“Do I need organized religion?”

1. “Do I needorganized religion?” What is the local church, and why should I be a member?

2. The need for organized worship • Do the scriptures require “organized religion”? • Group worship, attendance • Common “creed” • Accountability • Treasury • What is the local church’s responsibility • To other churches? • To the acceptance or rejection of “new” members • To the behavior of its own members?

3. Discipline and the local church • What is church discipline? • Excommunication? • A kind reminder? • Live and let live? • Not anyone’s business how brethren live? • What does the scripture say? • What are reasons for discipline? • Who should be disciplined? • What does that discipline look like?

4. Our relationship with one another • Review – what is our relationship in the church? • Family that is stronger than blood – Mk. 10:29-30 • What is the source of that relationship? • 1 John 5:1-2 –“Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him.” • 1 Peter 1:22-23 –“Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.” • Gal. 6:10 –“especially to the household of faith”

5. Our relationship with one another • Eph 2:18-22 –“For through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.” • Our relationship is unique, different from that we have with those in the world.

6. Our obligation to one another • We ought to be watching out for one another • The eldership: Heb 13:17 –“Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.” • Gal 6:1-3 –“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. Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.” • James 5:16 –“confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another…” • I won’t have to “meddle” to see my brother drift away from God!

7. Our obligation to one another • When a brother leaves the Lord, can his relationship with the brethren stay the same? • James 5:19-20 –“My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” • If we don’t care, we OUGHT to! • Do we have a common bond with a brother who is no longer seeking God? • We see that a change in relationship is inevitable even without “discipline”!

8. Our obligation to discipline • Why must discipline occur in the church? • I Corinthians 5:1-8 – three reasons • “so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.”–for the good of the brother • “Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough?”–for the safety of the brotherhood • “For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”–so Christ may be served in holiness and purity in the church • If discipline isn’t aimed at these three purposes, we’re doing it for the wrong reasons!

9. Our obligation to discipline • What should discipline look like? • 2 Thess 3:14-15 –“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.” • There has to be a change that reflects disapproval • 1 Cor 5:11-12 –“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.” • There has to be communication • There has to be concern – Jude 21-23

10. Our obligation to discipline • When should discipline take place? • I Cor. 5:9-13 –“an immoral brother” • 1 John 5:16 - If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death.” • If a brother is willing to repent, Luke 17:3 • Example of three reasons for discipline • In this case, brother was unrepentant • In this case, church’s attitude was corrupted as a result, v. 2 • In this case, the church was condoning an act which made it even more corrupt than the Gentile world, v. 1

11. Our obligation to discipline • When should discipline take place? • Mtt. 18:15-17 –“an injurious brother” • Different – not evident to all (witnesses needed) • Just because a problem doesn’t effect the entire church does not mean that a brother should not be disciplined • “Let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector” • No longer sharing common relationship in Christ • Not treated hatefully, but cannot continue in same close relationship • Severity of the injury is not in question, but the attitude of the one who sins is

12. Our obligation to discipline • When should discipline take place? • 2 John 7-10 –“a brother teaching false doctrine” • Reference to “outsiders”, but applies to any who teach falsely, with a disregard for the word of God • V. 10 – reference to encouragement, endorsement, aid in carrying out efforts of evangelism • "and do not say to him, hail, or joy.“– endorsing his efforts or wishing him good fortune in them (doesn’t refer to wishing ill of someone) • As seen last week, this refers to more than simply an error in teaching or belief

13. Our obligation to discipline • When should discipline take place? • Titus 3:8-11 –“a factious brother” • Reference to one who insists on creating strife, usually over things that do not warrant strife • “after the first and second warning”– doesn’t seem to be referring to a false teacher necessarily • Rom 16:17-18 –“Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.” • 3 John 9 –“Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them…” • When I am more concerned with “being right” than I am with my responsibilities to my brethren, I become a danger to the church

14. Our obligation to discipline • When should discipline take place? • 2 Thess 3:6-16 –“an undisciplined brother” • Example: “with labor and hardship we kept working night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you;” • “doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies.” • 1 Tim 5:13 –“At the same time they also learn to be idle, as they go around from house to house; and not merely idle, but also gossips and busybodies, talking about things not proper to mention.” • “withdraw”– pull away, no longer have the same relationship • “admonish as a brother”– persuade with the proper attitude • When a brother lives in such a way, his manner of life leads him to sin and cause disruption in the church

15. Church discipline is a necessity • The church is not “meddling” when it disciplines its members • Always refers to public, “evident” issues • Occurs only when someone’s soul is in jeopardy by their actions • Motivated purely by a love for the brother, a love for God and a love for the brethren • Should never be adversarial, done out of anger • Should reflect a natural change in the relationship between the brother and the church

16. Next week: Does the local church have the right to take up a collection?