HOW TO
APPROACH CHURCH DISCIPLINE
Church
discipline is a topic most pastors (and believers of any type) do not enjoy
discussing. It is so unpopular, in fact, that most Christians, including those
in the ordained gospel ministry, would rather disobey Jesus’ very command than
deal with such a difficult area. Jesus himself gives a prescription for how to
handle church discipline (Matt 18). It is a prescription, nonetheless, which is
often not followed. I dare suggest that to not follow Matthew 18 is sin. Rather
than avoid this specific model of how to handle church discipline, we should
examine it in detail and realize our own fault in disobeying Jesus’ command.
How then should we approach church discipline? I would like to offer three
imperatives to how we, both as individuals and as the local church, should
follow Jesus’ command regarding church discipline.
Obey Jesus’ Command as He Gave It
Jesus’
command, in Matthew 18, is specific. He supplies a four-step process we are to
employ, each step to only be considered if the previous has not the proper
effect. We are to 1) to go our brother directly if there is an issue, then 2)
approach him (or her) with one or two brothers (or sisters) if the issues is
not resolved as it should be, then 3) go before the entire congregation, and
finally 4) dismiss them from fellowship as a “Gentile and a tax collector”
(Matt 18:17). The terms, “Gentile” and “tax collector,” in verse 17, are not
terms of endearment. Rather, by this point, church discipline has been carried
to its full degree, i.e. the one who is at fault is not repentant; thus, the
church is to disassociate fellowship.
I will discuss
the meaning of this later, but for now, let us consider the fourfold process of
church discipline. How often do we or anyone else in our churches go directly
to the brother or sister with whom we have an issue? I have served in ministry
long enough to know for a fact that it is not often. A plurality of excuses are
used to justify our actions when we do not approach the one with whom we have
an issue; yet, none suffices. We can explain that we do not feel comfortable
going to the person first, that we want to seek advice first, or that we simply
want to pray for them (as if we know for a fact that he or she is the one who
is wrong in the situation); Jesus, however, makes it clear that we are to go to
the person directly. It is likely easy to think of situations when this did not
occur in your own life, either by yourself or by someone else who had a problem
with you. If we disobey Jesus’ command here, however, it is nothing short of
blatant disobedience and, thus, sin.
After
approaching the person directly, we are to take one or two others with us. This
is an example of a mediator: someone who can be a neutral observer and perhaps
even offer advice. A neutral perspective can certainly help and might even help
us see our own fault in the situation. We should not find one or two people who
will merely make things worse but rather only those who will help the
situation.
We are then to
confront the person with whom we have a problem before the entire assembly.
This can surely be difficult; nevertheless, it is what Jesus demands. Only if
the person is not repentant at that point do we proceed to the final step,
which is disassociate with the person as a brother or sister in Christ.
My point here
is that these steps are often not followed. We make feeble excuses as to why we
do not follow these steps; yet, they are clear and precise. Rather than make
excuses, we should follow Jesus’ command and obey him in this process.
Have Reconciliation in Mind
The
final step of treating one as a Gentile or a tax collector is not a vengeful
plot. It is not so we can say, “Gotcha! I won!” Rather, it is for
reconciliation. Consider what Jesus, in his magnificent love, means when he
says to treat someone as a Gentile or a tax collector. Who did Jesus love? With
whom did he spend time? Gentiles and tax collectors! Jesus then is not saying
to give them the boot, hate them, and be done with them; he is instead saying
to love them as we should any other lost soul with the goal of restoration. If
no one is beyond the love of Jesus Christ, why then should we allow personal
issues or someone else’s sin be the stopping point for Christ’s love shown to
them through us? Reconciliation is the target in church discipline.
Leave It in the Lord’s Hands
The
final imperative I offer regarding church discipline is to ultimately leave the
situation in the Lord’s hands. This includes vengeance. The Apostle Paul tells
us that love is longsuffering (1 Cor 13:4). People make mistakes (and let us
not forget) including us. If we attempt to execute vengeance on our own will,
we 1) reveal a lack of trust in God who clearly says that vengeance is his
(Deut 32:35), we 2) effectively place an idol in our lives in the person with
whom we have an issue, and we 3) disobey God by refusing to love a person for
whom Jesus Christ has laid down his own life. None of us have any excuse to
simply abandon someone because we have a problem with them; this is
longsuffering. Certainly, some people are more difficult with which to deal
than others; yet, God loves us all without favoritism. We should take comfort
in that and employ the love of Christ to all.
Church
discipline is not to be ignored or executed flippantly. While we are to love
everyone, especially those in the body of Christ, we are not to allow someone
to live in sin without consequence. For God’s justice to be executed, both
parties should be considered. We should not ignore the grievance of one while
justifying the sin of another in the name of forgiveness; yet, the purpose of
church discipline should not be for one to gain over the other but rather for
restoration to occur between all parties. Let us stop ignoring the clear
command of Jesus Christ and be a people who love as he loves and who execute
his justice by properly obeying him in the way of church discipline.
