Restoration/Discipline

Introduction

Biblical principles must be followed by individuals and by the local church as a body when restoration/discipline is required for a fellow-believer who sins. This restoration/discipline process is to be exercised with great love and with diligent, fervent prayer (based on Matthew 18:15-17; John 13:35; Romans 15:14; Galatians 6:1-5; 1 Thessalonians 5:17; James 1:5).

Responding to a fellow-believer’s sin requires you continually to: (1) judge yourself Biblically, (2) forgive from your heart the one who has sinned, and (3) reprove (admonish) the sinning fellow-believer in a spirit of gentleness so that he may have an opportunity to be reconciled with God and others (based on Proverbs 17:17, 20:30, 27:5-6; Matthew 7:1-5; 18:15; 18:21-35; Mark 11:25-26; Luke 17:3-4; Romans 12:16-19, 15:14; Galatians 6:1-2; Ephesians 4:29, 4:32; Colossians 4:6; 1 Thessalonians 5:14-15; James 5:19-20; 1 Peter 4:8).

If a fellow believer sins, go to him in private, and reprove him (expose his sin to him).

If he repents, you are to: (1) grant full forgiveness from your heart, (2) provide Biblical counsel for him to be reconciled with God and others, and (3) help him return to full fellowship and useful service in the local church, as far as is Biblically possible (based on Proverbs 11:14; 15:22; 17:9; Matthew 7:1-5; 18:15; 18:35; Luke 17:3-4; Romans 12:18; 1 Corinthians 12:25-27; Galatians 6:1-2; Colossians 4:6).

If he chooses not to repent, you are to: (1) continue judging yourself in a Biblical manner, (2) forgive him from your heart, (3) remain in a spirit of gentleness, and (4) return to him with one or two witnesses as you urge him to repent (based on Matthew 7:1-5; 18:16; 18:35; Galatians 6:1-2).

If he repents, you are to: (1) grant full forgiveness from your heart, (2) provide Biblical counsel for him to be reconciled with God and others, and (3) help him return to full fellowship and useful service in the local church, as far as is Biblically possible (based on Proverbs 11:14; 15:22; 17:9; Matthew 7:1-5; 18:15; 18:35; Luke 17:3-4; Romans 12:18; 1 Corinthians 12:25-27; Galatians 6:1-2; Colossians 4:6).

If a fellow-believer remains unrepentant, you are to: (1) continue judging yourself in a Biblical manner, (2) forgive him from your heart, (3) remain in a spirit of gentleness, and (4) report his decision to remain unrepentant to the church leaders who are responsible for the final steps in the discipline/restoration process (based on Matthew 7:1-5; 18:17; 18:35; Galatians 6:1-2).

If he repents, you and all others who are now involved in the discipline and restoration process are to: (1) grant full forgiveness from the heart, (2) provide Biblical counsel for him to be reconciled with God and others, (3) comfort him and reaffirm your love to him, and (4) help him return to full fellowship and useful service, as far as is Biblically possible (based on Proverbs 11:14; 15:22; 17:9; Matthew 7:1-5; 18:15; 18:35; Luke 17:3-4; Romans 12:18; 1 Corinthians 12:25-27; Galatians 6:1-2; Colossians 4:6).

On the other hand:

You are not to associate or eat with an unrepentant person who persists in open sin (you are not to fellowship with him) (based on 1 Corinthians 5:11-13).

You are to withdraw from (fellowship is to cease with) an unrepentant person who continues to live an unruly life marked by willful disobedience to God’s Word. You are to take special note of him and admonish him as a brother and not as an enemy (based on 2 Thessalonians 3:6; 3:14-15).

For the unrepentant one who is factious (creates division in the body), you are to reject him (avoid him, cease to communicate with him) after a first and second warning since he is self-condemned (based on Titus 3:10-11).

If the unrepentant brother is an elder who remains unrepentant and continues in sin, he is to be rebuked in the presence of all other believers in the local church, so that the rest may be fearful of sinning (1 Timothy 5:19-21).

If he repents, you and all others who are part of the discipline/restoration process are to: (1) grant full forgiveness from the heart, (2) provide Biblical counsel for him to be reconciled with God and others, (3) comfort him and reaffirm your love to him, and (4) help him return to full fellowship and useful service, as far as is Biblically possible (based on Proverbs 11:14; 15:22; 17:9; Matthew 7:1-5; 18:15; 18:35; Luke 17:3-4; Romans 12:18; 1 Corinthians 12:25-27; Galatians 6:1-2; Colossians 4:6).

If he chooses to remain unrepentant after the discipline/restoration process has been prayerfully and faithfully applied to him, then he is to be viewed as someone who does not belong to the family of God (based on Matthew 18:17; 1 Corinthians 5:13).

If he repents, you and all others who are part of the discipline/restoration process are to: (1) grant full forgiveness from the heart, (2) provide Biblical counsel for him to be reconciled with God and others, (3) comfort him and reaffirm your love to him, and (4) help him return to full fellowship and useful service, as far as is Biblically possible (based on Proverbs 11:14; 15:22; 17:9; Matthew 7:1-5; 18:15; 18:35; Luke 17:3-4; Romans 12:18; 1 Corinthians 12:25-27; Galatians 6:1-2; Colossians 4:6).

If the unrepentant person comes to where believers are gathered (worship services, Bible studies, etc.) after being officially removed from the fellowship of the church, others in the church are to communicate to him consistently his need for repentance. That is the only message that is appropriate for him to hear, since he is outside the fellowship of believers (based on Matthew 18:17).