93634 Church Eldership and Leadership 4

Posted byJonathan Kobayashi

The Necessity of Discipline

As in the natural family, so in the spiritual family. Discipline is needed for the following reasons:

  1. Discipline is basically designed to make order and happiness possible. Without it there would be lawlessness and anarchy (Judges 18:1; 19:1; 21:25).
  2. Discipline introduces the principle of submission; my will submitted to or crossing the will of God.
  3. Selfishness and self-will bring destruction and misery in any home (Isaiah 14:12-14).
  4. Discipline exercised in love gives individuals and a congregation a sense of security; saves a backslider from hell, and prevents worse problems.
  5. Discipline is needed to uphold the moral standard of God’s word, maintaining the holiness of God in the Church.
  6. Discipline guides the immature, stabilises the weak, and causes people to come to maturity in the Lord.

The Twofold Purpose of Discipline

There are two main aspects of discipline seen in Scripture, these being as follows.

  1. Discipline unto restoration (Galatians 6:1; Revelation 3:19; Hebrews 12:5-11). This is correction to bring about repentance unto restoration. It is correction of the error, not rejection of the person. There is acceptance of the person with the view to restore them. One cannot restore unless one accepts the person being restored. Unconditional love and total acceptance of the person is necessary but not the evil behaviour. It is worthy to note that “restore” in Galatians 6:1 means “to set, mend as a dislocated bone, to completely and thoroughly mend.” It is a wound to be healed. Even in the Corinthian case, excommunication led to repentance and restoration (II Corinthians 2:6-8; James 5:19-20; I John 5:16; Proverbs 10:12; Psalms 51:12; Jeremiah 3:22; 20:16, 17; Hosea 14:4; Micah 7:18, 19). God desires us to save a soul from death and give him life. This is through Scriptural disciplines.
  2. Discipline unto condemnation (I Corinthians 11:29-32; II Corinthians 2:6-8, 11). The Corinthian case is a point in view. He was excommunicated from the Church but still with the view to restoration by repentance.

God will judge, punish and chastise in order to bring a restoration of fellowship with Himself and believers. If men refuse to accept God’s judgment of sin at Calvary, then God judges them with eternal judgment (John 5:24-29; 3:36; I Peter 4:17; I Corinthians 5:1-5, 12-13; 6:1-11; Isaiah 4:4).

No Church can prosper if it allows sin to go un-judged. The Lord will withdraw His blessing (Revelation 1-2-3). Sin is contagious. The spiritual health of the Body is at stake. Sin in a member is like “leaven” (I Corinthians 5:6, 7). Sin can affect the whole Body (Joshua 7, Achan; I

Corinthians 5, Fornicator; and Revelation 2:14-16, 20-23; Idolatry, Immorality and False Doctrines).

What offences require Church discipline?

Doctrinal Offences ̣

Paul dealt with Hymenaeus and Alexander over the doctrine of the resurrection (I Timothy 1:20; II Timothy 2:17-26). Also Hymenaeus and Philetus. ̣

Doctrines not according to godliness were dealt with (I Timothy 6:3-5). ̣

Doctrines of idolatry and immorality were dealt with (Revelation 2:12-17). ̣

Doctrines which bring division contrary to apostles’ doctrines dealt with (Romans 16:17, 18). ̣ Heresy and doctrines of devils (I Timothy 4:1-3; Titus 3:9, 11; I John 4:1; Matthew 7:15; Galatians 1:7-10; II Peter 2:1-4; Jude 4). Such must be “shunned” (II Timothy 2:16); “purged” (II Timothy 2:23); “avoid discussion’ (II Timothy 2:25); “withdrawn from” (I Timothy 6:3, 5); “delivered to Satan” (I Timothy 1:20); “not received into house, or bless” (II John 10); and “charged not to teach other doctrine” (I Timothy 1:7). These must be “reproved, rebuked and exhorted” to continue in the sound doctrine (II Timothy 4:1-2; Titus 1:11; II Peters 1-3). Read also (Matthew 5:19; John 15:9; Matthew 24:11-13; Romans 16:17-18; Titus 3:10; Galatians 1:7-9). False doctrine causes people to “put away faith” and “shipwreck” (I Timothy 1:19). In Church discipline God’s protection is withdrawn from these, and they are delivered to Satan from whom they received their false doctrines.

Behavioural Offences

Offences against the members of the Body of Christ have to be dealt with also. As members one of another, none of us live to ourselves (Matthew 25:40; I Corinthians 8:2; Matthew 10:40; 18:5; Luke 10:16; Acts 9:4). This has to do with a brother or sister’s perpetual lifestyle, not just single incidents or mistakes. It is dealing with “brothers and sisters” in the family of God— NOT outsiders. God judges them— not the Church (I Corinthians 5:12-13). ̣

  • Fornicator
  • Covetousness
  • Idolater – literal or spiritual idols. Ephesians 5:5, Colossians 3:5, Romans 1:23
  • Verbally Abusive
  • Drunkard
  • Extortioner
  • Disorderly conduct
  • Divisionary – Romans 16:16-18
  • Sectarianism
  • Unforgiving attitude
  • Not discerning the body – 1 Cor 11:23-32
  • Witchcraft, Sorcery
  • One refusing to be reconciled to fellow believer. Matthew 18:15-20, 5:21-26
  • Lying to the Holy Spirit Acts 5:1-11

Who Administers Discipline?

Who is the one or who are the ones who should administer discipline, especially when it comes to the local Church.

  1. Sovereign Discipline Sometimes God in His own sovereignty administers discipline. He chastens His own people (Hebrews 12:5; Proverbs 3:11; 12; I Corinthians 11:29-32; James 5:14, 15; I John 5:16, 17). Sometimes there “is a sin unto (physical) death”.
  2. Spiritual Members (Galatians 6:1). “Ye which are spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meekness.” Carnal handling of problems only makes matters worse (I Corinthians 6:4). Only the spiritually mature should discipline and this should be done in the Eldership. Parents generally discipline their children and not the children the parents. So the spiritual parents in the Church should do the same. Paul, as a father in the Lord, asked the Corinthians whether he should come with a rod of correction or not (I Corinthians 4:15-21).
  3. The Whole Church Sometimes the whole Church attests to the discipline of a person. This is confirmed by a study of Matthew 18:15-20. “Tell it to the Church… if he neglect to hear the Church…” “When ye are come together… deliver such an one over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so the spirit can be saved.” (I Corinthians 5:4). “Which was inflicted of many…” (II Corinthians 2:6). Thus the man was disfellowshipped or excommunicated. This was to be respected by the whole Church. The only contact was to see him come to repentance and restoration; otherwise they were not to eat with him at all.

Principles of Disciplinary Judgment

Certain principles should be evidenced in any area of Church discipline. It should be remembered that the whole purpose of discipline is restorative. Discipline should be administered:

  1. By and according to the Word (John 12:47, 48; II Corinthians 11:3; Revelation 2:2; Matthew 24:11; II Peter 2:1).
  2. Balanced with the mercy of God (James 2:12, 13; Luke 17:2-4; Leviticus 19:17).
  3. In truth and righteousness (Zechariah 7:9-10; Ezekiel 44:17-24; Isaiah 32:1, 16; 16:5; Psalms 122:5; 101:1). Mercy and truth should meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other, in Divine balance.
  4. In Divine love (I Corinthians 13; Revelation 3:19).
  5. In a spirit of meekness and humility, realising ones own humanity (II Timothy 2:25; Galatians 6:1; Ephesians 6:4).

Steps in discipline

  • Privately Matthew 18:15-20
  • Privately with witnesses
  • Publicly in front or church
  • Excommunication (1 Timothy 5:19-21; 1 Corinthians 5:4; 2 Corinthians 2:6; 1 Samuel 2:25; 1 Corinthians 1:10.)

Having covered rather fully the area of discipline we note some of the things that happen in discipline.

  1. Unrepentant persons are excommunicated from the Church and treated as heathen, or publican or sinner. They are bound until loosed by the Church (Matthew 18:15-20).
  2. The fornicator was turned over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh (I Corinthians 5:3-5).
  3. Ananias and Sapphire died for lying to the Holy Spirit, Peter only declaring it (Acts)
  4. The sorcerer was smitten with blindness for a season for opposing the Gospel of Christ through Paul (Acts 13:6-13).
  5. Divisionaries were marked and avoided (Romans 16:16-18).
  6. Brothers who are of the number in I Corinthians 5:1-13 were disfellowshipped by the saints.
  7. Brothers were walked disorderly were to be withdrawn from, but not treated as enemies (II Thessalonians 3:6-15).
  8. Sins are retained against persons until they repent and are reconciled (Mark 2:7; John 20:23; Matthew 18:18; II Corinthians 5:19).

Former member Charles is under church discipline. He walked out on his spouse and family. They have rejected all overtures from all members of the congregation, show no signs of repentance and in fact, have said that they no longer believe in God and are “finished with the whole God thing.” Several months go by and he shows up on a Sunday morning. What do you do? 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15

A business person in the church seeks investment from other members in the church. The business person ends up being deceitful and the investors lose considerable money in the defunct business.

A married person in the church has an affair with a single person in the church.

Someone in the church gets pregnant out of wedlock. The church is divided over the issue.