Church Discipline part 2

We haven't done that in a long time and sadly it was only used in the case of witches:sleep: (tongue-in-cheek- hopefully I won't have just bitten half of it off when I get slapped!):laugh:

Seriously:

Being a member of a church means accountability to that local assembly. That accountability means some one takes the role of authority over a congregation. That authority is known as the pastor, who makes all final decisions according to the precepts found in our Bible.

The ultimate goal is not to "micro-manage" people but to make them aware of sin and how to lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily besets us.

When it comes to public sins, the public knows of it. The testimony of the church is tainted when this becomes a reality. The church's responsibility is to cleanse itsself of sin. In so-doing, it first confronts the situation of the sin of one of tis members/ non-members are not accountable to the local assembly.

It is very true none of us are perfect, but we are being conformed to the express image of Christ.
"Be sure your sins will find you out" is a promise of God. Those who object to their sins being exposed by any means are subject to God and are also in danger of rebellion, which is as the sin of witchcraft.

The appropiate steps of church discipline are never to erroneously judge another member, but totally geared towards restoration from a sinful practice. That practice is not only harmful to the church's testimony, but all sin is damaging to the person and all those around them.

One MUST consider themselves before God, that is what Communion is all about/ judging onesself.

If you feel that you would be "burned at the stake", then I can only suppose you have sins which need addressing next time at Communion.

No, none are perfect, and we do accomodate our pet sins, also we accumulate daily, foot dirtying sins. But be sure, if we "regard" iniquity in our hearts, God will NOT hear us.

This regard is to consider one's own opinion about their sin to have precedence over the perfect will of God for their lives.

No, I am NOT judging you, don't GO there!

But please do CONSIDER what was just said.

I would be glad to have you as a member of our church! The question comes, would you be willing to accept Bible preaching and be accountable to our local assembly?:godisgood:

 

I agree. He did an excellent job on his post.

 

See? I'm better than you thought I was!:saint:

 

We can chase after the offender with a whip, or we can handle them with kindness. I prefer the latter. The whip will prolly backfire anyway.

Cheers,

Jim

 

We pretty much agree on church discipline. I must admit I was quite surprised when Superwoman thought I was too harsh in my posts while others thought I was the other way. The bottom line is that each local church is charged with coming up with a way to deal with it according to Biblical standards.

 

I talked with my Pastor on this one and I agree with him. The Church should try and help and reach out to this person. Lend them all the support you can. Love the sinner, hate the sin. Unless the person holds an office within the Church you should not be able to stop their attendance at your Church. Rember the woman caught in the act of adultery, when Jesus was writing in the dirt/sand he was probably writing down the sine of all of her accusers. That's why they left in such a hurry. Now if that person is doing any of those SINS on Church grounds you don't have any right to kick them out of Church. Just ask yourself, Would Jesus kick them out of the Church? :jesus:

 

Hawg, based on your post, and unless I am misunderstanding you, I guess you, nor your pastor, have never read I Corinthains 5. By the way this passage is very clear as to how to handle public and unrepented sin in the church.

1Co 5:1 It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father's wife.
1Co 5:2 You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst.
1Co 5:3 For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present.
1Co 5:4 In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and I with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus,
1Co 5:5 I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
1Co 5:6 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough?
1Co 5:7 Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed.
1Co 5:8 Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
1Co 5:9 I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people;
1Co 5:10 I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world.
1Co 5:11 But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler--not even to eat with such a one.
1Co 5:12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church?
1Co 5:13 But those who are outside, God judges. REMOVE THE WICKED MAN FROM AMONG YOURSELVES. NASB

 

Spot on. The red sections were what I thought captured the essence of biblical church discipline the best.

 

Sag38

SAG38,

Sorry, I misread that the person was a MEMBER of the Church. I still think it is better to take them aside and exhaust ALL possibilities befor the Pastor separates that person from the Church. I did read 1 Cor 5. We as a Church FAMILY should try to LOVE the sinner and try to let them see their wrongdoing.
If they are totally unrepentant then yes, send them their walking papers.
I misread the post thinking that the person was not a member. I think the woman in Jacksonville was not an offical member of that Church. The other thing the Church would have to be careful about in these days and times is a lawsuit. People are sue happy these days. Nobody in any Church is not a sinner, even saved we are all still sinners saved by GRACE.
Thank God for Jesus! My Pastor has removed members of the Praise team when one of them was having maritial trouble ( don't know what kind ) When that person had his life back in order the Pastor reinstated that person. :jesus: :thumbsup:

 

I agree that the church should attempt to help a person in every way possible. If that person is not repentant however then there is only so much you can do. I don't believe that a church should stop someone's attendance, but they certainly should and could withdraw membership from the person if they have exhausted all avenues of reaching the person and trying to turn they from their sin. The only time that a person's attendance should be stopped is if they are actively engaging in sin on church property and have become a problem in that way.

Would Jesus kick someone out of the church? Yes, I believe he would kick someone out of the church if they were behaving in an improper manner at the church. Remember the temple and the money changers?