How To Practice Church Discipline

How to Practice Church Discipline Bill Zimmer Lay Elder, Grace Community Church

I.

Purpose A.

The Church's Purity 1.

Purity marks God's Word

2.

Purity is demanded of God's people

3.

Purity qualifies God's shepherds

4.

Purity distinguishes God's church

B.

The Whole Message

C.

Love and Truth 1.

2.

D.

Chronological sequence a.

Revelation of His commandments (truth)

b.

Response to His commandments (obedience)

c.

Result of acting upon His commandments (love)

Practical outworking of love in Scripture illustrate the point a.

Christian brother

b.

Father-Son

c.

Heavenly Father-Child of God

d.

Shepherds-Flock

Love and Discipleship 1.

The church is to be pure

2.

The church's purity is determined from the whole of God's Word

3.

Love and truth are inseparable

2

4. E.

II.

II.

Authentic Christian discipleship results from truth acted out in love

The Purposes of Church Discipline/Restoration 1.

To glorify God

2.

To maintain the purity of the church

3.

To vindicate the integrity and honor of Christ

4.

To reclaim offenders

5.

To deter others from sin

6.

To prevent giving cause for God to set Himself against a local church

Precepts A.

Believers are to separate themselves from other believers who knowingly and rebelliously continue in doctrinal error

B.

Believers are to separate themselves from other believers whose behavior is knowingly and rebelliously wrong

C.

Believers are to separate themselves from unbelievers as far as joining in common enterprises

D.

Biblical Practices 1.

Proper discipline by a believer toward a professed believer in doctrinal error

2.

Improper relationships by a believer toward a professed believer in doctrinal error

3.

Proper discipline by a believer toward a professed believer in behavioral error

4.

Improper relationships by a believer toward a professed believer in behavioral error

5.

Proper separation by a believer from an unbeliever

6.

Improper separation by a believer from an unbeliever

Procedures A.

What it is not 1.

A witch hunt

3

B.

C.

D.

E.

F.

2.

A way to get even

3.

An investigation of rumor

What it is 1.

Sin against you personally

2.

Sin that is known

Purpose 1.

Win your brother

2.

Restore the sinner

3.

Lead to repentance

4.

Avoid God's interaction

Practice 1.

With gentleness

2.

With love a.

God to you

b.

Father to son

3.

Without hypocrisy

4.

With patience

5.

With fairness

Unnecessary elements 1.

Public confession

2.

Details made public

3.

Corporal punishment

Steps - Matthew 18:15-20

4

Church Discipline Dealing with Sinning Christians You have first hand knowledge of sin in the Body of Christ

He may not be saved (Matthew 13:26-27)

Reprove him privately (Matthew 18:15; Luke 17:3)

You have served your brother and won him

He continues to live in sin (1 John 1:6)

Reprove him before one or two witnesses (Matthew 18:16; Deuteronomy 19:15)

You have served your brother and won him

He may be chastened by God (Hebrews 12:6)

Reprove him before the church (Matthew 18:17; 1 Timothy 5:20)

You have served your brother and won him

God may take him (1 John 5:16 1 Corinthians 11:30)

Put him out of the fellowship (Matthew 18:17; 1 Corinthians 5:5 1 Timothy 1:20) and turn away from him

You have fulfilled your obligation (Acts 20:26-27)

IV.

1.

Private confrontation v.15

2.

Witnesses v.16

3.

Tell the church v.17

4.

Remove from church v.17

A Final Note

You have served your brother and won him