Page 146 - Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible Christianity. Based on the King James Bible

CHURCH DISCIPLINE

Keeping this truth in mind helps us not get frustrated analyzed publicly. Following are some of the verses
with the person who is sinning. The warfare is spiritual which give Scriptural authority to do so:
and is directed to the spiritual power that is behind the “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (1
blind and sinning individual, and that is the devil (2 Co. Thessalonians 5:21). “The simple believeth every word:
4:4). but the prudent man looketh well to his
Romans 15:14 contains two important prerequisites going” (Proverbs 14:15). “Preach the word; be instant in
for the exercise of church discipline: (1) Spirituality, season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all
“full of goodness” (compare Ga. 6:1). (2) Knowledge, longsuffering and doctrine” (2 Timothy 4:2). “And have
“filled with all knowledge.” Those who are involved no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but
with carrying out church discipline must have godly rather reprove them” (Ephesians 5:11). “These were
lives and much knowledge of the Word of God and more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they
spiritual wisdom and discernment. If church discipline is received the word with all readiness of mind, and
exercised by unspiritual or unknowledgeable people, it searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were
will probably result in more harm than good. so” (Acts 17:11). “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to
(2) If all efforts to correct the problem fail and those write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful
involved refuse to repent, the final step of discipline is to for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should
dismiss the sinning party from the church fellowship (Mt. earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered
18:15-17; 1 Co. 5:11; Tit. 3:10-11). Note that there is unto the saints” (Jude 3).
no higher body of appeal in the N.T. than the local (2) Public Moral Sin That Brings Reproach to the
assembly. Denominational practices of establishing Church (1 Co. 5:11). The nature of the sin that calls for
headquarters and committees to which the assembly church discipline is as follows: (a) It is public sin (v. 1 —
must appeal its decisions are unscriptural. “it is common reported”). (b) It is grave sin (v. 11). The
The Causes for Dismissal from the Church. six moral evils referred to in this passage are immorality,
(1) Unresolved Personal Conflicts between Church covetousness, idolatry, railing, drunkenness, and
Members (Mt. 18:15-17). Please note that this passage is extortion. All of these evils are definite causes for
not talking about dealing with heretics (Tit. 3:10-11), church discipline, because the church which allows its
with false teachers (Ro. 16:17-18), or with sinning members to partake in such things without exercising
church leaders (1 Ti. 5:19-10). Many times I have been discipline becomes a reproach to the name of Christ (2
charged with sin because I do not follow the instructions Sa. 12:14). (c) It is sin that would destroy the church if
of Matthew 18 before I warn publicly about the teaching ignored (v. 6). There will always be sin of one sort or
and actions of various church leaders. Yet Matthew 18 another in a church that is populated by sinners, but
has nothing whatsoever to do with critiquing the there are some sins that have the ability to destroy the
ministries of public individuals or analyzing published church if left alone.
materials. New Evangelicals such as Billy Graham or (3) Doctrinal Error (Ro. 16:17; Tit. 3:10-11). The
Modernists such as Robert Schuller or Pentecostals such apostle Paul warned the leaders at the church in
as Oral Roberts have not trespassed against me Ephesus that false teaching would come from without
personally. That is not the issue in such cases, and it and from within (Ac. 20:28-30). This is even more
would be impossible to follow Matthew 18 when trying applicable in these closing days of the church age, days
to warn such men. Even if I were to attempt to follow of great apostasy from the faith and of serious
the first part of the passage, by approaching such men compromise of the faith even among those who claim to
personally, it would be impossible to follow the last part. be Bible-believers. We must be constantly alert to this
I have no way to take this issue “unto the church” for danger and deal with every false doctrine which reveals
the simple reason that I am not a member of the same itself within the assembly (Ep. 4:11-14). First there
church as those men. Their churches have no authority must be a serious attempt to turn those involved away
over me, and the church of which I am a member has no from their error. If this fails, those persisting in
authority over them. To attempt to follow Matthew 18 promoting false teaching must be dismissed from the
in such matters would be confusion. church. We should note that these passages are not
When I am dealing with the ministries and teaching dealing with believers who are merely weak or ignorant
of public church leaders, the issue is to critique in the faith, but with those who are stubbornly
published material and to warn people when I feel that committed to error.
a danger exists. When men publish their teaching and (4) Refusal to Obey Apostolic Instruction in Practical
distribute it widely to individuals and churches, God’s Matters (2 Th. 2:15; 3:6). The example given in 2 Th. 3
people have the responsibility before God to judge that is disorderly conduct in one’s daily life—refusing to
teaching. Material that is distributed publicly should be work and becoming a busybody in the affairs of others.

146 Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible & Christianity