Previous Questions and Answers
How do you
discipline Christians in the church?
How do you discipline Christians at you church? What are the
basic rules ? I am a deacon in a Baptist church in BRAZIL. Please answer my questions. God
bless you all.
.
The first thing that we must realize is that church
discipline is for the purpose of restoring the wayward Christian — not just getting
rid of him or her. If a Christian will not repent of sin, then he or she should be removed
from the church membership, but that is not what we should desire. We should desire
restoration. Galatians 6:1 says, "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye
which are spiritual, RESTORE such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself,
lest thou also be tempted." Matthew 18:15 says, "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."
Church discipline starts out one on one. If you see a fellow Christian
that is committing a sin, then you should go to that one alone. Many people run right to
the Pastor, or to one of the deacons and say, "Say, do you know what ________ is
doing? He is doing a terrible thing!" That is not the right way to handle a problem.
If we see someone committing a sin, then we should make sure that we are right with God
ourselves, and then pray about the matter, and then go to the person alone.
There are some exceptions to that. One would be that if you are a man,
and you see a woman committing a sin, then you should not go talk to a woman alone. I
Thessalonians 5:22 says, "Abstain from all appearance of evil." That would not
look right, and if it is a sin that is of an immoral nature, then you could be inviting
untrue accusations against yourself by being with that woman alone. The best thing to do
in that situation would be to take your wife with you if you are married. If you are not
married, then it would be best to get counsel from your Pastor as to who should go with
you to see her.
So Matthew 18:15 says, "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." If the person repents after you talk to him alone,
then you have gained your brother, that is, the situation can be dropped, and no more need
to be said.
The exception to that would be if the sin is something that would
disqualify a person from his present position. For instance, if you had seen a Pastor or a
deacon acting improper with a woman other than his wife, then that would disqualify that
one from holding such a position. I Timothy 3:1 says, "This is a true saying, If a
man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be
blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour." If the
person said that he would repent after you confronted him about his sin, but he went on
holding his position as before, then you would have to go to him once again and bring up
this matter. If he would not do right, then you would have to follow the next step.
If the person will not repent after step one (going to the person
alone), then step two must be followed. Matthew 18:16 says, "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."
If you
have followed step one, but after waiting and watching it is obvious that the person has
not really repented of his sin, then you must now go to see him again with one or two more
people. If there is a time to talk to the Pastor or a deacon about the matter, now is the
time. So with a total of two or three people (you included in that total number) you now
see the person again.
Step two does two things. Number one, it shows the erring person that
his sin is serious, and that his fellow Christians are concerned about him. He now knows
that more people are aware of his sin, and that he cannot hide it any longer. Numbers
32:23 says, "Be sure your sin will find you out." Number two, in the event that
he still will not repent, there are now the proper amount of witnesses to bring the matter
before the church for action. Deuteronomy 19:15 says, "One witness shall not rise up
against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth
of TWO witnesses, or at the mouth of THREE witnesses, shall the matter be
established." Step two provides the needed witnesses to deal with the sin.
If the person will repent, then that is where the matter ends. If the
person will not repent, then step three must be followed. Matthew 18:17 says, "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 a heathen man and a publican."
Now, the matter is brought up before the whole church assembled. The
sin is told to the whole congregation, and they try to persuade him to repent. If he will
not listen to the whole church assembled, then the church must take action. "...but
if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a
publican." A heathen man is a lost man. A lost man cannot be a member of the local
church. Even so, a Christian who will not repent of his sin is treated like a heathen man;
that is, he is put out of the membership of that local church.
How should the people of the church treat that person after he is put
out of the membership? II Thessalonians 3:14,15 says, "And if any man obey not our
word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.
Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother." Christians are not to
"keep company" with that person; that is, they are not to spend a lot of time
with him. I Corinthians 5:11 says, "But now I have written unto you not to keep
company, if any man that is called a BROTHER be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater,
or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat." What
we are supposed to do is show friendliness to the erring one, but also to admonish him to
do right again so that fellowship can be restored.
That means that if we see a disciplined member in the store, we should
not ignore him or act unfriendly. We should go up to that one and be friendly. Shake his
hand and say, "We sure miss you, and are praying that you would repent of this sin
and come back to be with us soon." The conversations with such people should be
friendly, short, and always making the desire for RESTORATION clearly known.
So many times, a disciplined member is treated rudely by other members.
Eventually, the wayward Christian will see the emptiness of his sin, and, Lordwilling,
will be faced with a decision. As he thinks about his choices, he will ponder what kind of
a reception he would receive if he came back to church. If all of the members have treated
him like dirt, he will probably never darken the door of that church again. He will think
that they all hate him now. But if they have showed friendliness to him, and have urged
him to repent and come back, then he knows that he is welcome back if he repents.
The church must be ready to welcome back an erring one who repents
— not with a cold should, but in sincerity. Matthew 18:21,22 says, "Then came
Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?
till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until
seventy times seven." II Corinthians 2:6-8 says, "Sufficient to such a man is
this punishment, which was inflicted of many. So that contrariwise ye ought rather to
forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch
sorrow. Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him."
Church
discipline is rarely followed according to the Bible pattern. When it is, an erring
brother or sister can see the emptiness of their sin, and find restoration instead of
years of bitterness. May God help us to do things right.
Previous Questions and Answers
Ask A Question