THE DUTY OF DISCIPLINE

 

As concerning church discipline, when all is said and done, there is often more said than done. We may be hearers of the Word, but not doers of the Word—and that is self-deception. Too often we use grace as a license to tolerate the intolerable. That is what had occurred in the Corinthian church as we hear Paul forcefully confronting a matter of egregious promiscuity in 1 Corinthians 5. 

Paul underscores the duty of THE ASSEMBLY, “In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit,” (v. 4a). The saints assemble in the name of the Lord to proclaim the glory of His name. All that occurs in that assembly is to honor Him. If we tolerate that which He would never endorse, then we defame His name. Notice that Paul calls on the church to take action. He does not act on his own, nor tell the pastor to excommunicate the unrepentant member. The sin was public and so the correction was to be public also. 

Church discipline does not begin here. There is a process as our Lord declared in Matt. 18:15-20. But if one on one confrontation does not bring repentance, then there must be two or three to communicate the seriousness of the sin, and should that fail it is the duty of the assembly to demand repentance, or else the member is to be removed.

This action rests in THE AUTHORITY, “with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,” (v. 4b).  When the church assembles, the Living Lord Jesus Christ is present with the congregation. It is not human authority, but heavenly authority that is foundational to such a grave action. In Revelation, we see Jesus walking among His churches, (cf. Rev. 1-3), and over and over He calls out to them, “Repent, or else!”  

The church is not the pastor’s church.  It is not the people’s church. It is the Lord’s church—and He carries absolute authority. So, the body of Christ can act with authority in directing and disciplining the membership as those who are under His authority. The body cannot be healthy unless its immune system defends against the infection of iniquity. Failure to do so brings the eventual death of that congregation.

The seriousness of church discipline is seen in THE ACTIVITY, “deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus,” (v. 5‬‬). When a member is excommunicated from the body, they are moved from the church’s spiritual protection and thrust into the domain of Satan. They will suffer physically in order to be saved spiritually. 

The activity of discipline is not ultimately punitive, but restorative. The church’s responsibility is not ended when the wayward member is removed. Through intercession and compassion, they may be led back to the fold as they confess their sin. The act of discipline reveals whether they are a straying saint or a stubborn sinner—the difference seen in Peter’s repentance after denying Jesus and Judas’ recalcitrance after betraying Jesus.