(A Study of Church Discipline) The Erring The Church Our Families Ourselves Saving (A Study of Church Discipline)

No matter what our own thinking may be! Saving the Erring, the Church, Our Families, and Ourselves Church discipline is an effort to save the erring, save the church, save our families, and save ourselves. If we love God, care about the erring & want to save our families and ourselves – surely we want to follow God’s plan for saving the erring! No matter what our own thinking may be! No matter how difficult or painful the process may be! This is an emotionally charged subject Because close friends and family are often involved Some of the requirements of discipline are hard – in fact downright painful! Much like the MDR issues – Emotion overshadows knowledge Must begin with understanding that God’s way is best & works Word of God is our standard (1 Pet. 4:11; Col. 3:17) Comes down to a question of faith

(A Study of Church Discipline) What is Discipline? Personal Offenses Public Offenses The Forgotten & Misunderstood Command The Purpose of Withdrawing & From Whom Should We Withdraw? The Case at Corinth (1 Cor. 5) – Part 1 The Case at Corinth (1 Cor. 5 & 2 Cor. 2, 7) – Part 2 The Case at Thessalonica (2 Thess. 3) How to Treat those Disfellowshipped Does it Apply to Family? Can We Withdraw from the Withdrawn? Procedure for Withdrawal Objections to and Questions about Withdrawal Saving The Erring The Church Our Families Ourselves

What is Discipline? “Church Discipline” to most means “withdrawing” Saving the Erring, the Church, Our Families, and Ourselves What is Discipline? “Church Discipline” to most means “withdrawing” Objective: to see that “discipline” is much broader & should be practiced far more often than withdrawing. Will see that discipline is absolutely necessary in all areas of life

The Necessity of Discipline Saving the Erring, the Church, Our Families, and Ourselves What is Discipline? The Necessity of Discipline

The Necessity of Discipline When there is no penalty or consequence for a continual violation of law – there is no respect for the law or the lawgiver! Discipline is essential to all areas of life (where there is association by common purpose) Home School Society Sports Work Military Church Must be laws, rules, or policy Must be instruction (what is expected) Must be penalty / consequence The Necessity of Discipline

The Necessity of Discipline When there is no penalty or consequence for a continual violation of law – there is no respect for the law or the lawgiver! Discipline is essential to all areas of life (where there is association by common purpose) Without discipline would be utter chaos (1 Cor. 14:33) No instruction No training No correction No improving Everyone does what he desires (Judges 21:25) The Necessity of Discipline

The Necessity of Discipline When there is no penalty or consequence for a continual violation of law – there is no respect for the law or the lawgiver! Discipline is essential to all areas of life (where there is association by common purpose) Without discipline would be utter chaos (1 Cor. 14:33) Discipline is necessary within self Must have self discipline – self control (2 Pet. 1:6; 1 Cor. 9:26-27) If we discipline ourselves, little or no need for corrective church discipline! The Necessity of Discipline

The Necessity of Discipline When there is no penalty or consequence for a continual violation of law – there is no respect for the law or the lawgiver! Discipline is essential to all areas of life (where there is association by common purpose) Without discipline would be utter chaos (1 Cor. 14:33) Discipline is necessary within self The fact that God tells us to discipline says it is necessary In the home (Prov. 13:24) Instruction & correction (2 Tim. 3:16-17) Warn the unruly (1 Thess. 5:14) Withdraw (1 Cor. 5:1-3; 2 Thess. 3:6-15) The Necessity of Discipline

The Necessity of Discipline The Meaning of Discipline Saving the Erring, the Church, Our Families, and Ourselves What is Discipline? The Necessity of Discipline The Meaning of Discipline

The Meaning of Discipline Discipline is not limited to “withdrawing” Illustrated: “Teaching” is not limited to oral instruction It includes withdrawing, but is much, much more! The Meaning of Discipline

The Meaning of Discipline Discipline is not limited to “withdrawing” English word “discipline”: Noun: (AHD)  Training expected to produce a specific character or pattern of behavior, especially training that produces moral or mental improvement: was raised in the strictest discipline. a. Control obtained by enforcing compliance or order: military discipline. b. Controlled behavior resulting from disciplinary training; self-control: Dieting takes a lot of discipline. c. A state of order based on submission to rules and authority: a teacher who demanded discipline in the classroom.  Punishment intended to correct or train: subjected to harsh discipline. A set of rules or methods, as those regulating the practice of a church or monastic order. A branch of knowledge or teaching: the discipline of mathematics. The Meaning of Discipline

The Meaning of Discipline Discipline is not limited to “withdrawing” English word “discipline”: Noun: (AHD) Verb: (AHD) To train by instruction and practice, as in following rules or developing self-control:The sergeant disciplined the recruits to become soldiers. See Synonyms at teach. To punish in order to gain control or enforce obedience. See Synonyms at punish. To impose order on: needed to discipline their study habits. Summary: Training Instruction Teach Punish Rules The Meaning of Discipline

The Meaning of Discipline Discipline is not limited to “withdrawing” English word “discipline”: Word “discipline” as used in OT & NT OT: Prov. 3:11-12 – Chastening (discipline ESV) – has purpose to correct Prov. 13:24 – disciplines (Strongs: reproof, warning or instruction; also restraint) Prov. 23:13 – Correction (discipline NASV) – same word for “instruction” (v. 12) The Meaning of Discipline

The Meaning of Discipline Discipline is not limited to “withdrawing” English word “discipline”: Word “discipline” as used in OT & NT OT: NT: 2 Tim. 3:16-17 – Instruction (fn: discipline) Same word: training (Eph. 6:4) Same word: chastening (Heb. 12:5,7,8,11) Thayer: paideia The Meaning of Discipline

Παιδεία (paideia) 1. the whole training and education of children (which relates to the cultivation of mind and morals, and employs for this purpose now commands and admonitions, now reproof and punishment): Eph. 6:4 [cf. W. 388 (363) note]; (in Grk. writ. fr. Aeschyl. on, it includes also the care and training of the body.) [See esp. Trench, Syn. § xxxii.; cf. Jowett’s Plato, index s. v. Education]. 2. whatever in adults also cultivates the soul, esp. by correcting mistakes and curbing the passions; hence a. instruction which aims at the increase of virtue: 2 Tim. 3:16. Thayer, J. H. (1889). A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: being Grimm’s Wilke's Clavis Novi Testamenti (p. 473). New York: Harper & Brothers.

The Meaning of Discipline Discipline is not limited to “withdrawing” English word “discipline”: Word “discipline” as used in OT & NT OT: NT: 2 Tim. 3:16-17 – Instruction (fn: discipline) 1 Cor. 9:27 – discipline my body This is self discipline Literally means to beat black and blue (Thayer, 646) MEV: “bring and keep my body under subjection” NRSV: “punish my body and enslave it” NET: “I subdue my body and make it a slave” NCV: “I treat my body hard and make it a slave” LBP: “Like an athlete I punish my body, treating it roughly, training it to do what it should, not what it wants to do.” The Meaning of Discipline

The Meaning of Discipline Discipline is not limited to “withdrawing” English word “discipline”: Word “discipline” as used in OT & NT Much of what we do in the service of God = discipline Teaching Studying Worship Encouragement The Meaning of Discipline

The Necessity of Discipline The Meaning of Discipline Saving the Erring, the Church, Our Families, and Ourselves What is Discipline? The Necessity of Discipline The Meaning of Discipline Two Kinds of Discipline

Two Kinds of Discipline Instructive - Teaching Word is to be taught to order our lives Deut. 6:1-4 John 6:44-45 Titus 2:11-12 2 Tim. 3:16-17 1 Thess. 5:12 Exhort one another (Heb. 3:12-13) Provoke one another to love and work (Heb. 10:24) This is preventative in nature! “To cut of the offender is good, to cure him is better, to prevent him from falling is best of all.” Two Kinds of Discipline

Two Kinds of Discipline Instructive – Teaching Corrective Necessary in the home (Eph. 6:1-4; Heb. 12:5-12) Necessary in government / society (Rom. 13:1-7) Personal rebuke (Matt. 18:15-17) Warning the unruly (1 Thess. 5:14) Identifying the erring (Rom. 16:17) Withdrawing (Matt. 18:17; 1 Cor. 5; 2 Thess. 3) Two Kinds of Discipline

The Necessity of Discipline The Meaning of Discipline Saving the Erring, the Church, Our Families, and Ourselves What is Discipline? The Necessity of Discipline The Meaning of Discipline Two Kinds of Discipline The Means of Discipline

The Means of Discipline Public Instruction Public teaching (Acts 20:7, 20) Many sins are done in ignorance – public instruction informs and leads in right path. Many correct their ways because of what they learn from public instruction. The Means of Discipline

The Means of Discipline Public Instruction Private Instruction & Exhortation Private teaching (Acts 20:20; 18:26; Gal. 6:1) Men, women and young people can do (2 Tim. 2:2) Individual teaching can meet specific needs The Means of Discipline

The Means of Discipline Public Instruction Private Instruction & Exhortation Private Rebuke & Admonition Personal offenses should be handled privately (Matt. 18:15-17; Luke 17:3) This is an effort to keep a private matter and private matter This form of discipline (if handled correctly) may never be known by any others! The Means of Discipline

The Means of Discipline Public Instruction Private Instruction & Exhortation Private Rebuke & Admonition Public Censure Time for public rebuke (Gal. 2:11-14; 1 Tim. 5:20) Time when names need to be mentioned (1 Tim. 1:18-20; 2 Tim. 2:17-18) False teachers may need to be identified (Rom. 16:17) The Means of Discipline

The Means of Discipline Public Instruction Private Instruction & Exhortation Private Rebuke & Admonition Public Censure Social Ostracism Some are to be avoided (Rom. 16:17) From some should turn away (2 Tim.3:1-5) Some are to be rejected (Titus 3:10) Some are not to be received (2 John 9-11) Not to have company with withdrawn (1 Cor. 5:9-13; 2 Thess. 3:6-15) The Means of Discipline

The Necessity of Discipline The Meaning of Discipline Saving the Erring, the Church, Our Families, and Ourselves What is Discipline? The Necessity of Discipline The Meaning of Discipline Two Kinds of Discipline The Means of Discipline God’s Use of Discipline

God’s Use of Discipline Adam & Eve – driven from garden (Gen. 1:26-28; 2:8, 15-17; 3:22-14) Flood – wicked destroyed (Gen. 6:5-7; 7:21-23) Sodom & Gomorrah – burned for immorality (Gen. 19:24-29) Israel – in wilderness for lack of faith (Num. 14:28-35) Sabbath breaker – die (Num. 15:35) Moses – keep from promised land (Num. 20:12) Achan – stoned for his sin (Josh. 7:21-26) Prophet – disobeyed & killed (1 Kings 13) Ananias & Sapphira – died for lying (Acts 5:1-11) Peter – rebuked for sin (Gal. 2:11-12) Alexander & Hymenaeus – delivered to Satan (1 Tim. 1:18-20) God’s Use of Discipline

The Necessity of Discipline The Meaning of Discipline Saving the Erring, the Church, Our Families, and Ourselves What is Discipline? The Necessity of Discipline The Meaning of Discipline Two Kinds of Discipline The Means of Discipline God’s Use of Discipline