Church Discipline

1. Church Discipline is Loving Correction Rooted in the Gospel

One of the most neglected activities in the church today is the ministry of loving, courageous, and redemptive church discipline.

Discipline is discipleship. Church discipline is not merely punishment, but a vital part of the disciple-making process. It involves both formative instruction and corrective action to help believers follow Jesus more faithfully. This correction, when done biblically, is an act of profound love for the individual, the church, and Christ himself.

Why discipline is loving. By addressing sin, churches show love for the individual by warning them of danger and calling them to repentance. They show love for the church by protecting weaker members and preserving unity. They show love for the watching world by maintaining a distinct witness, and most importantly, they show love for Christ by guarding his name and reputation on earth.

God's example. God himself disciplines those he loves, promising that it yields righteousness and peace. To abstain from discipline is to claim to love better than God, ignoring the painful but fruitful process he ordains for our good and holiness.

2. The Gospel Provides the Framework for Understanding Discipline

Church discipline, both formative and corrective, is an implication of the gospel.

Beyond forgiveness. A robust understanding of the gospel goes beyond just forgiveness; it includes reconciliation with God and his people, a new nature empowered by the Spirit, and a new job description as representatives of Christ. This fuller gospel provides the necessary context for why discipline is essential.

Gospel 1 vs. Gospel 2. A "just believe" gospel (Gospel 1) struggles to justify discipline, emphasizing unconditional love without addressing the call to holiness and obedience. A "repent and believe" gospel (Gospel 2) includes Christ as Savior and Lord, the Spirit's work of regeneration, and reconciliation to Christ's people, making accountability and discipline a natural implication.

Representation matters. The gospel calls Christians to represent Jesus on earth. Discipline becomes necessary when a Christian's life contradicts this calling, failing to image God's holiness, justice, and love. It's about ensuring that those who bear Christ's name actually represent him.

3. Local Churches Hold the Keys to Affirming Kingdom Citizenship

Jesus has given a kingdom authority to Christians gathered together as a local church that he has not given to individual Christians.

Authority of the keys. Jesus grants local churches the authority to exercise the "keys of the kingdom" (Matthew 16, 18). This means churches have the responsibility to officially affirm and oversee who belongs to Christ's kingdom through baptism and the Lord's Supper.

Declaring citizenship. Church membership is a formal declaration of citizenship in Christ's kingdom, a public affirmation by the local church that a person's profession of faith is credible. It's like an embassy issuing a passport, declaring who represents the king.

Discipline as revocation. Formal church discipline (excommunication) is the act of removing this affirmation. It's the church's public statement that it can no longer vouch for a person's profession of faith and therefore removes them from membership and the Lord's Table. This power is declaratory, not salvific; the church declares who appears to be a citizen, it doesn't make them one.

4. Discipline is Necessary When Life Contradicts Profession

Formal church discipline is the appropriate course of action whenever a church member’s failure to represent Jesus becomes so characteristic and habitual that the church no longer believes he or she is a Christian.

Gap between profession and life. Discipline is needed when a significant gap opens between what a Christian claims to believe and how they live. It's necessary when a person's failure to represent Jesus becomes a defining characteristic, calling their profession of faith into question.

Expected vs. unexpected sin. Informal discipline addresses sins we might expect from fallen believers who are still fighting the flesh. Formal discipline is generally reserved for sins or patterns of sin that are unexpected in a genuinely regenerate person, indicating a lack of true repentance or a hardened heart.

Characteristic unrepentance. The core trigger for formal discipline is not just sin, but unrepentant sin. When a person persists in known sin despite warnings, showing no evidence of the Spirit's work in producing godly sorrow and a desire for holiness, the church must question the credibility of their profession.

5. Pastoral Wisdom is Crucial in Applying Discipline

My contention is that church leaders will be better equipped to figure out where that line falls if they understand their corrective activity within a larger gospel framework.

Beyond a rule book. There is no simple checklist of sins that automatically trigger discipline. Leaders need wisdom to apply biblical principles to the messy realities of human sin and circumstance. The gospel framework helps discern when a sin pattern indicates a lack of genuine faith.

Situational sensitivity. Factors like the individual's maturity, understanding of the sin, family background, and the presence of deceit all influence how a church assesses the situation. Two people committing the same sin might warrant different responses based on these nuances.

Sin vs. repentance balance. Evaluating a discipline case involves weighing the seriousness and nature of the sin against the evidence of repentance. It's not just about the sin itself, but the person's posture towards it – are they fighting it, or embracing it?

6. The Discipline Process Should Be Gradual and Careful

A clear principle that emerges from Matthew 18:15–20 is that Jesus means for the process of correcting sin to involve as few people as necessary for producing repentance.

Matthew 18 model. Jesus outlines a process starting with private confrontation, escalating to involving two or three witnesses, and finally bringing the matter before the whole church. This gradual approach aims to secure repentance with minimal public exposure.

1 Corinthians 5 vs. Matthew 18. While Paul calls for immediate exclusion in 1 Corinthians 5, this is understood as starting at the point where Matthew 18 ends – with a sin pattern that is already public and clearly indicative of characteristic unrepentance. The length of the process depends on how long it takes to establish this unrepentance.

Benefit of the doubt. Like a judicial process, discipline requires careful investigation and evidence. Churches should be slow to judge and give individuals the benefit of the doubt until the evidence clearly establishes a pattern of unrepentance.

7. Restoration Follows Genuine Repentance and Reaffirmation

After a person has been excommunicated from a church, restoration is simply the church declaring forgiveness toward the person and reaffirming his or her citizenship in God’s kingdom.

Forgive and comfort. When an excommunicated individual genuinely repents, the church's response should be forgiveness, comfort, and a public reaffirmation of love and fellowship. The goal of discipline is always redemptive, aiming for restoration.

Evidence of repentance. Restoration occurs when the church is convinced that the repentance is real, evidenced by visible fruit in the individual's life. This might involve ceasing the sinful behavior, seeking help, making restitution, and demonstrating a changed heart.

No second-class citizenship. Once restored, the individual should be fully welcomed back into membership and participation in the Lord's Table, without probation or being treated as a lesser member. The church celebrates their return like the father of the Prodigal Son.

8. Preparation Through Teaching is Essential Before Disciplining

If the idea of church discipline is to make any sense to a church at all, a congregation must have a robust understanding of the gospel and what it means to be a Christian...

Cultivating the culture. Attempting formal discipline without preparing the congregation through teaching is likely to cause confusion and conflict. Members need to understand the biblical basis and loving purpose of discipline.

Key doctrines to teach. Before implementing discipline, pastors should teach on:

• The nature of the gospel (including holiness and repentance)
• The meaning and importance of church membership
• The church's authority (the keys of the kingdom)
• The seriousness of sin and the need for accountability
• The process outlined in Matthew 18 and other relevant texts

Informal first. Formal discipline works best in a church where informal, private correction and accountability are already a normal part of church life. This builds a culture where members understand and value mutual care for one another's holiness.

Last updated: May 31, 2025