"Seemeth it but a small thing unto you that God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel to bring you near to Himself?" One thing is a fact in today's Church, there is less disciplining going on within her. One reason for this is because of the wrong use of Scripture. "Judge not, lest ye be judged. Matthew 7:1 has likely eclipsed John 3:16 as the most oft-quoted verse in all the Bible. Now en vogue among moral relativists is to invoke the maxim in order to slip out from under even the most biblically sound rebuke or admonition. It is in this context that the historic practice of church discipline has gradually come to be regarded as antiquated. But is church discipline so irrelevant to the well-being of the local assembly?"- Mark Dever "Nine marks of a healthy Church"
What might we be missing in its absence? Pastor Mark Dever goes on to say,"Membership in the local church is that church's public affirmation of a person's salvation, as far as the leadership of the church is able to affirm it on the basis of good visible fruit.
When we refuse to discipline serious sin committed by members, we deceive people into thinking that the church can happily affirm, by uninterrupted membership, the salvation of someone whose unrepentant sin contradicts their verbal profession.
In other words, neglecting church discipline tacitly affirms the lie that verbal profession of Christ is saving even when unaccompanied by a lifestyle of genuine repentance and progress in practical holiness. It gives false assurance to people who have no biblical reason at all to feel sure about their salvation.
It is in this way that the church contributes to the self-deception of a seriously sinning member. The complacence of pastors and leaders with unrepentant sin in members' lives leads unrepentant members to indulge that same complacence, all the while enjoying the church's public affirmation of their salvation in the witness of membership!" Pastor Dever goes on to say that the reason for Church discipline is only for
"Restoration - Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness (Gal 6:1).
Salvation - …so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus (1Cor 5:5).
Teaching - Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan so that they may be taught not to blaspheme (1Tim 5:20)." This is the same call that Paul called the Church of Corinth in (1 Cor 5). This separation is only to have the sinner come back closer to Christ. If you have not read this book, it is a must read brother and sister Saint's. "O Church arise and put your armour on. Hear the calling of Christ our Captain."-In Christ Alone: Modern Hymns Of Worship by:Bethany Dillon & Matt Hammitt
You can go and read more on this and the other "9marks of a Healthy Church" @http://marks.9marks.org/Mark7
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Brother Larry, this has been a topic of some study of mine recently. What it really shows is the pride of the human heart. So often we pass up a chance to stand for Truth and build up the body of Christ merely because we are uncomfortable with confrontation, or are practicing forgiveness. Tell me, did Christ ignore our sin on the cross as He practice the greatest act of forgiveness ever known? Friends, that was certainly not a passive act of forgiveness. Additionally, I have found that Eph. 4 speaks volumes to this topic. Question: Where is the Biblical reference found-"Be angry, and yet do not sin"? Aside from Ps 4:4, Paul uses it in the same immediate context as 'speaking the truth in love' and 'let no unwholesome word proceed from you mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear". This is a call to confrontation. This is Eph. 4, the classic 'unity' passage. So if this is the, or at least a means of attaining to the unity of the body, shouldn't we be aggressively practicing this out. Where is out genuine anger for sin that leads us to action, driven by a love for God's people, His Church, His Son and His person?
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