It seems when Baptist church’s come to church discipline they often go to one of two extremes. Many churches do absolutely nothing to discipline errant members. While others move too quickly to dismiss people, without following proper Biblical guidelines. Probably even more often, some churches may move too quickly in one case and not at all in another.
After warning about being offended by the world, and then about offending Christ’s little ones, the Lord Jesus moves on to the treatment of those who offend us. “If thy brother shall trespass against thee, here is what you should do.” This evening let’s consider some Biblical principles in regard to church discipline.
As background information, it must be understood that Jehovah is a God of order.
He inspired Paul to tell the disorderly Corinthians, “Let all things be done decently and in order.” Then he told Titus – “For this cause left I thee in Crete that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting…” Because the Lord is a God of order, He has established three institutions for maintaining that order – The human family, the institution of human government, and His church. Each of them have their own unique areas of responsibility, and there should be no trespassing. We don’t have the time to look at the first two, but Christ raises the subject of the church here. And I point out once again, that this was long before Pentecost, when some people say that Christ established the church. No, Christ’s church was already well established.
A proper place for any study of church discipline is to remember that it is Christ’s church – not ours. If a church is nothing more than a social club, or service organization – then we are wasting our time. But if God established Calvary Baptist Church, then it takes on a different character. If this church is “the pillar and ground of the truth” in Post Falls, then it is a very important institution. If this church is the spiritual body of Christ, then we all better sit up and take notice. If Christ died for His church, then to reject His church is to spit on the blood of the Lord. We can’t go as far as so many – who say that salvation comes through membership in this church. A person can certainly be a child of God and an alien from God’s church. But that alien will only be a witness at the wedding of the Lamb. He will be “saved yet so as by fire.” It is doubtful that the Judgment Seat of Christ will be a very pleasant place for him. It is a shameful thing not to be a member of the institution for which Christ died. And to be disciplined out of Christ’s church ought be one most shameful things ever inflicted on a Christian. Until people understand that, then church discipline will mean very little.
The God of absolute order has established His church as place of maintaining SPIRITUAL order.
The local church with the open Bible is the place where God has promised to meet with His people. “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” I had a man quote verse 20 to me earlier in this week in a way which sounded like if two or three Christians come together they somehow automatically become a church. No, the context of the two or three is verse 20 and the Lord’s church is already a part of the equation. Christ is saying that if one of the His churches is tiny, even there will he Lord meet with His people.
God’s church – this church – is a workshop towards the perfection of the children of God. It is the place where the image of God is to be fashioned in God’s people. It is not the only place, but it is the most convenient place to preach the Word.
Now, it needs to be clearly understood that membership in the body of Christ is a privilege, not a right. This idea that just anyone can join, and everyone can stay, has to leave. The only church that Jesus Himself ever pastored had a very limited membership. That church was organized with twelve members in Mark 3. By time of Jesus’ crucifixion it appears that there still only twelve, in addition to their Pastor. But then by Acts 1 there were 120 names on the roll of First Baptist church of Jerusalem. No sin-riddled reprobate who says, “I believe in Jesus,” can demand membership in Christ’s church. As John the Baptist said, “I want to see fruit meet for repentance.” Furthermore, if a church member chooses to openly sin, then discipline becomes in order.
And just because someone is a member, that doesn’t mean he always maintains the right to be a member. Because with membership come certain definite responsibilities. In our church, as in most Baptist churches, those responsibilities are found in our Covenant and Constitution. There is responsibility to attend the services and meetings of that church – whenever possible. There is responsibility to financially support the work and missions of the church. It is the policy of some congregations to exclude those members who refuse to tithe. I don’t think that we ought to demand your tax returns to verify that you are giving properly, but still, giving is one of the responsibilities of every member – including me. We as members have the responsibility to pray for, promote and prize our church. We also have the responsibility to fight our own personal sins before they infect the rest of the body.
You see, God established His churches to maintain spiritual order in the world. But if the members of that church are worldly themselves, they have destroyed purpose. If you look like and behave like heathen, then you should be treated as heathen. The Christian who lives in open sins like swearing, or worrying, or smoking, or gossiping, or gambling, or any of dozens of others, says that God doesn’t really care about sin or about us personally. In some churches those are grounds for discipline, and rightly so.
And that brings us to subject of church discipline itself.
Any break in the responsibilities of church membership deserves discipline. But there are different kinds of discipline. First there should come something we’ll call “Instructive discipline.” Although “discipline” is found only once in the Bible, “disciple” very frequent. Both words are related to the idea of “learning,” “instruction,” or “to be a learner.” A “disciple” is a student of his master, and “discipline” is a part of his education. This message tonight is a part of the instructive kind of discipline.
There then must be a second kind of discipline – we’ll call it – “Corrective discipline.” This is the negative side of the same coin. Galatians 6:1 – “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.” There are a couple of things to keep in mind here. Discipline is not the sole responsibility of the pastor – “ye which spiritual.” Not is it the responsibility of every member, because many are not as spiritual as they ought to be.. Second, consider the fact that we are all human beings ourselves. Today it may be that man who is in sin, but tomorrow it may be you. Do you want your sin to be put on the bulletin board in foyer of church? Perhaps it shouldn’t be, and perhaps neither should that other man’s sin. Third, do your disciplining with the utmost in love. “Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” “Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.”
Following the instructive discipline and the corrective there may be the necessity of “Excisive disciple.” This may be where the cancer must be cut out of the patient. It should be the last resort, not the second and certainly not the first.
Now these various forms of discipline are not optional to the true church of God. We have been established as the lighthouse of God in this community. If we permit our light and lens to become smothered in the filth of the world. then we deserve to have our candle snuffed out and our candlestick removed. We recall that our Lord spoke about the little leaven that leaveneth the whole lump. Sin or heresy may be that leaven. If we refuse to deal with matters of a bad testimony, we are not serving the faithful members of our church. Those members who stick with the stuff, through thick and thin, have a right to expect discipline. The more spiritual the member, the more he’ll be offended by the sins of some of the others. To tolerate the hypocrite may drive away the righteous. Not to disciple erring members cannot serve those who continue to fight wickedness.
Then too this church is a body, as Paul so clearly teaches us. When one member suffers then the whole body suffers and every member of body. When one member sins then the whole body suffers as well. There are times and places when that member can be doctored and healed. That must be the first thing that we try. But there are times when that sinfully sick member must be cut off like a bad appendix.
And what are the grounds and procedures of that excisive discipline.
What is your opinion about people loudly belching or burping in public? Sometimes it cannot be helped, but as every child knows, it can be done on command. And in those cases it is disgusting. Do you think that someone who belches in middle of church ought to be “churched”? There might be conceivably such people and such cases – yes; but ordinarily – No. There must be the right grounds for discipline.
The foundation for this doctrine and practice was laid down by none other than our Lord Jesus. The scriptures which we have already studied are a part of subject of discipline, but most people don’t recognize that. The word “moreover” in verse 15 reminds us that these passages are interrelated. Then we notice that word “brother” preceded by “these little ones” – these are people who are “Christians.” One brother has committed a “trespass” against you or one of these little ones. About ten times as often this word “trespass” is translated “sin.” This brother has sinned against you – in some fashion – in any fashion. Christ does not limit this to any particular kind sin – because all sin is abominable. But remember that just because this was a sin that offended you, it may not have been deliberate. Like that loud belch. It may have been like Peter’s denial of Christ at the fireside – unintended at the time, but still a sin.
If some church member has offended you, go and talk to him about it – that may be the end of it. In fact, this thing may bring you closer than you were before, if you handle it correctly. But it could be that he will just laugh in your face – or even worse. In that case go back and take with you a couple of others from the church and talk to him again. Taking these others tends to do several things – It shows that the matter has become more than just personal. It diminishes the appearance of vindictiveness – and retaliation – although these may still be there. It shows that the problem concerns the whole church. It may provide evidence if further action is necessary, And it adds real weight to the admonitions given.
Now, if the trespasser continues be obstinate – take the matter before the church. We see progression: personal discussion, unofficial meeting, then an official confrontation. If the admonition of the church is rejected – then the sinner must be “excluded.” That is, he should be considered as you would a heathen or a publican. Heathens and publicans both were despisers of God’s churches and they still are. If that person claims to be Christian, and despises the institution for which Christ died he is worse than a heathen and publican. You may have to consider that person a lost man, and under the curse of God’s wrath.
A couple of other things in this text before we move on. The church decides the matter, not public opinion. The “pillar and ground of the truth” is the church – not public mores. Furthermore it not just a few people within the church, but the church as unit. Second, there is to be no other action taken, no civil judgments, legal cases. If one Christ’s churches takes action upon a member – that is recognized in Heaven – verse.18. Not as the Catholics and most Protestants say, that person loses salvation. But the church is to consider him as lost until there is fruit meet for repentance. What is lost is that sinner’s part in the body and bride of Christ, and that is recognized in Heaven.
There are several points that all this discipline is trying to accomplish.
First, as in everything we do as a church – it must be unto the glory of God. Jehovah, the only holy God, cannot be glorified by any connection to sin, except in its judgment. Since this church claims be His church, then we cannot be associated to sin and still properly glorify Him. As cruel as it sounds, God was glorified in the death of Achan, Nadab and Korah. And God’s righteousness was vindicated when man sleeping with step-mother was put out church. We cannot allow our feelings, or feelings others to be put before the glory of the Lord.
And our discipline must be directed towards the good of the trespasser. Jesus went out seeking that hundredth sheep with the view of bringing it back fold. I’m told that sometimes, sometimes, the sheep are just too rebellious. Sometimes the shepherd had to take the rod and break one of the sheep’s legs in order to keep him. That little lamb sometimes must feel the pain before he learns to obey. Our discipline must not just be to clean-up church rolls, but to help the erring or the one tottering on the brink of trespass to see these are serious things.
That means that part of our treatment of the excommunicated one is to cause shame. For a defendant to loose a court case in convincing fashion should be a humiliating shame. But more than that – to be convicted of sin in the courtroom of God’s church – shameful. “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. For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us. For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing. 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 3:6-15.
The third purpose of this discipline is found in the good of the church. The toleration of overt sin in one member tells all the rest to go ahead and sin. It tells our children that God has double standards. To allow sin to go unchecked within God’s church invariably encourages further growth in other areas of sin. If we don’t draw a line somewhere no line will be drawn anywhere. For the sake of the church there must be practiced church discipline.
God has a standard, and we are obligated to learn it and to apply it. Yes, I am a sinner and so are you, so let us draw nigh unto Christ. “Search me O God, and know my hrt, try, me and know my thots and see if there be any wicked way in me, and then lead me in the way everlasting.” Paul says, “I, the prisoner of the L, beseech you that ye walk worthy of vocation wherewith.”