When Discipline is Necessary

2 Corinthians 12 20-21

v.20 Paul feared that he would not be happy with what he found when he visited the Corinthians for the third time. Of course, Paul wanted to find the church growing in grace and testifying for the Lord Jesus. He was not convinced that would be the case with all the believers, however.

He was also concerned that the Corinthians would not be pleased with Paul’s actions when they saw him on his third visit. In other words, Paul would be wielding the rod of discipline. Instead of hugs and kisses they may receive rebuke and correction. This would not make for a happy visit (see 1 Cor. 4:21).

As a pastor, Paul knew that he had to confront the sin within the church. The latter part of this verse reveals very clearly what Paul did not want to find on his visit to Corinth.

Quarreling- False teachers cause quarrels within churches. That is what the false teachers at Corinth were doing.

Jealousy- Jealousy is a sin that leads to division. The Corinthians were known for their jealousy in the past (1 Cor. 3:3). People may become jealousy of the spirituality of another person if they are not careful. Some leaders get jealous if they are not in complete control over people in the church. They do not want to see anyone but themselves in leadership.

Anger- These are outbursts of anger. They occur when self centered people do not get their way. They may be directed at leadership, other believers, or even family members.

Hostility- This word describes the mindset that leads to divisiveness. When we get an attitude with someone we usually begin to separate ourselves from them. Believers should deal with their attitudes in a biblical way rather than allowing them to cause division in the church.

Slander- This means to speak evil of someone. Much damage can be done to the Body of Christ by backbiting. Believers should not backbite, it causes serious problems in the church. Even if the person believes what they say is true, it is not appropriate to speak evil of others.

Gossip- this is general gossip. It is done behind the back of the one it is directed to. It is characterized by soft and secretive talk. It often plants seeds of division subtly in the minds of others.

Conceit- This word refers to pride. Most of the other actions listed are caused by pride. When we think of our selves more highly than we should we think of others less than we should. This attitude justifies our ungodliness toward our fellow believers.

Disorder- These are disturbances within the church. It implies fighting and arguing. Such are the results of the evil mindsets of pride and envy. Many a church has been thrown into an uproar because the attitudes listed in this verse have gone unchecked.

v.21 Two things would happen to Paul if he found the church in this kind of sin when he arrived.

First, he would be humbled. If Paul were humbled he recognized that God was sovereign even over his humiliation. He would use it as an opportunity to cling closer to God. Paul refused to give the devil credit even for his humiliation.

Paul’s humiliation would be real because he founded the church. If it fell into gross unrepentant sin it would reflect upon him. Others would probably blame him for the state of the church. Because Paul founded the church, he would always be connected to it.

Secondly, it would bring great sorrow to Paul. Paul makes a distinction between those who have sinned in the past and those who have sinned in the past and are continuing to sin. Everyone has sinned. Believers, however, are supposed to strive to live holy lives after they are saved. The character of the Corinthians concerned Paul. It broke his heart to see people who claimed to know Christ living in sin. True men of God are concerned about the character of the congregation.

Paul mentions three sins that he was concerned some of the Corinthians had not repented of.

Impurity- this word probably means the defiling of the body through sexual immorality. In other places in the New Testament it is connected with sexual immorality (Rom. 1: 24, Gal. 5:19, Col. 3:5).

Sexual immorality- Fornication is sex outside of marriage. The Bible condemns this (1 Thess. 4:3, 1 Cor. 5:1).

Sensuality- This word describes a person who will do whatever he needs to bring himself pleasure. It implies depraved sexual behavior.

These three terms are used to condemn sexual immorality within the church of Corinth. Sexual immorality has no place within the Body of Christ. It is a terrible sin that leads to destruction of individuals and congregations.

Thoughts To Consider

1. True teachers of the word are more concerned with the congregation’s character than comfort.

2. Sin is one of the biggest threats to unity in the church.

3. Many problems in the church would dissolve if less talking and more praying occurred.

4. To the believer, the sinful lifestyle is to be a thing of the past.

2 Corinthians 13 1-2

v.1 As Paul prepared for his third visit to Corinth he had stern words for the Corinthians. Paul begins by referencing a principle from the Old Testament. In cases of capital punishment there had to be two or three witnesses to the crime to proceed (Numbers 35:30, Deut. 17:6). This law helped guard against false convictions. Paul is warning the Corinthians that when he arrives, he is ready to use serious disciplinary matters within the church.

There is a similarity between the Old Testament Law and the New Testament command concerning church discipline. Christ gave detailed instructions when it came to church discipline. There was actually a four step process that sought to bring a person back in to fellowship before the person was removed. It can be found in Matthew 18:15-20.

Step 1. There is to be a one on one attempt at reconciliation (Matt. 18:15, Gal. 6:1). When we become aware of someone in sin we become responsible to that person. It is our obligation to personally talk to them in hopes of bringing them to repentance. It is not necessary or profitable to spread the knowledge of the sin to anyone else at this point.

Step 2. We are to confront the person with one or two other fellow believers. These are the witnesses. They witness that the discipline is being done in the right spirit. They also witness that attempts have been made to restore the fallen person. This ensures that false accusations are not being made.

Step 3. The matter is brought before the church congregation. The purpose of bringing the matter before the church is to expose it. The church is to corporately rebuke the person in sin with love. As the church prays for and encourages the person to forsake the sin the hopes are that restoration will occur.

Step 4. The individual is removed from the fellowship of the church. He/she is to be treated as if they are a lost person. A person living a continual lifestyle of sin has no reason to be involved in the decision-making processes of the congregation.

v.2 Paul says that he’s going to tell them the same thing he told them on his second visit to Corinth. When he arrives the third time he will not spare anyone. The time of warning was passed. Paul had been patient with many of the believers in Corinth. It was now time to exercise discipline.

Paul is sure to point out that he is speaking to those who are living in sin. Some had been living in sin since his last visit. Others had begun after he departed the second time. Regardless of who they were, Paul would not spare them. He would enact the discipline necessary to bring the church to a place of purity once again.

The purpose of church discipline is two-fold. It is to maintain the purity of the church as well as restore the believer. Without church discipline the church would suffer corporately and individually. Church discipline is one of the methods God uses to keep us in the process of sanctification (See 2 Thess. 3:6, 14-15, 1 Tim. 1:20, Rom. 16:17-18).

The question always arises “What sins mandate the use of church discipline.” Obviously we are not to go around rebuking everyone for every sin they commit. Believers have the Holy Spirit to do that for them. The Bible tells us that we are all sinners and that we do all sin (1 John 1:8-10, James 3:2). Believers, however, are not to live a lifestyle of sin. There are specific types of sin that the Bible tells us require church discipline. However, this is not an exhaustive list. It is simply examples given in the Scripture.

False teaching (1 Tim. 18-20, 2 Tim. 2:16-18). When heresy is being taught within a church, the teacher should be confronted and dealt with using the biblical model. False teaching causes division and corrupts the gospel. Both of these things hinder people from coming to the Lord.

Causing division (Rom. 16:17-18). When a person sows discord among the church to the point of causing division discipline is necessary. Division can destroy a church.

Sexual immorality (1 Cor. 5). Sexual immorality is a terrible sin. It always involves more than one person and it corrupts like no other sin does (1 Cor. 6:18). It is a mark of the unredeemed (Gal. 5:19). Sexual immorality spreads like a cancer. It is important for a church to teach its young people by example in the matter of sexuality. Sexual immorality can destroy a church just as it is destroying our society.

Thoughts To Consider

1. We must not forget patience when it comes to discipline within the church.

2. We must not disguise our unwillingness to obey God’s commands as patience.

3. Sin is serious to God and it should be serious to His people.

4. An obedient and holy church will be more pleasing to God than any other type of church.