If excommunication is for today, how should it be handled? Does excommunication show hierarchical power? And is there grace in it?
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Is excommunication for today, and is there grace in it?
Discussion in 'Baptist Theology & Bible Study' started by Former Member Amorphous, Sep 3, 2016.
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I didn't post the O/P so this is my opinion.
Yes there is grace in it.
Why? Because God gives the opportunity for the erring child of God to return to the blessed fellowship of the church.
No grace would be if he/she was banned from the church until he/she went home to be with the LORD.
HankD -
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Obviously all persons sin, but there is a difference between living in sin that brings reproach upon the church, to which others are aware (note 1 Corinthians 5 as an example) and a daily personal walk of repentance and cleansing; 1 John 1:1ff.
Surely none involved in 1 Cor. 5 disciplinary action were being self-righteous, but were called to follow the mandate of removal since there was no repentance. There must also have been sorrow involved on the part of the removed person at a latter time; note 2 Corinthians 2, and he was to be forgiven.
Galatians 6 also shows us that those who are spiritual are to restore others, so we have that in churches, some who actually are 'holier than thou' and are examples to the flock. These are and should be appointed as leaders within a church, to help guard others and assist others in their spiritual walk.
Also, there are those who are worthy of double honor, who labor in the Word and doctrine; 1 Timothy 5:17. I would not broad brush the church as being a bunch of self-righteous power hungry individuals seeking to throw others out of church, but it would be perhaps easier to do so without considering the other Scriptures. -
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Revmitchell Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
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Iconoclast Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
Biblical Church discipline is a mark of a true church.
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We have had to recently practice it twice. It was not taken lightly and it was not a step that was taken quickly but months after the sin was found out. It was only when it was clear that the people were not repentant of their sin but instead embracing it and excusing it that the discipline occurred. It breaks my heart and I really do pray that these individuals would someday turn back to God and walk away from the damaging sin that they so closely are holding.
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But we are not speaking of "hidden" sins. If it were to come out that a pastor has a porn addiction, I would expect our church leadership (the deacons and elders) to ask that pastor to step down for a time. If no one is aware of the sin, how could anyone act on it? But it's not just the pastors but we've asked individuals to step out of a leadership position for a time until they have dealt with their sin. It is called "being a part of the body". When there is an infection in the body, we need to address it, open it, clean out the infection and help that body part to be restored to full health.
In the particular cases that we recently had, it was a BLATANTLY obvious sin - the member thumbing their nose at God and the leadership of the church who had been working to help these individuals leave their sin behind and follow God's Word. But they refused. So there was nothing else to be done but to practice the excommunication and to announce it to the congregation. The sin to start was a more private sin and only very few of us knew it but once the parties refused to turn away and tried to continue to be a part of the life of the church, it had to be stopped. Sin is dangerous. Read 1 Corinthians 5 and tell me that excommunication is wrong. A gangrenous limb needs to be removed from the body in order to protect the rest of the body. -
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