CHURCH DISCIPLINE
(Message by Tanny Keng)
0. Introduction
a) The church, at times, must exercise discipline toward members who have sinned. But church discipline must be handled carefully, straightforwardly, and lovingly.
1. Situations
a) Unintentional error and / or private sin.
b) Public sin and / or those done flagrantly and arrogantly.
2. Steps (Matthew 18:15-17)
i) 15 “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ 17 And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector. (Matthew 18:15-17 NKJV)
a) Go to the brother or sister, show the fault to him or her in private.
b) If he / she does not listen, go with one or two witnesses.
c) If he / she refuses to listen, take the matter before the church.
3. After these steps have been carried out, the next steps are:
a) Remove the one in error from the fellowship (1 Corinthians 5:2-13).
i) 2 And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you. 3 For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed. 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5 deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
6 Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7 Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. 8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
9 I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. 10 Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11 But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person.
12 For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? 13 But those who are outside God judges. Therefore “put away from yourselves the evil person.” (1 Corinthians 5:2-13 NKJV)
b) The church gives united disapproval, but forgiveness and comfort are in order if he / she chooses to repent (2 Corinthians 2:5-8).
i) 5 But if anyone has caused grief, he has not grieved me, but all of you to some extent—not to be too severe. 6 This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man, 7 so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. 8 Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. (2 Corinthians 2:5-8 NKJV)
c) Do not associate with the disobedient person; and if you must, speak to him / her as one who needs a warning (2 Thessalonians 3:14-15).
i) 14 And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. (2 Thessalonians 3:14-15 NKJV)
d) After two warnings, reject the person from the fellowship (Titus 3:10).
i) 10 Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition. (Titus 3:10 NKJV)
The End ...
0. Introductiona) The church, at times, must exercise discipline toward members who have sinned. But church discipline must be handled carefully, straightforwardly, and lovingly.
1. Situations
a) Unintentional error and / or private sin.
b) Public sin and / or those done flagrantly and arrogantly.
2. Steps (Matthew 18:15-17)
i) 15 “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ 17 And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector. (Matthew 18:15-17 NKJV)
a) Go to the brother or sister, show the fault to him or her in private.
b) If he / she does not listen, go with one or two witnesses.
c) If he / she refuses to listen, take the matter before the church.
3. After these steps have been carried out, the next steps are:
a) Remove the one in error from the fellowship (1 Corinthians 5:2-13).
i) 2 And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you. 3 For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed. 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5 deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
6 Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7 Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. 8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
9 I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. 10 Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11 But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person.
12 For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? 13 But those who are outside God judges. Therefore “put away from yourselves the evil person.” (1 Corinthians 5:2-13 NKJV)
b) The church gives united disapproval, but forgiveness and comfort are in order if he / she chooses to repent (2 Corinthians 2:5-8).
i) 5 But if anyone has caused grief, he has not grieved me, but all of you to some extent—not to be too severe. 6 This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man, 7 so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. 8 Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. (2 Corinthians 2:5-8 NKJV)
c) Do not associate with the disobedient person; and if you must, speak to him / her as one who needs a warning (2 Thessalonians 3:14-15).
i) 14 And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. (2 Thessalonians 3:14-15 NKJV)
d) After two warnings, reject the person from the fellowship (Titus 3:10).
i) 10 Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition. (Titus 3:10 NKJV)
Comments
Post a Comment