### What Is Church Discipline? From FFC’s Bylaws: Church discipline is a biblical process followed by the church only when a member is in serious violation of biblical truth. The goal of church discipline is not to punish a member. Church discipline is an act of love that has repentance and restoration as its end. (1 Cor. 6:1-4; Gal. 6:1-3; Matt. 18:15-17). ### When Is Church Discipline Required? FFC Bylaws: If the Elder Board becomes aware of allegations regarding a member who is violating biblical morality and/or espousing heretical doctrine (as determined by the Elder Board), the Elder Board shall approach the member in question to find out if the allegations are true. ### What Is The Necessity and Categories Requiring Discipline There are several places in Scripture that state the necessity for church discipline as well as the categories that require discipline. 1. Church discipline is necessary when there are difficulties between members of a local church (Mat. 18:15–17). 2. Church discipline is necessary to avoid divisions. Paul instructs elders to mark out those causing divisions for the purpose of discipline. If the leadership fails to discipline those causing divisions, then the church is going to face an unnecessary church split (Rom. 16:17–18). 3. Church discipline is necessary for the purity of the church. This provides a category for church discipline: immorality. A person practicing or living in immorality must be disciplined by the local church (1 Cor. 5:9–13). 4. Church discipline is necessary to bring the offender to repentance. If discipline is not exercised, repentance may never come (2 Cor. 2:5–11). 5. Church discipline is necessary to avoid disorderly conduct. The category requiring church discipline given by this passage refers to those who refuse to work. They should be disciplined by the church. The church has no responsibility to meet the needs of a member who refuses to work for a living (2 Thes. 3:6–15). 6. Church discipline is necessary in cases of false teaching. Anyone who has begun to teach falsely and is blaspheming is subject to church discipline (1 Tim. 1:8–20). 7. Church discipline is necessary to avoid crass sins. Sometimes in the exercise of church discipline, it is necessary to reprove someone in the sight of all, even as Paul had to do with Peter in Galatians 2:11–14 (1 Tim. 5:20). 8. Church discipline is necessary to avoid the spread of false teachings. If the church lets a false teacher go undisciplined, the false teachings will naturally spread. If the church disciplines the false teacher, then the false teachings will stop one way or another. Either the false teacher repents or he leaves (2 Tim. 2:17–18). 9. Church discipline is necessary to avoid factious perversions (Titus 3:9–11). ### What is the Process of Church Discipline? FFC Bylaws - - If the allegations are found to be false, the Elder Board shall dismiss the case and clear the name of the accused member in a manner appropriate to the situation. - If the allegations are found to be true, the Elder Board will meet with the member in question to appeal to him/her to repent of the sin or the wrong teaching in question. - If after meeting with the Elder Board the member in question does not repent of the sin and/or the wrong teaching in question, the Elder Board shall inform the church that the member will be placed under discipline at a special meeting of the church or at the next regularly scheduled meeting if it is timely to do so. ### What actually happens when someone is under church discipline? FFC Bylaws - - Once under discipline, the member shall be removed from the membership roll of the church and listed as a suspended member under discipline. The member will be removed from any position of teaching or ministering unless and until they are formally restored by the Elders in accordance with item G of the Section. - While a member is undergoing church discipline, he/she may not voluntarily resign his/her membership under the provision of Article 3, Section 3C of these by-laws. - A suspended member under discipline may be received again as a member if the Elder Board determines that he/she has repented of the offenses for which discipline was exercised. A suspended member under discipline will not be given a verbal notice or letter of transfer to another church. ### What is the purpose of Church Discipline? It is important that we maintain loyalty to biblical standards of church discipline, which, hopefully, lead to restoration. Although some will strongly try to persuade us to practice grace, in the end discipline will be the grace required. ### Is there more than one type of Church Discipline? To understand church discipline properly, we must first broaden our horizon concerning the subject. Church discipline is, in actuality, a binary concept rooted in Scripture that seeks to accomplish at least four goals. These goals are: (1) to build a regenerate church membership; (2) to mature believers in the faith; (3) to strengthen the church for evangelism and the engagement of culture; and (4) to protect the church from inner decay. Writers who have addressed the subject from this broader perspective have thus spoken of church discipline by using two headings. 10. Reformative or corrective church discipline refers to discipline administered for the purpose of guiding an erring believer away from sin. If the believer willfully persists in sin, he should be removed from the church to protect the body from his detrimental influence. The goal of such discipline, even if removal becomes necessary, remains restorative; it is never punitive. 11. Formative church discipline is broader than corrective discipline and refers to the nurture of believers through instruction and their shared life in the body. The church is called to make disciples. To be a disciple of Jesus entails discipline, the words are related etymologically. Those who begin to follow Christ enter into a life of disciplined learning (Matt 11:28–30). Formative discipline relates to the educational framework established by the church to aid believers in this process of learning and maturation. When, therefore, the topic of church discipline is discussed it should be done within this wholistic framework. Proper church discipline is both formative and reformative. ### What Does the Bible Say about Church Discipline? **Hebrews 12:1–14** 1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” 7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. 12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. 14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. **Matthew 18:15–17 (ESV)** 15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. **1 Corinthians 5:1–11 (ESV)** 1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father’s wife. 2 And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you. 3 For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing. 4 When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord. 6 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7 Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. **Galatians 6:1 (ESV)** 1 Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. **2 Thessalonians 3:6–15 (ESV)** 6 Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. 9 It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. 11 For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. 12 Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. 13 As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good. 14 If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother. **1 Timothy 1:20 (ESV)** 20 among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme. **1 Timothy 5:19–20 (ESV)** 19 Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 20 As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear. **Titus 3:9–11 (ESV)** 9 But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. 10 As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, 11 knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned. Taking all of these passages together, we see that God cares about both our understanding of His truth and our living it out. He cares especially about how we live together as Christians. All kinds of situations mentioned in these passages are, according to the Bible, legitimate areas for our concern—areas in which we as a church should exercise discipline. One more thing: Did you notice the seriousness of the consequences Paul mandates in these descriptions of church discipline? “Put out of your fellowship. . .” (1 Cor 5:2); “hand this man over to Satan” (1 Cor 5:5); “.. . not to associate with. .. do not even eat. .. with such a man” (1 Cor 5:9, 11); “keep away from. . .” (2 Thess 3:6); “take special note of him. Do not associate with him, in order that he may feel ashamed” (2 Thess 3:14–15); “.. . handed over to Satan. . .” (1 T im 1:20); “rebuked publicly” (1 Tim 5:20); “Have nothing to do with them” (2 Tim 3:5); “have nothing to do with him” (Titus 3:10). Is Paul just an unusually severe kind of man? What did Jesus Himself say about the person who refused to listen even to the church? “If he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector” (Matt 18:17). This is what the Bible says about church discipline. ### So What If We Don’t Practice Church Discipline? We have to wonder what it means to be a church if our church will not practice church discipline. This is ultimately a question about the nature of our churches. Greg Wills has written that, to many Christians in the past, “A church without discipline would hardly have counted as a church.” John Dagg wrote that, “When discipline leaves a church, Christ goes with it.” If we can’t say what something is not, we can’t very well say what it is. We need to live lives that back up our professions of faith. We need to love each other. We need to hold each other accountable because all of us will have times when our flesh wants to go in a way different from what God has revealed in Scripture. Part of the way we love each other is by being honest and establishing relationships with each other and speaking to one another in love. We need to love each other and we need to love those outside our church whom our witness affects; and we need to love God, who is holy, and who calls us not to bear His name in vain, but to be holy as He is holy. That’s a tremendous privilege and a great responsibility. If we would see our churches healthy, we must actively care for each other, even to the point of confrontation. When you get right down to it, all this talk about a church, new life, covenant, and committed relationships, is quite practical.