Gospel-Centered Discipline

Last week, I introduced this final chapter to you as a final word from Paul to the Thessalonians. As it appears he is wrapping up his thoughts, he addresses one more pastoral important issue that needs his attention. This issue is sin in the church and Paul calls the body of beleivers at the Thessalonica to deal swiftly with sin in their midst. He has already called them to action regarding the sin of false teachers in chapter 2. He warns them in 2:3

2 Thessalonians 2:3 “3 Let no one in any way deceive you

This is more of a personal exhortation but also a corporate one. He neither wants individuals to fall prey to this false teaching but he also is calling the body of Christ as a whole to guard themselves against the spirit of false teaching in their midst. This is an implied exhortation to the shepherds who must guard the flock from the wolves in sheep’s clothing.

Now in chapter 3, he is calling the church to respond to others in the body who have fallen into sin. He is charging the church to respond biblically by entering into the necessary process of church discipline.

I want us to think about the word “discipline” for a second. Its primary meaning could be summarized as actions taken by an individual to assure proper health and conduct. Paul uses the term :GYMNASIA which means to train or discipline the body through activity for an intended goal. We see our english word Gymnasium originating from this word.

Therefore, to discipline in the church, we want to train people towards a proper spiritual health and conduct. When there appears some unhealthy invaders to the spiritual health and unity of God’s church, the church leadership and all believers should spring into action the way medicine reacts to fight infection. Sin in the church is infection in the body of Christ.

We addressed this in 1 Corinthians but let’s revisit it again.

1 Corinthians 5:1–7 NASB95

1 It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father’s wife. 2 You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst. 3 For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present. 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and I with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. 6 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough? 7 Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed.

You will see some similiar features in this text as you will in our passage in 2 Corinthians and so there is no need for me to break this passage down. But notice v 6 in regards to sin’s effect in the body of Christ. Using the illustrtation of leaven in bread making, the leaven can infect the whole loaf. You cannot stop leaven from spreading except for separating leaved dough from unleavened. Separation is the key.

This is the point of church discipline. Identify-Instruct-Separate/Restore

Identify the Sin

Instruct the person biblically

Separate or Restore based on the response.

Paul is saying the very same thing to the Thessalonians as he did to the Corinthians, and how Jesus instructed his disciples. Isn’t it beautiful how consistent the word of God is regarding its doctrines both the old and the new testaments.

Now I will deal with the particular sin next week in the Thessalonian church, but today we want to focus on how the church responds to sin in its midst.

1. The Authority to Discipline v. 6

2 Thessalonians 3:6 “6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us.”

A. The Lord Jesus - Matthew 5, Matt 18

To begin, we need to see and understand that our authority to carry out discipline is not some ego trip by the church. Church leaders are not trying to be bossy or king over the land when it comes to difficult situations. We all submit to Christ as Lord and as Lord we understand him to be Lord and Head over the church. This is his church and we are his people. Therefore, sin is a threat to the health of HIS church and he calls his people to respond appropriately.

He instructed his disciples to do two things in regards to this idea:

1. Be peacemakers

Matthew 5:9 “9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”

To be a peace maker means many things as a follower of Jesus. You have received peace in Christ through reconciliation by His blood. Disciples of Jesus then live in the world seeking peace with others. That is not a goal of avoiding conflict but resolving it by the transformation and truth of Christ. First, true reconciliation and peace comes when we find peace with God through a relationship with Jesus. Then as a transformed follower of Jesus, we live out our lives being agents of reconcliation and peace. This means we live to restore people back to God and restore people back to one another by point to Jesus Christ. We have been given his authority to do that.

Seeking peace is not ignoring sin. Seeking peace is pointing people to true peace in Jesus Christ who fogives sin by the act of atonement. Jesus takes on sin upon his perfect self so sinners can be free. It is the ultimate dying to self we can ever witness.

2. Carry Out Church Discipline

Therefore, the Lord tells us the way his followers can be peacemakers among one another can gathered in the church.

Matthew 18:15–20 NASB95

15 “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. 16 “But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. 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. 18 “Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven. 19 “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. 20 “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”

Let’s focus on v 18, where Jesus tells his disciples that they have authority to carry out heavenly actions with heavenly authority as his agents on earth. This verse does not mean agreement with two or three believers means that they can do whatever they think is good for the church. You can have two or three Christians fall into sin and agree on something in partnership but it be detrimental to the church.

Therefore, Jesus gives the church authority to act on His behalf …as long as its according to his revealed word and teaching.

B. His Written Word

His word has been given to us and it is the key to our practices of discipline. Church Elders must lead their church faithfully to discipline others only in connection to the clear teaching of the Scriptures, nothing more.

I saw a video this week of a church in the States where the pastor was receiving tithes in his hand from members of his church. He was opening up the checks and in one occurance, he stopped and rebuked a woman for not giving the required amount of 1000 plus another 1000 that he deemed necessary. She gave 1200 and was rebuked from the pulpit. She replied something like, “I will work on the 800 ” and he replied something like “thats not what I asked you to do.”

Now this is not the moment nor the biblical warrant for correction. God only requires the cheerful giver and yet there are clearly evidences of abuse of power and unnecessary discipline of its members. Friends, we must use the authority of the Lord Jesus and his word as our standard.

Paul writes to the Thessalonians,

2 Thessalonians 3:6 NASB95

6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us.

Now we looked last time that Paul was holding the church accountable to the word of God that had been passed down to them according to Paul’s authority as an apostle of Jesus Christ. Now we have the written word to guide us. For the Thessalonians, the instruction from Paul was the authority in regards to the sin that existed in their church. They were called to respond to it with discipline.

2. The Manner of Discipline vv.11-14a

Now let us consider the manner by which the church is called to discipline. Let’s go back to Matthew 18 again for the precise instructions that the Lord Jesus has given.

Matthew 18

Matthew 18:15–17 “15 “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. 16 “But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. 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.”

The goal of church discipline is to bring people to repentance and restoration to Himself and to the body of Christ. We rejoice when sinners turn from sin and back to God. Like the prodigal son, we rejoice because the Father rejoices when sons and daughters turn from wickedness and return to him.

Jesus teaches 4 steps: 2 that occur that occur privately and then personally before the last 2 which are public. The final step in church discipline for a professing believer who does not repent is to consider him/her an unbeliever. We know this as excommunication whereby this person is removed from the membership of the church and moving forward the shift towards him/her is winning them to Christ.

Now its important in our text today to see that excommunication is NOT what Paul is dealing with here. Paul is talking about church discipline but he is speaking about it at the beginning stages, not the end.

Consider the context of Paul’s words today to be somewhere in steps 1 and 2 as you address the sin of a person with them privately or even with two or more witnesses. It is here that Paul wants to emphasize the seriousness of sin and the way it interrupts the fellowship of believers and fellowship with the Lord.

Consider Paul’s words first action of discipline:

A. Expose the Sin v. 11

2 Thessalonians 3:11–13 “11 For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies. 12 Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread. 13 But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary of doing good.”

In Thessalonica, there were certain believers who seemed to be living and “unruly” lifestyle which simply means disorderly. Part of their disordered life is that they were not working like Scriptures calls us to. There were living unruly, idle lives. Secondly their idleness gave birth to them also being busy bodies which is a person who is meddlesome. When you have too much time on your hands, you are tempted to try and rule over or control other people’s time. We will spend more time on this sin next week.

In church discipline, believers are called to address sin in the lives of one another.

Matthew 18:15 “15 “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.”

Galatians 6:1 “1 Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.”

Both of these passages deal with the family of faith bearing responsibility to hold each other accountable in their habitual sin. What this does not mean is that believers are supposed to be the SIN POLICE, always on the lookout for violations and unlawful and unholy crimes against the Lord. If you notice a habit of sin in the life of a fellow brother or sister, our first response is to PRAY! Pray that the Lord would remove such an unholy habit through conviction of the Holy Spirit.

But as the sin remains in this persons life, you go to them in gentleness, whether you have been offended by that sin or even just knowing the destruction that sin can being upon them.

B. Exhort with Scripture vv.12-13

Next we see Paul exhort the person with Scripture. Look at v 13

2 Thessalonians 3:12 “12 Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread.”

Paul’s exhortation deals with the authority given to him by Christ as he addresses both idleness and meddlesomeness. He exhorts these believers to “work” or labor which will result in eating their own bread. It appears that they were not working and therefore depending on the generosity and mercy of others so they can eat. Secondly, he states that they should work “quietly” which addresses their busybody interference. In both cases, the apostles stands firm upon the word of God as his authority and the measure of judgment against sin.

Remember that when you address someone’s sin, the holiness of Christ is the measuring stick of judgment. You are not judging them based upon your own life. You are holding them to the confession of their faith which is surrender to Jesus Christ. They are called to be holy in all manner of conduct 1 Pt 1:15. When sin is present, we miss the mark of that holiness and God judges us accordingly.

C. Separate from the believer vv. 6,14

Notice now finally Paul’s command to the church. Again this is not excommunication but he does call for believers to produce separation from those resistant to repentance.

In v 6 and v 14, Paul uses similar words “keep away from” and “do not associate with” to teach the seriousness of sin in the church. For those who are in the beginning stages of church discipline, they are to feel the heavy weight of their unrepentance. In this heaviness comes a broken fellowship with Christ and an accompanied broken fellowship with Christ’s body. Paul is not calling for an outright removal of them from your life and the life of the church, but it does imply that sin causes separation and that separation is so visible personally in their lives that is should lead to separation from their fellow brothers and sisters as well.

What does this look like practically?

Social fellowship with an unrepentant sinner is opportunity for you to fall into the same sin. Separation is helpful and for your good. It reminds the person…I don’t want to be infected by you unrepentant sin. Social separation means there should be a pause on playdates/meals together might need to cease among church family as a statement of the serious nature of sin

Secondly, a broken fellowship means a pause on church service. If you hold positions of service in the church, the goal would be to pause for the sake of focusing on repentance.

Thirdly, a broken fellowship means a denial of the Lord’s supper. This is for the good of the sinner as well as the church. Broken fellowship with Christ requires abstaining from the Lord’s table until unconfessed sin is dealt with personally with the Lord Jesus.

3. The Goal of Discipline vv.14b-16

Finally, we come to the goal. V 15 in particular sets the stage for the goal of discipline.

2 Thessalonians 3:15 “15 Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.”

They are still considered a brother or sister in Christ because you are still in the midst of church discipline. They are not your enemy and considered an unbeliever. You must instead consider them as believers in Jesus and therefore admonish them with the spiritual food that is found in God’s word.

Paul gives us the goals of discipline at this stage

A. Shame over sin v. 14b

2 Thessalonians 3:14 “14 If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of that person and do not associate with him, so that he will be put to shame.”

Separation because of sin should cause shame for genuine believers of Jesus. This is important because the separation is the illustration not the goal. The goal is not to generate false repentance or worldy repentance that leads to death. Broken fellowship in the church is only the sign that points to broken fellowship with Christ that sin produces.

Like Adam and Eve seeing their nakedness, sin causes shame because a person sees that they are not holy as they were intended to be. Sin literally means to “miss the mark” of the perfection that God wants in our lives.

The gift of Jesus is that the shame and guilt of sin IS A REALITY of every person when the a Holy Spirit is at work.when we look at the work of Jesus, we know that all the guilt and shame was placed on him a the cross. F we trust in him, we know that shame and guilt was placed on for our freedom!

B. Christ’s love v.15

Secondly, to admonish someone is an act of love not hate. It is out of the love of Christ that you go to a person to point them to surrender to Jesus again. Do not be deceived into believing the lie that this is judging them. God is judging their sin if you hold the word of God before them as the scales of judgment. It is loving to admonish a believers sin just as it is loving for a Father to discipine a son.

Gospel brings separation between father and Son, Jesus faced wrath so that sinners receive forgiveness

C. Peace v.16

2 Thessalonians 3:16 “16 Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance. The Lord be with you all!”