Church Discipline Part 2

Introduction

Greetings…

Theme: Lessons From 1 Corinthians.

Hope: To better understand the vastly different doctrines taught in this great letter.

Over the last several weeks we looked at 1 Corinthians 5:1-2 and took time to examine several different doctrinal truths about sexual immorality.

We then “last week” turned our attention to the apostle Paul’s, and thus God’s, explanation for how to handle one that is living in sin, which requires “Church Discipline.”

As we discussed “disfellowship” only has effect if fellowship is found.

Today, I want us to take a closer look at what “Church Discipline.”

We are going to look at both the Procedure and the Punishment that God’s expects wherein church discipline is required.

So, let’s first look at…

The Procedure

The Deserving Conduct.

Those that sin against a brother.

Matthew 18:15 (ESV)

15 If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.

Those that cause division.

Romans 16:17 (ESV)

17 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught…

Those that practice immorality.

1 Corinthians 5:9 (ESV)

9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people

1 Corinthians 5:11 (ESV)

11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler…

Those that are false teachers.

2 Timothy 2:16–18 ESV

16 But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, 17 and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some.

Those that walk in idleness.

2 Thessalonians 3:6 (ESV)

6 Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us.

Idleness/Disorderly: one who does not submit to order i.e., authority.

The Process.

Steps to be taken.

Matthew 18:15–17 (ESV)

15 If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church…

It’s not to be hidden but done while assembled.

1 Corinthians 5:4 (ESV)

4 When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus

Matthew 18:20 (ESV)

20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.

Summary

The reality is there are those that simply will not repent when one, two, three, or even the entire church confronts them and their sin.

When this takes place disciplines is not an option of to so it or not, it is commanded and thus expected.

So, what if a congregation finds itself disfellowshipping their brother or sister.

Let’s look now at our next point…

The Punishment

How Are We To Treat The Disfellowshipped?

Give them over to Satan.

1 Timothy 1:19–20 (ESV)

19 holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith, 20 among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.

1 Corinthians 5:5 (ESV)

5 you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.

Consider them a tax collector.

Matthew 18:17 (ESV)

17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

Having Nothing To Do With Them.

Titus 3:10 (ESV)

10 As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him.

Romans 16:17 (ESV)

17 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.

2 Thessalonians 3:6 (ESV)

6 Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us.

1 Corinthians 5:9–11 (ESV)

9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one.

Summary

God is very clear on this topic.

When someone has been disfellowshipped we are NOT to make them feel like everything is fine and let me tell you that will be uncomfortable, difficult, and heart wrenching, but necessary.

Also, it will only be effective if everyone does it.

Conclusion

Unfortunately far too many elders, and leaders in the church try to discipline their own way.

More often than not church leaders today, simply ignore it and hope “the wayward come to their senses.”

Ignoring sin never works, “a little leaven leavens the whole lump” (Galatians 5:9).

Another popular discipline or lack thereof in leadership today is to ask the preacher to preach some sermons on it, but nothing that will hurt their feelings and make them think it is aimed at anyone in particular, in hopes again that “the wayward will come to their senses.”

However, someone in this state has already stopped listen to sound doctrine and “at best” are only listening to sermons, if any sermons at all, that scratch their itching ears (2 Timothy 4:3).

If those two options fail to prick the heart of the wayward then typically in a last ditch effort church leaders will go to the person.

They will tell them they are concerned and want them to consider making changes and if the person refuses they raise their hands like Pilot and say, “well at least we tried to tell them” (Matthew 27:24-26).

The lack of church discipline through the last fifty years tells us all we need to know about where we are at from a leadership perspective.

There is not an elder, preacher, deacon, or the like that cannot tell me they have not had anyone one the last fifty years that wasn’t failing at sexual immorality, any other form of immorality, disrespecting authority, and causing divisions in amongst their fellow brethren.

And yet you would be hard pressed to find a congregation that has disfellowshipped a single person much less all of those living such unrepentant lives.

Invitation

Isaiah 59:1–2 ESV

1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.

Philippians 2:6–7 ESV

6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

Romans 10:17 ESV

17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Hebrews 11:6 ESV

6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Acts 17:30 ESV

30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,

Matthew 10:32 NKJV

32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.

2 Thessalonians 1:8 ESV

8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

1 Corinthians 15:1–4 ESV

1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

Romans 6:3–5 ESV

3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.

1 John 1:7 ESV

7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.