8. Church Discipline
Whenever one discusses church discipline, it seems the beginning of the discussion surrounds the “withdrawal of fellowship.” There are two things I want you to consider and learn. First, to begin with a discussion of withdrawal is like reading the final chapter of a book first or the mounting of a horse and while on the horse, trying to attach the saddle and bridle! It’s simply not the right approach. Second, no where in the Bible do we find any authority to withdraw fellowship. But lest I jump ahead to the end of our discussion, we will discuss several other aspects of church discipline first.
We will begin with two brief definitions so that we might see where we are headed.
Church – those that are called out of sin. The ones who are in Christ. Those that are members of the kingdom of Christ.
Discipline – 1. training to act in accordance with rules. 2. instruction and exercise designed to train proper conduct or action. 3. punishment inflicted by way of correction and training. 6. a set or system of rules and regulations.
Editor’s note:
This partial definition of discipline comes from the Random House College Dictionary, revised edition, 1980.
We will begin with definition number six, a set or system of rules and regulations. A proper understanding would help me to know that the life-view we call Christianity is a specific discipline, a set of rules and regulations one is to follow if he accepts Christianity. Church discipline is, first of all, Christ’s set of directions for our lives, a set of rules and regulations.
The great commission of Matthew 28:18-20 says to go and teach all nations, baptize them, and teach them to observe all the commands of Christ (this action of teaching corresponds with our first and second definitions). The beginning of Church discipline is the training of those who are being added to the church. Far too often we “baptize and abandon” rather than “disciple and teach.” If we properly trained the new convert in Church discipline, then we would not have a need to “withdraw fellowship” so often.
There are times, however, when someone becomes a Christian, and over the course of time, fails to bring himself into a proper relationship with the discipline we call Christianity. Whenever this happens, our discipline (Christianity) tells us how to respond. We will review some of the scriptures involved and try to discover the Bible order of action.
“Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
Galatians 6:1-2
According to this scripture a man overtaken by sin needs to be approached and restored. This is accomplished by returning his heart and mind back to the word of God. We remind him of and retrain him in church discipline, the rules and regulations given by Christ.
“I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”
II Timothy 4:1-2
This is an extension of the idea in Galatians 6:1-2. We are to preach the word (church discipline) and reprove, rebuke, and exhort those who have obeyed the gospel. This process begins before sin (teach, exhort) and intensifies after sin (reprove, rebuke, restore). It is always the better outcome when one is safely returned to Christ.
“Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.”
Matthew 5:23-24“Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.”
Matthew 18:15-17
In studying these issues several years ago, I noticed a peculiar thing. Matthew 5 says if my brother has something against me, I am to go to him. But Matthew 18 says if I have something against my brother I am still to go to him. In both cases, whether he has something against me or I have something against him, I am commanded to do the going. Often is the time I have heard my brethren say, “He needs to come to me first.” I do not see justification in these scriptures for such a position and such an approach will only make matters worse.
There does come occasionally the situation which simply is never corrected by the one in sin and the church must take further action or suffer the consequences (James 5:19-20, I Corinthians 5:6), the loss of the individual and the loss of the congregation. Whenever a person is in a sin from which he will not turn, the congregation is charged with the responsibility to withdraw from such a person. We will look at the concept of withdrawal so that we can see the practice as described in scripture.
“Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.”
II Thessalonians 3:6“And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.”
II Thessalonians 3:14-15“For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.”
I Corinthians 5:3-5“I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one no not to eat.”
I Corinthians 5:9-11“But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. A man that is an heretic, after the first and second admonition reject; Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.”
Titus 3:9-11“Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you. Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.”
Romans 16:17-18“Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.”
Matthew 18:15-17“If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”
I John 1:6-7
All of these passages discuss withdrawal and/or marking of the offender (as do a myriad of other scriptures) except for I John 1:6-7 which blends our discussion of withdrawal with a discussion of fellowship. Now please consider the following scriptures on that subject.
“But I say, that the things which the gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. Ye cannot drink the cup of the lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.”
I Corinthians 10:20-21“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.”
Ephesians 5:11“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”
II Corinthians 6:14-18“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”
Matthew 6:24
Let’s put all this great collection of Scriptures together and see what we can glean concerning church discipline. The first thing we notice is that we never withdraw fellowship from someone. Fellowship is a state of being that exists between divinity and righteous humanity. It is a relationship that binds us all into a partnership of goodness. Whenever someone enters into sin, they quite literally enter into a partnership or fellowship with the forces of darkness. In so doing they leave the fellowship of God. We do not withdraw our fellowship. There is no fellowship because they have destroyed it by their sinful rebellion to God. What we withdraw is our association because they have abandoned our fellowship. We need to call Bible things by Bible names (I Peter 4:11). Many have transposed the word “fellowship” with the word “association”, causing needless confusion. We have “fellowship” dinners open to all (including denominational visitors), “fellowship meetings” (as opposed to non-fellowship meetings???), and so on. We need to get back to God’s definitions and not be careless in our language (that subject would be a book in itself). Whenever we are forced to withdraw our association from the non-penitent sinner, it is because he has already broken fellowship with God and the righteous. We will no longer associate with him until he repents and returns to a right relationship with God, the relationship we call fellowship.
We have seen first that we are to withdraw from those who are unrighteous. But who is to do the withdrawing? According to the scriptures, it is the church (brethren). But today such is generally not the case. It is common practice for elders to make these decisions and announce them to the congregation. This practice is without scriptural authority and is sinful. It is also a practice which causes confusion and conflict. Consider the Christian lady who was going to call a couple who had ceased to attend services and encourage them only to find out the elders were going to announce the next Sunday that they had been withdrawn from (a fact not generally known to the congregation). Had this act of discipline been handled by the church (as in “church discipline”) then this situation never would have occurred.
Consider the congregation that disagrees with the withdrawal and refused to honor it, or the eldership which acts hastily or when poorly informed (or sometimes vindictively). Often confusion and division will be the ultimate outcome. Let’s do Bible things in Bible ways. Whenever church discipline is necessary it should be done by the church, not just the elders.
In all of this, there is the underlying principle of such an action being based on facts which cannot be questioned (Matthew 18:16, Matthew 26:60, Acts 6:13, II Corinthians 13:1, I Timothy 5:19), a thing which sometimes does not occur. In all that we do, we must judge righteous judgment (John 7:24). Since church discipline is required, we have no options if we are to please God. But in all that we do (including church discipline) we are to act in wisdom, according to scripture, and in love.
Finally, these heretics (causers of division) must be marked so they cannot continue their divisive ways (II Timothy 2:16-18, I Timothy 1:19-20, II John. 9-10). One congregation I know of removed a preacher for sexual immorality and gave him a letter of recommendation if he would promise to leave the area! God forbid!
Let us consider carefully this closing passage as this section of our study is concluded.
“For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”
Ecclesiastes 12:14