Biblical Church Discipline by George Cherian

Discipline in church is an important process God uses to keep the church pure. One can understand discipline as a practice to train people to obey a set of rules, a code or behavior. To be a disciple of Jesus is also a daily discipline. It helps refine and deepen one’s faith.

Our society and environment works on a set of rules. Without them, there would be chaos just as in road traffic. Similarly, God gave His children the law in the Old Testament. In Exodus 20:1-22, and in different parts of the Old Testament, God gave them civil law, ceremonial law, moral law, among others. Laws/regulations are the absolutes on which communities are built.

Individuals and communities, both have laws to follow. Hebrews 12:5-6 emphasizes that God disciplines and corrects those He loves. God cares about our character and when something in our life doesn’t please him, he corrects us. When we feel like we’re struggling in life we must check to see if God is correcting our way of life. Adversities and pain could be God’s way of getting our attention. If God really loves us, he will not let us go unless we do the right thing.

Further in Hebrews 12:9-10, the writer speaks on how we respect our earthy fathers who corrects us, the same way we must realise that all correction we receive from our parents/elders/pastors is way of God mending us to holiness. All discipleship is for Godliness that leads to good works. We must trust God on this.

The scriptures – Hebrews 12:11, Rev 3:19, 2 Tim 3:16, I Peter 1:6-7, James 1:2-4 – makes clear that training is discipline and discipline yields the fruit of righteousness.

The verses in Proverbs (Pro 13:1, Prov 13:24, Prov 22:6, Prov 29:15; Prov 29:17, Prov 23:13, 14) also urges parents to correct their children. Children that are not cared and corrected will go astray and will be eventually lost. Godly correction is profitable.

Two main purposes of discipleship
1) For an individual – To restore and enhance relationship with God (Gal 6:1).
2) For the community – To protect from corruption (1 Cor 5:1-13, Rom 16:17, Gal 1:8-9). The goal is the total restoration of the church.

The purposes of Church’s discipline

1. Towards God – Church discipline vindicates publicly His honor and holiness.
2. Towards the church itself – Church discipline restores purity and deters others from sinning.
3. Towards the world – Church displays God’s standards of holiness and draws a line between the world and God.
4. Towards the offender.

When do we apply Biblical church discipline?

1. The person must be a professing believer
2. Must be associated with a church
3. If has been disobeying the authorities
4. If has been disobeying the clear commands of scripture

Areas where church can apply discipline
Violation of God’s moral commandments, unresolved relational sins such as gossip/ slander/anger, when divisions are caused in the church, false teachings, etc.

The procedures one must follow for church discipline

1. Appoint a meeting (Matt 18:15)
2. A private conference with a witness (Matt 18:16)
3. A public announcement to church ( 1 Cor 5:13)
4. Public exclusion from the church (Matt 18:17)
5. Public restoration when there is genuine repentance (2 Cor 7:8)
6. Remember to speak the truth in love (Eph 4:15-16)

What kind of sins is serious enough to merit removal from fellowship?

1. Sexual immorality (1 Cor 5:11)
2. Covetous (1 Cor 5:11) – promoting materialism
3. Idolatry (1 Cor 5:11) – practicing occult, mystical, pantheistic systems
4. Reviling (1 Cor 5:11)
5. Drunkard (1 Cor 5:11)
6. Swindling (1 Cor 5:11)
7. Unruly life (2 Thess 3:6)
8. Division in the local church (Titus 3:10, 11)
9. False teaching (1 Tim 1:20)

Godly discipline in accordance with the Scriptures helps one to develop the character God intends for us all and walking in the pathway He has set for us. God wants to develop us as responsible individuals and as responsible Church. In conclusion, the church is no fellowship of sinless people. We must also learn to mourn for the fallen brothers and sisters as it says in 1 Corinthians 5:2.

Reflection by Alrina D’souza