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The Importance of Church Discipline By Carl Johnson

Culprits that affect Church Discipline. A lack of biblical instruction concerning church discipline.A shift from congregational accountability to moral individualism.A modified view of sin.. D.A. Carson.

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The Importance of Church Discipline By Carl Johnson

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    1. The Importance of Church Discipline By Carl Johnson

    2. Culprits that affect Church Discipline A lack of biblical instruction concerning church discipline. A shift from congregational accountability to moral individualism. A modified view of sin.

    3. D.A. Carson “People do not drift toward holiness. Apart from grace-driven effort, people do not gravitate toward godliness, prayer, obedience to Scripture, faith and delight in the Lord. We drift toward disobedience and call it freedom; we drift toward superstition and call it faith. We cherish the indiscipline of lost self-control call it relaxation; we slouch toward prayerlessness and delude ourselves into thinking we escaped legalism; we slide toward godlessness and convince ourselves we have been liberated.”

    4. Definition of Church Discipline “A confrontive and corrective measure taken by an individual, church leaders, or congregation regarding a matter of sin in the life of a believer.” Carl Laney

    5. The Basis for Discipline 1) The Lord himself disciplines his children. “For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives.” (Heb. 12:6) 2) Discipline is based on the holy character of God. “Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness.” (Heb. 12:9-10)

    6. The Basis for Discipline 3) Church discipline is based on the commands of Scripture. “Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us you may learn not to exceed what is written, so that no one of you will become arrogant in behalf of one against the other.” (1 Cor. 4:6)

    7. 4) Church discipline is the testimony of the church in the world. “…but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name. For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner? Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.” (1 Peter 4: 13-19)

    8. Purposes of Church Discipline 1) To restore, heal and build up the sinning believer. “Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.” (Gal 6:1)

    9. Purposes of Church Discipline 2) To produce a healthy faith, one sound in doctrine. “This testimony is true. For this reason reprove them severely so that they may be sound in the faith, not paying attention to Jewish myths and commandments of men who turn away from the truth.” (Titus 1: 13-14)

    10. Purposes of Church Discipline 3) To silence false teachers and their influence in the church. “For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach for the sake of sordid gain.” (Titus 1: 10-11)

    11. Purposes of Church Discipline 4) To set an example for the rest of the body and promote godly fear. “Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also will be fearful of sinning.” (1 Tim. 5:20)

    12. Purposes of Church Discipline 5) To protect the church against the consequences that occur when they fail to carry out church discipline. A church that fails to exercise discipline is affected in 3 ways: The loss of purity “I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough?” (1 Cor. 5: 6-7)

    13. To protect the church against the consequences of sin in the church The loss of power “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” (Eph. 4:30)

    14. To protect the church against the consequences of sin in the church The loss of purpose “…for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.” (1 Peter 2:9-13)

    15. Reasons for Church Discipline 1) Immoral Conduct “It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father's wife.” (1 Cor. 5:1)

    16. Reasons for Church Discipline 2) Divisive or factiousness “Reject a factious man after a first and second warning, knowing that such a man is perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned.” (Titus 3: 10-11)

    17. Reasons for Church Discipline 3) Disorderly Conduct “Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us… If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of that person and do not associate with him, so that he will be put to shame. Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.” (2 Thess. 3:6, 14-15)

    18. Reasons for Church Discipline 4) False Teaching (Doctrinal Heresy) “As I urged you upon my departure for Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus so that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines…Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, so that they will be taught not to blaspheme.” (1 Tim. 1:3, 20)

    19. Matthew 18: 12-14 "What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying?  "If it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray.  "So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish.

    20. Steps to Church Discipline Step 1 Go to your brother in private and reprove him. "If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.” (Matt. 18:15)

    21. Steps to Church Discipline “Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.” (Gal. 6:1)

    22. Steps to Church Discipline Step 2 Take witnesses to strengthen the effect. "But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed.” (Matt. 18:16)

    23. Steps to Church Discipline Step 3 Bring it before the Church body. "If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church…” (Matt. 18:17)

    24. Steps to Church Discipline Step 4 Disfellowship the person from the church. “…and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.” (Matt. 18:17)

    25. Steps to Church Discipline “I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler -- not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.” (1 Cor. 5: 9-13)

    26. Genuine Repentance How do we know when repentance is genuine? What is our responsibility when the sinning party acknowledges their wrong and claims repentance? When they: “… bring forth fruits in keeping with repentance.” (Luke 3:8) “… they repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance.” (Acts 26:20)

    27. Genuine Repentance Genuine repentance will make itself evident by its deeds and attitudes. The repentant person will: 1) Freely acknowledge his sin (1 John 1:9) 2) Cease the sinful activity for which he was disciplined for. (Proverbs 28:13) 3) Ask for forgiveness from those hurt and make restitution if needed. (Philemon 18-19)

    28. Genuine Repentance 4) He will demonstrate a genuine change of heart, a godly sorrow over his actions. (2 Cor. 7: 8-11) 5) He will begin to show the fruit of the Spirit and a concern for the things of Christ. (Gal. 5:22)

    29. The Goal The goal of church discipline is not to inflict harm but to impress upon the one who has sinned the gravity of their sin and the consequences of rebellion against their God and to maintain the purity of the church. The objective is restoration!

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