Matthew 18:15-22
There are some things in life that we have to do that we do not look forward to. We dread them, so we put them off. Sometimes we put them off so long that we are embarrassed to address them at all. This is not healthy for our relationships, and it is not healthy for the church when the church does this.
Lord willing today we will begin to look at church discipline. This is a sore subject. People do not like to be confronted when they are in sin, and no one enjoys confronting those who are in sin. Whether it is joyful or not shouldn't deter us from doing it. Church discipline is biblical. We are commanded to obey the Scriptures, and when we do we bring honour and glory to the Lord. "If ye love me, keep my commandments," John 14:15.
Again, there are some things in the Scriptures that we love to do, and then there are other things that we dread to do. We dread to do church discipline because of the conflict that often comes with it. Some people actually think church discipline is kicking someone out of the church, but that is not the case. I will repeat this through this message; we go to gain. Church discipline is designed to gain a brother or sister who has fallen into sin. Gain in the sense of rescuing them from the sin they are in, and restoring them to fellowship in the local church. Church discipline is beneficial for all when it is done biblically. We will look at the act of church discipline a little later, and those who are given the responsibility to do it.
Our chief desire should be to please the Lord. "For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ," Galatians 1:10. In context here Paul is actually rebuking the Galatians for turning to false teaching. Here we see an example of discipline over false doctrine. This shows the importance of being doctrinally sound, and the danger of following false doctrine. There are some churches that are proud to open their arms to all teachings. They say they do not have all those rules and regulations. To be ecumenical is septic. Doctrine divides, and doctrine binds us together. When someone in the church goes the way of false doctrine church discipline must be done.
Church discipline is a necessity. Each church should have biblical principals in taking in people for membership. Here at RBC the person wanting to become a member has paper work to fill out, and they also meet with the elders of the church. This is to make sure they are saved according to the bible, and to know what is biblically expected as a member of this local church. We implemented this little over 2 years ago. It would be a good idea to go back over these things with those who were already members for the same purpose. We also give each person a doctrinal exam to see where they are and what they know doctrinally. A strong church knows the doctrines of the bible. This is not a pass or fail exam. It is to help us help others grow in the Lord. It is very beneficial for a potential member to know what is expected of them according to the bible as a member of a local congregation. This cuts out confusion and potential division later on.
Since we have biblical principals in taking in members, we should also have biblical principals in governing of the membership, and if necessary, in removal from membership. I do want to point out here that removal from membership is the very last thing the church does. Remember why we do church discipline; we go to gain. The goal in church discipline is always the restoration of the offender. Even though church discipline is done biblically and lovingly, it is not a guarantee that the offender will be restored. Some refuse to repent.
Another reason for church discipline is to maintain the purity of the church. The church should never glory in the sins of its members. We see this example in I Corinthians 5. I encourage you to read the whole chapter. The church at Corinth were proud of this sin. Those who were committing this sin were unrepentant. If you look at the church of Corinth as a whole you will see that they were full of turmoil, sin, competition, division, and people boasting of false gifts. The church at Corinth is not a church that you want to pattern yourselves after. Some may laugh and mock at this, but God doesn't. Turn to I Corinthians 11:27-30. Here is where some may want to take Scripture out of context and say he who is without sin cast the first stone. That has nothing to do with this context here in I Corinthians 11. No one is without sin (I John 1:8-10). Look at verses 29-30, "For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep." This should really show us the importance of doing biblical church discipline. Look at verses 31-32, "For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world." It is the Lord that does the chastening. When church discipline is conducted according to the bible, it saves people from going through this chastening.
Since all of us are fallible, we are not able to keep the visible local church in perfect purity. We must strive to maintain the purity of the local church to the full extent of our knowledge and power. Imagine the difference in each community if every local church did this. But instead what we find today are churches who are scared to do church discipline because they are scared some of their members may leave. "Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners," I Corinthians 15:33. Look again at I Corinthians 5:6, "Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?"
When we do not deal with sin, it grows. No one is exempt; and that includes the leaders of the church. Sin not dealt with can infect the whole congregation. Sin dealt with the wrong way can kill a congregation. This is why it is so important that we are obedient to the Scriptures in all areas, all the time. This is not easy because our own flesh is against it. We can become more concerned with what people think, than what God thinks. When we do this we are in sin.
This was an introduction to Matthew 18:15-22. Lord willing next time we will look more at church discipline. Please keep in mind the goal of church discipline is to gain a brother or sister that has been overtaken by sin. We go to gain.
Send questions and comments to richardsonbaptistchurch@gmail.com. To God be the glory.
