Turning the page…
Turning the page…
Glory · The Church
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.
https://glorystudy.com/questions/what-is-church-discipline · Scripture quoted from the World English Bible
Matthew 18:15-20
As you read: Jesus' own procedure for a brother who sins: one-on-one, then witnesses, then the assembly.
15“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.
16But 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.
17If 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.
18Most 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.
19Again, 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.
20For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in their midst.”
1 Corinthians 5
As you read: Paul's actual case: unrepentant sin in the church, and what the whole assembly must do.
1It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles, that one has his father’s wife.
2You are puffed up, and didn’t rather mourn, that he who had done this deed might be removed from among you.
3For I most certainly, as being absent in body but present in spirit, have already, as though I were present, judged him who has done this thing.
4In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, you being gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
5are 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.
6Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole lump?
7Purge 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.
8Therefore 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.
9I wrote to you in my letter to have no company with sexual sinners;
10yet not at all meaning with the sexual sinners of this world, or with the covetous and extortionists, or with idolaters; for then you would have to leave the world.
11But 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.
12For what have I to do with also judging those who are outside? Don’t you judge those who are within?
13But those who are outside, God judges. “Put away the wicked man from among yourselves.”
Galatians 6:1-5
As you read: The spirit in which discipline is done: gentleness, self-watch, and burden-bearing.
1Brothers, 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.
2Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
3For if a man thinks himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
4But let each man test his own work, and then he will take pride in himself and not in his neighbor.
5For each man will bear his own burden.
2 Thessalonians 3:6-15
As you read: The kindest discipline of all: not treating the erring as an enemy, but admonishing them as a brother.
6Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother who walks in rebellion, and not after the tradition which they received from us.
7For you know how you ought to imitate us. For we didn’t behave ourselves rebelliously among you,
8neither did we eat bread from anyone’s hand without paying for it, but in labor and travail worked night and day, that we might not burden any of you;
9not because we don’t have the right, but to make ourselves an example to you, that you should imitate us.
10For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: “If anyone will not work, neither let him eat.”
11For we hear of some who walk among you in rebellion, who don’t work at all, but are busybodies.
12Now those who are that way, we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.
13But you, brothers, don’t be weary in doing well.
14If 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.
15Don’t count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
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.”Matthew 18:15-17
“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.”Matthew 18:16
“Don’t receive an accusation against an elder, except at the word of two or three witnesses.”1 Timothy 5:19
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.”Galatians 6:1
“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.”1 Corinthians 5:5
“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.”James 5:19-20
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.”1 Corinthians 5:6-8
“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.””1 Corinthians 5:11-13
“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.”1 Corinthians 5:5
When the Corinthians acted, the next command was to forgive and comfort the penitent, 'lest by any means 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.”2 Corinthians 2:6-8
“Those who sin, reprove in the sight of all, that the rest also may be in fear.”1 Timothy 5:20
“Avoid a factious man after a first and second warning; knowing that such a one is perverted, and sins, being self-condemned.”Titus 3:10-11
“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.”2 Thessalonians 3:14-15
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.””Matthew 18:18-20
“In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, you being gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,”1 Corinthians 5:4
“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in their midst.””Matthew 18:20