Church’s Responsibility to Implement Discipline (Part I)

Dear Bethelites,

Church’s Responsibility to Implement Discipline (Part I)

The Belgic Confession (1561), which grew out of the Reformation soil, identifies three characteristics by which the true church is known. These marks are (1) the preaching of pure doctrine, (2) the administration of the sacraments and (3) the exercising of church discipline. But sadly, Christians today are concerned about discipleship, yet they are not committed to the principles of discipline to confront and correct an erring disciple.

John Calvin felt strongly enough about church discipline to devote a full chapter to the subject in his Institutes. He said, “As the saving doctrine of Christ is the soul of the Church, so discipline forms the ligaments which connect the members together, and keep each in its proper place.” R.C. Sproul states, “The church is called out not only to a ministry of reconciliation, but a ministry of nurture to those within her gates. Part of that nurture includes church discipline.”1

Church discipline may be broadly defined as the “confrontive” and corrective measures taken by the church leaders, regarding a matter of sin in the life of a believer.2 Church discipline, administered in a concerned and loving manner, will help the believers to face the reality that their sinful actions are inconsistent with their profession of Christian faith. Thus, church discipline is designed to awaken people to their sin and move them to repentance.

Any church that neglects to lovingly confront and correct its members is not being kind, generous or gracious. Such a church is really hindering the Lord’s work and the advance of Christ’s kingdom. A neglect of discipline results in an impure church. Paul writes,…Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish (Ephesians 5:25-27).

Biblical Procedures Church discipline is sometimes attempted by those who have not taken the time to understand what the Scriptures teach. The results can be disastrous. The wise course of action would be to follow the directions which Christ, the builder of the church, has provided in Matthew 18:15–17. Whether the sin should be open and flagrant, rather than private or individual, it should still be publicly rebuked from the onset. If so, then discipline in the church should move along the four basic steps to correction: (1) Private admonition, (2) Private conference, (3) Public announcement, and (4) Public exclusion.

Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican (Matthew 18:15–17).

1. Private Admonition Private admonition is the first level, whether by pastors, elders, deacons or the individual lay person. Whether the sin is against thee or not, it is clear from Galatians 6:1 that believers have a responsibility to confront sin in general. He is to arrange a private meeting and confront the brother or sister with the sin. To tell the sinning brother, is to bring to light that he has committed something that is wrong. And this first confrontation must be in private. Jesus uses the words between thee and him alone. In other words, the matter should not be brought up in public and in conversation with anyone else before speaking to that erring brother or sister in private. This prevents misunderstandings from taking place. If the one, who has confronted, heeds what he says and either clarifies the issue or recognizes the sin and repents of it, that person is saved for usefulness in the body of Christ.
2. Private Conference Many personal offences and issues of sin can be dealt with adequately at the private level. But if that private admonition is rejected, discipline is escalated to the second level – admonition in the presence of witnesses. In the legal process, the absence of witnesses or the existence of only one witness makes securing a conviction difficult. The biblical requirement of additional witnesses safeguards the judicial process against false accusation, slander, and wrongful incrimination. In the disciplinary process, those who have observed a sin in the life of a believer are able to strengthen the rebuke by confirming the charges. As Hendriksen comments, “It may be easier for two or three persons to succeed in this task than for one.” 3 The two or three witnesses can bear testimony to the discussion. The fact that you are in a larger group of believers, there is a strong accountability and it may be well enough to win the erring brethren’s attention that he needs to deal with the sin, or else the matter will be brought before the church. If he repents, you have served and won him.
3. Public Announcement The third step in the process is to tell it to the church; the church is more than just the assembled body; it involves church leadership and primarily the board of elders. Here the witnesses may also serve to bring new objectivity to the situation by helping the truth to surface, and could be called upon to testify if the case comes before the congregation. While a witness actually may not have been present during the act, he should be able to present evidence beyond reasonable doubt that an act of sin occurred. Bringing a matter of sin to a brother’s attention in the presence of witnesses may seem threatening or intimidating. Yet the purpose is not to threaten or intimidate the sinner into repentance. The intent is to cause the offender to realize the seriousness of the situation. At this juncture, the church will be informed who the person is and the nature of the sin. The pastor and elders will take the responsibility to investigate the situation and subsequently they may also involve the witnesses to help verify certain matters. If the brother refuses to repent, the congregation will be notified. The congregation will be told who the person is and the general nature of the sin. This is not a removal from the church but for the church to be involved as a body, seeking the repentance of the individual. If the matter still cannot be resolved at this point, then the next step would be public exclusion.
4. Public Exclusion For the offender who remained unrepentant even at that level, there is one final step in the discipline for that impenitent sinner. He should be cut off from the church fellowship, …but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican (v.17b). Jesus was simply instructing His disciples that they treat the impenitent as is the custom with heathens (Gentiles) and publicans (tax-collectors). 4 In ecclesiastical terminology, this is referred to as “excommunication.” The word is derived from the Latin ex (“out”) and communico (“share, communicate”). It refers to the cutting off of a person from the church membership, fellowship, or communion. No longer may that person share in the activities and privileges of a church membership. Sometimes, an offender will refuse or for whatever reasons, he may not come before the church to face the charges against him. In that case, the church discipline must still proceed in his absence. In other cases, the public rebuke, exhortation, or warning is heard but goes unheeded. In either case, after the church leaders and congregation have unsuccessfully made every effort to bring the sinner to repentance, they must excommunicate the offender from the church fellowship. As strong as this disciplinary step is, it is still intended to bring about repentance. Even this most severe step in church discipline should be motivated out of love and fulfilled in a way that encourages repentance and restoration. Excommunication should communicate the message, “We find your present conduct unacceptable to God and this congregation. Our love for you therefore demands that we take action which, though painful, we hope by God’s grace will result in your repentance and restoration to us.”

With love in Christ, Pastor Paul Cheng