11/11/2024
Today's topic regarding discipline within the Church is one of those very difficult and touchy subjects. The end result could be the separation of someone from a church (or as the Church knows it... Excommunication), or the removal of a local church from the greater Church. As I read my morning devotional, Pastor E. M. Bounds spoke of discipline within our churches like this:
"Church purity must precede the church's prayers. The unity of discipline in the church precedes the unity of prayers by the church. Take note of the fact that a church that is careless in discipline will be careless in praying." - E. M. Bounds
Discipline within our thoughts, bodies, and our faith is paramount. We know worldly people by their behavior, speech, and goodness... and as people of faith we too are known to each other by our adherence to God's Word and Christ-like behavior.
When discipline isn't maintained then the whole body suffers. In my youth I played on two very different football teams. Both had persons of tremendous athletic ability, but one lost most of its games and the other won all of its games. The discipline and talent within those teams was fairly similar with the exception of one thing... there was a young man on the losing team that sowed discord and destroyed the moral of that team. That one player was athletically the best player, but he mentally brought the rest of his team down and was held above discipline. The end result was a losing season.
“Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for
us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”
1 Corinthians 5:6-8 KJV
Interestingly, we rarely see someone separated from the church. Like most wrongs in our modern society there is little to no accountability or discipline within today's church. The result is chaos within doctrine, relationships, and our ability to effectively come before the Lord in prayer.
So I guess that what I am saying is that we should follow the guidance of Matthew 18:15-17... But we should do this after fervent prayer and with the utmost humility.
“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 KJV
We should never confuse this with separating the offender from God, but rather from the church body alone. God will continue to deal with a sinner because none are too sinful that the blood of Jesus is unable to wash them clean if they should confess those sins and seek redemption.
Repentant church goers should be returned to the fold and treated just like a prodigal son. They should lovingly be welcomed home when they return. To keep someone at arms distance from the community of saints after they have realized the error of their ways and sought forgiveness is contrary to the teachings of Jesus.
So, our job is to administer the wellbeing of the church, but God deals on a much higher plain... He deals in souls, spirits, and eternal life through His judgement. What a weighty responsibility. And, through the life, suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension of our Lord Jesus... didn't He give us all another chance to walk with Him? He is merciful towards us beyond description, but we call this grace. This should be our example, and temper our discipline, as we work to renew the faith of those who have wandered. Are we able to discipline as we should?
Prayer:
Thank you Father for your forgiveness of sin, but also for your firm hand and resolve when it comes to disciplining your children. Hold us accountable Father for our thoughts, words, and actions, and lead us away from those things that harm our relationship with you. Give us discernment Lord so that we can avoid false doctrine, teaching, and sinful behavior. Lead us away from those things that harm your church, its members, and each of us as individual believers. Help us to maintain discipline within your church; don't let us accept ungodly speech or behavior as it harms the worship and faith of the entire body. Lord, teach us to deal with these situations with love, kindness, and humility, but Father, keep our hand firm and our resolve intact as we follow your Word, and your will, in this regard. Let your church be a place of peaceful worship and steadfast faith. Abba, if we find ourselves in a church of chaos... give us peace in shaking the dust from our feet and moving on. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who leads us to righteousness, and teaches us what it means to be Christ-like. Holy are you who disciplines us as your children, and lovingly allows for forgiveness, even in extreme cases allowing us to return to your fold. Merciful and full of grace are you Abba, and your will is that none of us would be lost. To this end you will leave the many to find the one lost lamb, and return him to the fold. Help us Father to be just as adamant as you are in this regard by loving all those who are lost, or wandering sick, then healing them of the disease of sin, and accepting them once more with open arms as we return them unblemished to the fold. Teach us to be compassionate Lord, and open our hearts and eyes to the fact that sin is not necessarily an unrecoverable disease, nor is it a death sentence, but can be healed by our renewed faith and belief in the redeeming blood of Christ. Show us that we can truly be made pure and whole again. Praise you for your merciful grace, and may all glory and honor be yours for righting the wrongs, and healing the sick and lame, within your Church. Let no one challenge your forgiveness Father, nor refuse the return of one lost lamb, but love them just as you do, and embrace them instead… choosing not to remember their sins, and separating those sins from us as far as the East is from the West. In this, our discipline, and forgiveness, we pray that you will be pleased, your Church made Holy, and that our eternal lives with you will be secured.
Have Mercy on us Father… Amen, Amen, Amen
“For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”
1 Corinthians 5:12-13 ESV
“As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.”
Titus 3:10-11 ESV
““What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”
Luke 15:4-7 ESV
“let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.”
James 5:20 ESV
Rich Forbes