Page 147 - Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible Christianity. Based on the King James Bible

CHURCH DISCIPLINE

We believe this principle applies to other instances of (1 Co. 5:5). This refers to turning the unrepentant
refusing to obey the Apostolic pattern. It would seem offender over to Satan’s domain, the world, and over to
preposterous to think that churches are to discipline Satan’s power for chastisement (Lk. 22:31-32; 13:16; 2
members who refuse to work while ignoring even more Co. 2:7; 1 Jn. 5:16). Though Job was not undergoing
serious offences. Other examples are as follows: (a) A church discipline, he does give us an example of how
wife who refuses to submit to her husband’s authority in the Lord can use the devil for his good purposes (Job).
the home (Ep. 5:22). (b) A husband who refuses to love The Power for Dismissal (1 Co. 5:4; Mt. 18:18-19).
and care for his family (Ep. 5:25—6:4; 1 Ti. 5:8). (c) A Dismissing someone from the church is not an easy
young person who is rebellious against his parents (Ep. matter. There are often many doubts and fears. Will it
6:1-4) (d) An individual who is a reproach to Christ hurt the church? Has everything possible been done to
because of his actions in the workplace (Ep. 6:5-8). (e) correct the problem in other ways? Will some protest
A young widow who is idle and a busybody (1 Ti. and sympathize with the offender? How will the erring
5:11-14). (f) those who refuse to practice Bible one(s) react? How will his or her friends or relatives
separation (Ro. 16:17-18; 2 Co. 6:14-17; 1 Ti. 6:3-5; 2 react? I know of a church that had to discipline a
Ti. 2:16-21; 2 Jn. 9-11). An example of this would be member for marrying an unsaved man; and the
ecumenical evangelists such as Billy Graham and Luis offending party’s mother and sister sided with her, and
Palau and leaders of Christian organizations such as Bill all of them left the church. This is very common. The
Bright who blatantly ignore the Word of God and power of God is needed in exercising church discipline,
fellowship with false teachers. There would not be a though, and the Bible promises that His power and
neo-evangelical movement if the churches would have blessing will be available when His people are earnestly
exercised discipline toward those who are rebelling trying to walk in obedience to Him. I received the
against the Bible in these matters. Billy Graham is a following note from a pastor recently: “I brought a lady
member of a Baptist church, and he should have been before our Church back in 1999 because she would not repent
disciplined long ago for his great compromise of the of the poker machines [used for gambling] in the restaurant
truth and for his efforts to break down the walls of she just purchased. They had her picture on the front page of
separation between truth and error. (g) Those who the paper with the poker machines behind her and her smiling.
disregard the N.T. pattern for church order, such as I found out about the poker machines when I got the
those who ordain women to the ministry or who newspaper out of the paper box that Sunday morning. She
exercise spiritual gifts contrary to the N.T. pattern. It is promised me she would get them out, and I explained to her
common in these days to despise church doctrine and what we would do if she did not repent. Well to make a long
story short, she held on to the poker machines! After we
practice, relegating it to an very unimportant sphere. excommunicated her out of the Church I sent her a letter to let
But this is not what the Apostle Paul taught Timothy. her know. But she already knew what was going to happen.
The epistle of 1 Timothy was written to teach church She took the letter to the news media and the newspaper. I had
doctrine (1 Ti. 3:15), and at the end of the epistle, Paul poker parlors calling my house and screaming and cussing at
exhorted Timothy to “keep this commandment without me and threatening to come to our Church and disrupt our
spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord worship. There was only one Church that stood with us openly!
Jesus Christ” (1 Ti. 6:14). Thus we see that church truth Every other Baptist Church around, Southern Baptist or
is very important before the Lord, that it is to be kept Independent, seemed to dodge the issue. We are an
until Christ returns. Independent Baptist Church. We stood firm upon the Word of
God and He has Blessed our Church because of it. I, for one,
The Attitude of Dismissal. God’s people must be believe in practising what the Bible says! And I thank God that
careful to maintain the proper attitude when dealing the poker parlors were shut down in my state of South Carolina
with sinning Christians and not to give the devil a place. on my Birthday July 1st 2000!”
(1) The attitude of humility (Ga. 6:1). (2) The attitude The Limitations of Church Discipline
of love and concern (2 Co. 7:12). (3) The attitude of (1) Church discipline pertains only to matters upon
mourning (2 Co. 2:4). (4) The attitude of firmness of the earth. The church cannot open and close the doors
purpose (1 Co. 5:3-5, 13). of heaven at will. Only Christ “openeth, and no man
The Meaning of Dismissal. What does it mean to shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth” (Re. 3:7).
dismiss s a member from a congregation? (1) It means (2) Church discipline pertains only to church
the members must not have close fellowship with the one matters, not to civil matters. To confuse these things has
under discipline (1 Co. 5:11). (2) It means the offender is often been at the root of persecution. The Roman
not allowed to partake in the Lord’s Supper (1 Co. 5:11). Catholic Church of old believed that it held two swords,
The eating in this verse can refer to personal social the sword of the Spirit and the physical sword; but this
eating as well as to eating the Lord’s Supper (1 Co. is great confusion. The secular government bears the
11:26,29). (3) It involves turning someone over to Satan

Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible & Christianity 147