive an accusation against an elder, except at the word of two or three witnesses.
Its goal is restoration, not punishment
Galatians says, 'Brothers, even if a man is caught in some fault, you who are spiritual must restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, looking to yourself so that you also aren't tempted.' Paul's sharpest case was aimed at salvation: deliver the sinning man to Satan 'for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.' James cheers the one who turns a wanderer back, for he will 'save a soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.' Even the severest step is a rescue.
Brothers, even if a man is caught in some fault, you who are spiritual must restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; looking to yourself so that you also aren’t tempted.
are to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
Brothers, if any among you wanders from the truth and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
It protects the church's holiness
Paul warns that 'a little yeast leavens the whole lump,' so the church must purge out the old yeast that it may be a new lump; he commands the Corinthians to put away the wicked man from among themselves and to have no company with a brother living unrepentantly in sin. Discipline keeps the gospel visible: the world watches how the church treats sin in its own house. The purity of the assembly is not coldness; it is truthfulness about the holiness of the God we serve.
Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole lump? Purge out the old yeast, that you may be a new lump, even as you are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed in our place. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old yeast, neither with the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
But as it is, I wrote to you not to associate with anyone who is called a brother who is a sexual sinner, or covetous, or an idolater, or a slanderer, or a drunkard, or an extortionist. Don’t even eat with such a person. For what have I to do with also judging those who are outside? Don’t you judge those who are within? But those who are outside, God judges. “Put away the wicked man from among yourselves.”
are to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
It is done in love, humility, and hope of return
When the Corinthians acted, the next command was to forgive and comfort the penitent, 'lest such a one should be swallowed up with his excessive sorrow,' and to confirm love toward him. Paul tells Timothy to reprove those who sin in public 'that the rest also may be in fear,' and to avoid a factious man after a first and second warning. Even the withdrawal of 2 Thessalonians carries the aim: 'Don't count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.' Discipline is the church taking its brother as seriously as Jesus takes him.
Sufficient to such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the many; so that on the contrary you should rather forgive him and comfort him, lest by any means such a one should be swallowed up with his excessive sorrow. Therefore I beg you to confirm your love toward him.
Those who sin, reprove in the sight of all, that the rest also may be in fear.
Avoid a factious man after a first and second warning; knowing that such a one is perverted, and sins, being self-condemned.
If any man doesn’t obey our word in this letter, note that man, that you have no company with him, to the end that he may be ashamed. Don’t count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
It rests on Jesus' authority and presence
Jesus binds His church's discipline to heaven itself: 'whatever things you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven,' and He anchors it in His presence: 'where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in their midst.' The church's authority is not its own opinion but the word of its King, applied in His name and in the power of 'our Lord Jesus Christ' when the assembly is gathered. When the church acts in that name, it acts with the confidence of a family doing business in the presence of its Head.
Most certainly I tell you, whatever things you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever things you release on earth will have been released in heaven. Again, assuredly I tell you, that if two of you will agree on earth concerning anything that they will ask, it will be done for them by my Father who is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in their midst.”
In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, you being gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in their midst.”
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Verses to meditate on
“If your brother sins against you, go, show him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained back your brother. But if he doesn’t listen, take one or two more with you, that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the assembly. If he refuses to hear the assembly also, let him be to you as a Gentile or a tax collector.
are to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
Brothers, even if a man is caught in some fault, you who are spiritual must restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; looking to yourself so that you also aren’t tempted.
so that on the contrary you should rather forgive him and comfort him, lest by any means such a one should be swallowed up with his excessive sorrow.
Avoid a factious man after a first and second warning;
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