This brief paper is to aid our understanding of what church discipline is and to delimit how we are to practice it at the local church level.
The subject of "church discipline" is often a neglected and misunderstood one. Many times when churches "act" on this matter, they do so in haste with little or no preparation. Consequently, many times disruption is done and brothers and sisters are angry against the church acting in this realm. That means, there is great misunderstanding of the meaning, purpose and nature of church discipline. Many see church discipline as condemning and excommunicating rather than lovingly restoring the wayward back into fellowship with believers.
What do we mean by church discipline? We sometimes use the term in a very broad sense to include everything from simply punishment to excommunication or the exclusion of someone from the fellowship of Christ's church. Usually we narrow the definition and speak of church discipline as the activity of leaders who must punish bad Christians. So what is church discipline?
Church discipline: definition, necessity and purpose
There are many definition of “church discipline” but the one by Lawrence Richards in the Expository Dictionary of Bible words is succinct and meaningful: “Church discipline is the loving action of Christian community, committed to obedience, intending through the discipline to help the brother or sister turn from sin and find renewed fellowship with God.[1]” Church discipline is more than excommunication but involves loving and faithful teaching throughout the Christians’ lives so that they are taught to follow the way of godliness[2]. Church discipline in its truest sense seeks to imitate God himself, bringing fallen believers back into full communion with Him.
In the same way, Dr Johnny Miller noted: “church discipline is necessary, first of all because… It works for the correction and restoration of the errant christian, and it reinforces the testimony of holiness for the church . . . . [3]“ For him, without discipline in the church, the church remains distorted in nature because a true biblical church is always perfected through the execution of discipline for its members who go astray…
Dr Titus Kivunzi from Kenya said that: “The health of the church depends on discipline…. Discipline is a positive term whose purpose is to mature believers, and no church is without such a need for maturity. Furthermore, it is commanded that we administer discipline”.
Church discipline is not for a certain group of Christians. It is the requirement of God for the whole church, the true church of Christ.
The priority of church discipline is restoration. This purpose must not become vengeful or destructive or causes disruptions. Dr McQuay remarks: “Church discipline must assist a brother in returning to his former, spiritual healthy condition and usefulness in the body of Christ”[4]. Paul writes “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently” (Gal 6.1).
The goal of all discipline is the restoration of the brother and not unnecessary humiliation. Jesus remarks that “. . . if he listens to you, you have won your brother” (Matthew 18:15b). The confrontation is to be initiated to highlight the wrong-doing and need for repentance. Hopefully, this approach will lead to the winning of the brother and not censorious public criticism[5].
Finally, “Church discipline” is the theological term used to describe the process Scripture outlines for dealing with sin in the flock. It’s a fitting term because, as with parental discipline, the main goal of church discipline is correction. It is successful when it brings about repentance and reconciliation. When it is unsuccessful, it ends in excommunication. But restoration of the sinner is always the desired goal.
Two Kinds of biblical church discipline: informative and corrective
The Primitive church also has some specific instructions as to how it should operate. From Jesus’ direct teaching to His disciples, we find a particular set of commands for the church on how to approach a brother who is persisting in open sin. In this teaching Jesus lays out a clear pattern as to how we are to love a wayward brother or sister (Mt 18.15-20):
- We first lovingly confront an individual alone with evidence of the sin.
- If the offending brother or sister is clearly in sin and will not repent, we are instructed to take two or three together to establish the charge of the offense.
- If the wayward brother or sister still will not repent, we are to tell it to the church.
- Finally, if all the previous steps have been faithfully pursued, we are to remove that person from fellowship with the body.
This basic process means that Church discipline is both formative and corrective. Formative church discipline is perpetual, and can be best aligned with modeling behavior. Teaching and reading the Bible represent means of formative discipline.
Corrective discipline is confronting a fellow brother or sister in love over the sinful behavior shown in their life.
The biblical response to the practices of church discipline
Why can the practices of church discipline in Protestant churches in Rwanda be a source of disruptions? Several reasons might be advanced. Firstly, it’s because there is a complete lack of knowledge and instruction regarding church discipline in the church. Members of the congregation do not understand why church discipline is to be exercised or how it is to be done in a responsible manner. They look upon church discipline as something unkind, not befitting a community which has experienced the love of Christ and which is to reflect that love in relationships with others. They think that applying church discipline means simply to "throw them out" the church.
In this case, before applying any procedure of church discipline, , Pastors must teach in a clear way the Scriptural and confessional principles regarding church discipline. When God's people are properly taught they will know that church discipline exists to maintain the fidelity of doctrine and to protect the church’s witness to the world. Finally, church discipline is applicable only to Christians, and not the unsaved world. It takes place within the church body, where a direct relationship exists between the offender and offended parties. While God designed the church to be a true family, in order to achieve family solidarity, discipline must exist.
But the practices of church discipline can become a source of conflicts:
1. if Pastors fail to teach their congregation what church discipline is and why they should practice it,
2. if Pastors fail to teach their congregation about biblical conversion, especially the need for repentance,
3. If they fail to teach new members as they enter the church about the possibility of church discipline,
4. if the church limits the sin to certain kinds of offenses deemed particularly serious.
CONCLUSION
Our biblical theology may explain church discipline. Our teaching and preaching may instruct about it. Our church leaders may encourage it. But it is only the church that may and must finally enforce discipline.
Biblical church discipline is a simple obedience to God and a simple confession that we need help. We cannot live the Christian life alone. Our purpose in church discipline is positive for the individual disciplined, for other Christians as they see the real danger of sin, for the health of the church as a whole, and for the corporate witness of the church to those outside. Most of all, our holiness should reflect the holiness of God. Biblical church discipline is a mark of a healthy church. It should be meaningful to be a member of a church, not for our pride, but for the name of God. Biblical church discipline is the mark of a healthy church, not a church that doesn't need to be disciplined, nor a church that has been turned into a prison environment as we often see.
Jimi ZACKA, PhD
[1] L.O. Richards, Expository Dictionary of Bible words, Grand Rapids, Michigan; Zondervan, 1991.
[2] P. Mutetei, « Church discipline : The Great Omission », Africa journal of Evangelical Theology, 18.1 1999.pp.3-11
[3] J. MILLER, INTERVIEWED by P. Mutetei, April 27, 1994, Columbia, SC.
[4]E. P. McQuay, Lecture notes presented as part of the class “Pastoral Ministry” (MIN 61.10) at Columbia Biblical Seminary and Graduate School Missions, Columbia, SC, Spring, 1994, p.302.
[5] See John Calvin, A Harmony of the Gospels: Matthew, Mark, and Luke, vol. II, editors Torrance and Torrance, trans. T.H.L. Parker (Grand Rapids, MI:Eerdman’s Publishing House, 1972), 226-227.
