[b]CHURCH DISCIPLINE - THE STANCE OF THE BIBLE
[/b]1

Introduction

In this message, we shall be taking a look at where the Bible stands on the of Church discipline. Many in this generation churches believe that Church discipline is a thing of the past and does not fit into the modern world where we are free to do what we like. To these ones, disciplining a erring member of a Church does not show love and churches who practice this are being judgemental. But does the bible encourage or support this position? This we will for the next 50-60 minutes look into.

1.1 Church discipline defined
Discipline in the Bible means: instruction; correction; chastening [2 Timothy 3:16]. Although this passage talks about the profitability, purpose and importance of the Word of GOD, it also defines the meaning and purpose of the subject in focus - Church discipline. This passage shows that discipline entails teaching, reproof, correction and instruction. These are with the purpose of making was perfect and thorough bred Christians.

The bible expects us as believers to train up our children in the godly way [Proverbs 22:6; Ephesians 6:4; Proverbs 22:15]

GOD chastises us His children because He loves us and will not want us to perish with the world [Hebrews 12:5-11; Proverbs 3:11].

GOD has placed pastors over us in our churches and we as members of the churches they shepherd must submit ourselves under their authority
Hebrews 13:17 says “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.”

Intrinsically in this passage is one of the most important responsibilities of a Pastor, which is “they watch for your souls”, that is our pastors are the watching guard over souls. A Pastor should be interested in knowing the lifestyle of his members. He should not only be interested in their tithes and offerings, he should be interested in knowing their spiritual conditions and have an idea of the sources of their incomes. He must be able to call to order anyone found wanting in good Christian conduct. That is discipline erring members of the church who have deviated from the narrow path [Luke 13:24]. Let me state again, that every pastor of a local church must always remember that he is responsible for the spiritual wellbeing of the members of his local church, not of anyone outside his local church.

2. The need for discipline in the local church
i. One is for the good of the offenders. Discipline will awaken offenders to the tragedy of their sin and their need to seek the face of GOD for forgiveness and restoration to fellowship both with GOD and the local church. It seeks to restore offenders into full Christlikeness [2 Samuel 12:7-13a; Psalm 51:1-4,10-13; 1 Corinthians 5:5; James 5:19-20]

ii. The second reason is for the sake of the purity of the church. Tolerating evil and sinful lifestyle in a church will definitely lower or bring down the moral standard of a Church [1 Corinthians 5:6-8; 1 Corinthians 5:11]

iii. The third reason is for the sake of doctrinal integrity of the Church. False doctrines are like poisons that are capable of destroying the spiritual life of a Christian. There are doctrines that can keep believers in perpetual fear and bondage. For example, most deliverance ministries so called put people in unending bondage of deliverance. There are also those that will make one lackadaisical to obeying GOD’s commandments. An example is the doctrine of once saved always saved (aka eternal security and easy believism). The bible advises pastors to remove such people in the church. [Titus 3:10-11; 2 John 7-11]

iv. The fourth reason is because of those in the world. That is for the good of those presently in the world [2 Samuel 12:14]. The LORD takes very serious exceptions when His Name is blasphemed among the people of the world because of our actions [Matthew 18:6-7]. The Church cannot win souls for CHRIST if there is no difference between her and the world [Matthew 5:13, 14-16].

3.0 Restoration or discipline of a erring member of a local church
Matthew 18:15-17
Our LORD JESUS CHRIST in Matthew 18:15-17 sets forth the method of restoring or disciplining a professing Christian who sins against another member of the church in a private manner.

i. The offender must be dealt with and admonished in private. If he listens and repents, he must be forgiven. But if he refuses to respond to his Christian brother, and after that to one or two other brethren and to the local church, then he must be treated as a heathen: a man who does not know GOD and outside of His Kingdom, severed from CHRIST and fallen from grace [verse 17, Galatians 5:4]. He has no right to Church membership and must be removed from the fellowship of the church.

ii. This practice of purifying the church is to operate not only in areas of sin and immorality, but also in cases of doctrinal heresy and unfaithfulness to the original and fundamental New Testament faith [Galatians 1:8-9; Jude 3]

iii. Church discipline must be carried out in the spirit of humility, love, regret and self-examination [Matthew 22:37-39; Galatians 6:1].

iv. Sexual sin - 1 Corinthians 5:1-5
Sins within the church involving sexual immorality must be dealt with according to 1 Corinthians 5:1-5. These types of grave sins require regret and mourning by the whole congregation [1 Corinthians 5:2]. The bible talks about sufficient for the transgressor [2 Corinthians 2:6] and expulsion from the congregation [1 Corinthians 5:2, 13]. Later, after a period of evident repentance, the individual can be forgiven and restored back into fellowship [2 Corinthians 2:6-8].

v. Sins of an elder - 1 Timothy 5:19-20; Galatians 2:11-14

4. Conclusion
Pastors and leaders within the local church must always remember that they are charged to “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.” [Acts 20:28]. The LORD will require of every pastor and leaders within a local church a personal accounting of “the blood of all men.” [Acts 20:26] who are lost because Church leaders failed to restore, discipline or expel according to GOD’s will and purpose [Ezekiel 3:18, 20-21; Acts 20:26-27].