“If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
“Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
“Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.(or seven time seventy)
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Church discipline is a subject that doesn't get much discussion in my circles. We are trapped in a polite paradigm and it would be impolite to point out someone's sin, so we don't. Some think that to do so would be judgemental. After all didn't Jesus command us not to judge others? Yet here is Jesus telling His disciples to point out another's sin. Some versions say when a brother sins against you point out their sin, but others leave "against you" out. The latter leaves open the possibility of playing policemen watching for sinful behavior among our brothers and sisters in the church family. That sort of legalism is not what Jesus is encouraging. Rather when sin is obvious or causing division in the church, it must be dealt with for the sake of the health of the body.
We all sin. We sin when we don't do the things we know we should do, which are called sins of omission. We sin when we do the things we know we shouldn't do. Those are called sins of commission. And then there are sins that we didn't know were wrong. Those are sins of ignorance. Have we got all our sins covered under these categories? Well...no. Sins as actions are one area of sin but sin as a sphere of influence, a power at work in our flesh, is another. We were born into sin. The effects of sin are felt at our deepest core. Fear, faithlessness, gossip, greed, lust, impatience, resentment, angry outbursts, etc. These are the works of the flesh.
Here's one of many lists in the New Testament speaking of sins of the flesh.
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Galatians 5:19-21 NIV
Jesus taught His disciples to confront sin and gave them a very sensible and compassionate way to deal with it in the church. Let me be clear that this teaching is not for non-Christians. You wouldn't confront a person who is not part of your church community about their sins. That's just a bad idea. They never signed up for repentance. But baptized Christians have died to sin and been raised with Christ as a new creation.
The death he (Jesus) died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.
Romans 6:10-14
As Christians we all are on a journey toward Christlikeness or holiness. Just as a coach tells his players how to improve their game, fellow Christians ought to be supporting one another in achieving growth in the knowledge and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore pointing out a brother or sister's sin within the church is a healthy means to strengthen one another in faith.
But what does the church do when a member does not wish to pursue holiness along with the rest? If a teammate isn't pulling his weight on the team, the coach benches him and often teammates will prod him to step up. There's a way to correct people that is constructive, and there are ways that shame and do more harm than good. Jesus' way is compassionate and gives every opportunity for erring members to repent.
First you speak to the person who is sinning in private about it. Here's an example from Paul's letter to the Galatians.
Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each otherʼs burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
Galatians 6:1-2 NIV
There's a real sense of care and humility in this instruction. Confronting another's sin should be done gently and with loving concern, not brutally shaming the person. Remember that you are a sinner too. Point sin out in the way you want your sin pointed out. If you don't want your sins pointed out, then perhaps you shouldn't approach anyone else about their sin.
If the person refuses to listen to godly correction, then get a couple other church members to join you. This isn't ganging up on a person. It's a persistent pursuit to address an ongoing problem that is destructive to the sinner's life, for sin separates us from God who is life, and it's unhealthy for the church.
If they still do not repent and change their ways, then a more official meeting should be held with the leaders of your congregation. If they still don't repent after being confronted by church leadership then it's obvious they don't value the vision and mission of the church. Therefore a separation is in order. They are to be shown the door out.
That sounds mean, but it's intended to improve the health of the church body. When we have a fever we take antibiotics to remove the germs from our body so that we might heal. In the same way a rebellious sinner endangers the health of the body of Christ. Such a person should be excommunicated. Jesus offers the practice of shunning, a common practice in Jewish communities.
"Treat them like you would a pagan our tax collector." In other words ignore them. Have nothing to do with them.
Paul dealt with a case of incest in the church at Corinth.
It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping with his fatherʼs wife. And you are proud! Shouldnʼt you rather have gone into mourning and have put out of your fellowship the man who has been doing this? Hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord. You must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people.
1 Corinthians 5:1-2, 5, 11 NIV
The purpose of shunning, or handing a sinner over to Satan, is to let the sinner deal with the consequences of his sin without the support of the church family. He is to go his own way and the church will no longer associate with Him as a part of the family. This is done in the hope that the rebellious sinner will come you their senses and repent.
Jesus tells the disciples the kind of authority He is entrusting to the church. He said that if we bind anything or loose anything on earth, it will be the same in heaven. I'm really not sure what He means, but it's clear that Jesus trusts the Church to make decisions that have divine authority behind them. If we ask for it in Jesus' name, it will be done. If two or three in the church agree on a course of action in reproving a sinner, Jesus is there also in the corrective action. Christ's divine presence validates and empowers the church to pursue its mission to bring God's good and righteous government upon the earth through holy communities.
Then Peter asks how many times are we to forgive. Since we're talking about casting rebellious sinners from the church, should we not also speak of reconciling?
Again Paul spoke about a man who had been excommunicated and encouraged reconciliation after an appropriate time.
The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him.
2 Corinthians 2:6-8 NIV
Just as the church has a process for confronting sin, we also have procedures from reentry. Offer grace if the person wants to resume fellowship. And always forgive. Jesus answered Peter that we are to forgive not 7 times, but 7 x 70! His point is not to keep track and stop forgiving after 490 times, but to always forgive. Be generous with God's love and mercy, just as God is generous with you.
The purpose of church discipline is to improve the Christian's spiritual health and the health of the body of Christ. The purpose of reconciliation is to share the abundant grace given us in the cross of Jesus Christ who said as He hung there dying, "Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they're doing."
Praise God that He did.
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