Discipline

Author : Les Maydell

The word discipline literally means “to save the mind” or “to have a sound mind,” 2 tim. 1:7: For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. The mind is saved in the sense that it is saved from trouble because it has been trained as to what is right and wrong. Very few think of discipline in this way. This discipline starts in the home and continues at church, in school, in the military and on the job. Where there is discipline, minds are at ease, free, and happy. Where there is no discipline, there is chaos.

Within the local congregation, the primary area of discipline is in training all of its members to be disciples of Christ. When outsiders see us, it must be evident that we are united in walking in the steps of the Saviour. This should be more impressive than seeing a well-disciplined army marching in time.

The secondary area of discipline has to be implemented when a disciple turns away from the discipline of God’s word. The discipline or action that God’s word calls for in such a case is found in Gal. 6:1. Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself left you also be tempted. We must, with humility, encourage such a one to repent and come back into step with God’s word. See also Luke 17:3.

If a person continues to live out of step with God’s word, we have no other alternative but to withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly, 2 Thess. 3:6. The literal meaning of “walks disorderly” is “to be out of step” – like soldiers marching out of step. This action of discipline is also seen in Mt. 18:15-17: Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.

From whom must the church withdraw?

1. A brother who sins against another brother and does not repent, Mt. 18:15-17.
2. A brother who causes divisions and offenses, Rom. 16:17: Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. Titus 3:10: Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonitions.
3. A brother who is sexually immoral, a drunkard, or an idolater; or a brother who speaks evil of God or other people, or who loves money, or who gets money from others in an unfair way, 1 Cor. 5:11 But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner — not even to eat with such a person.
4. A brother who walks disorderly – not according to the tradition of Christ (found in the New Testament). 2 Thess. 3:7 But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us.

What actions must the church take in withdrawal?

A. Steps to withdrawal, Matthew 18:15-17

1. If I see a brother sinning, I need to first speak to him privately, Mt. 18:15; Gal. 6:1; James 5:19 Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, 20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins. The purpose of speaking to a brother privately is to “cover” the sin – that is, to get the brother to stop sinning before his sin becomes known to others so that he does not lose his good reputation or bring reproach on the church.
   (If the sin is common knowledge, then it is not a private matter – the church needs to take action immediately, 1 Cor. 5:1 It is actually reported…)
2. If, after speaking privately, the brother will not repent, then I need to go see him with at least two others to be witnesses, Mt. 18:16.
3. If the brother still will not repent, then the matter needs to go before the church, Mt. 18:17
4. If the sinner still will not repent, he needs to be treated as a heathen or a publican, Mt. 18:17

B. Congregational actions in withdrawal.

1. “Note” or “mark” and “avoid” (everyone’s eyes must be opened as to what this person has done), Rom. 16:17
2. “Deliver to Satan,” 1 Cor. 5:5. “Purge out,” 1 Cor. 5:7. “Put away,” 1 Cor. 5:13. When a person is baptized, he is translated from the kingdom of darkness, Satan’s kingdom, into the kingdom of Christ, Col. 1:13. In withdrawal the church recognizes that the unrepentant brother has gone back to where he came from. He will no longer be considered part of that congregation.
3. “Withdraw,” 2 Thess. 3:6. The word “withdraw” comes from two words; the first meaning “to shrink from a person” and the second meaning “to bring together or gather up.” In other words, we must shrink from being together. The idea of “shrinking” from a person implies fear. If we do not shrink from such a one, we need to fear because we have not submitted to the discipline of God and we will be judged ourselves. The churches of Pergamos and Thyatira were condemned for this, Rev. 2:14-16,20.
4. This action is to be done when all are gathered together, 1 Cor. 5:4.

What action must be taken after withdrawal?

1. “Keep no company,” 2 Thess.3;14. The individual Christians do not carry on socializing or having friendship with such a person.
2. We do not eat meals together, 1 Cor.5:11.
3. We do not invite the person to our house or greet him, 2 John 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him;11 for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds. (Greet = joyous greeting) This is a description of how heathens and tax collectors were treated, Mt.18:17.
4. We may greet him politely (do not regard him as an enemy) and converse with him if there is an opportunity to encourage him to repent, 2 Thess.3:15 Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. This admonishing must be done in humility and according to the word of God, Gal.6:1, 2 Tim.2:25-26.

Why do the Christians treat a withdrawn person this way?

1. To make him feel ashamed (as a motivation to repent), 2 Thess.3:14.
2. To save the brother, 1 Cor.5:5, Gal.6:1, 2 Tim.2:25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, 26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.
3. To keep him from influencing others, 1 Cor. 5:6 Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?
4. To show to our young people and to outsiders that the Lord’s church does not tolerate sin, 1 Tim.2:15 but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

Results of withdrawal

1. If the brother will not repent, at least he does not have an opportunity to influence others in the congregation, 1 Cor.5:6.
2. If the brother repents, he is to be forgiven, comforted, and loved, 2 Cor.3:6-8 This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man, 7 so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. 8 Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him.
3. If the church withdraws from a brother, but his family and friends continue to treat him as they always have, withdrawal will not work. They are fighting against God. Withdrawal is God’s way to motivate a sinner to repent.
4. If a brother starts to slip away, but neither individuals nor the church take action until the brother has totally fallen away and has very little emotional ties with his brethren, withdrawal will not be effective because it was not done God’s way.

Conclusion: Brethren, because of our sincere love for one another and for God, “do not despise the chastening (discipline) of the Lord” but exercise proper Bible discipline, remembering that “no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” (Hebrews 12:5,11)