Church Disipline? Are You Kidding?

2 Thessalonians 3:6 - Church Discipline? Are You Kidding?

Church discipline? In the 21^st Century? Are you serious? Absolutely! I believe that the single-greatest cause for the spiritual apathy, declining influence, and decreasing numbers in our churches is the fact that we no longer practice church discipline. There is no standard set to which to ascribe. There are no boundaries for behavior. There is no antidote for the evil influence that creeps into the church. As a result, the salt has lost its saltiness and the light has been diminished (Matthew 5:13-16).

In this verse, Paul said that when a brother starts acting up in an unChristian manner, we are to withdraw from him. Paul addressed this in 1 Corinthians 5. A man is having a sexual relationship with his stepmother. Paul said this church is “to deliver him to Satan so that his spirit may be saved.” In the following verses, he described what he meant. The man is to be excommunicated from the church. Fellowship is withdrawn completely. The idea is that as a Christian, he will see how serious sin is, and under the conviction of the Holy Spirit, he will repent. Outside of the protection of the church, he would face the devil alone and find out just how hostile the world could be when the church’s prayers and ministry ends. An additional element in this practice is that his removal from the fellowship would prevent him from leading other members astray.

Paul urged this same action again in 1 Timothy 1:19-20 under different circumstances. Jesus laid out this course of action in Matthew 18:15-20. If the brother sins, go to him one-on-one. If he listens and repents, great. He has been restored. By the way, when you do this, do it with love and a gentle spirit after you are sure that you are walking in the light of God’s love (Matthew 7:1-6; Galatians 6:1). If the sinful brother refuses to repent, take one or two people with you to gently confront him again. If he continues to reject the restoration process, take the matter before the church. If he still remains in his sin, he is to be treated “like a heathen and a tax collector.” Excommunicated. Isolated. Alone. He is to become an outcast so that he might come to his senses and be totally restored.

That’s the whole point: restoration. Not judgment. Not ridicule. Not defamation. We all sin. We all need to be confronted from time to time. And if we are spiritually sensitive, we will listen to our Christian brothers, repent of our sin, and the fellowship will be restored. Church discipline will not be necessary, and the man who strays will find healing, and the church will be strengthened!