Church Discipline: Taking sin seriously or lording over the flock?

[Tarheel Baptist]

Does a local church have the right....the responsibility....to exercise church discipline or is that merely a man made concept in order to exercise authority over the church body?

One opinion on the subject:
http://www.gty.org/media/pdf/Church_Discipline.pdf

Note: Accidentally modified by Ransom, & restored to original. Sorry!

 

[Castor Muscular]

Does a local church have the right....the responsibility....to exercise church discipline or is that merely a man made concept in order to exercise authority over the church body?

One opinion on the subject:
http://www.gty.org/media/pdf/Church_Discipline.pdf

It can be either or both. 

 

[Tarheel Baptist]

Does a local church have the right....the responsibility....to exercise church discipline or is that merely a man made concept in order to exercise authority over the church body?

One opinion on the subject:
http://www.gty.org/media/pdf/Church_Discipline.pdf

It can be either or both.

That is certainly true...but what would separate the two?
The nature of the offense?
The attitude of the church leaders?
The consistency of the church in church discipline?

In my experience, church discipline is extremely rare....and often arbitrary in its institution. But that doesn't negate the fact that it is a mandate for the local church, IMO, of course.

 

[Castor Muscular]

Does a local church have the right....the responsibility....to exercise church discipline or is that merely a man made concept in order to exercise authority over the church body?

One opinion on the subject:
http://www.gty.org/media/pdf/Church_Discipline.pdf

It can be either or both.

That is certainly true...but what would separate the two?
The nature of the offense?
The attitude of the church leaders?
The consistency of the church in church discipline?

In my experience, church discipline is extremely rare....and often arbitrary in its institution. But that doesn't negate the fact that it is a mandate for the local church, IMO, of course.

* The nature of the offense?
* The attitude of the church leaders?
* The consistency of the church in church discipline?

All of these can make the difference, though it's usually a combination of the first two that lead to inappropriate discipline.

 

[T-Bone]

Might I add that I believe the intention is not to merely catch someone in a sin and kick them out of the fellowship...restoration needs to always be the intent or it will turn into "lording over the flock".

Consistency is following he biblical instruction of Matt 18 and the humility of Gal 6 are so important.

 

[Ransom]

Does a local church have the right....the responsibility....to exercise church discipline or is that merely a man made concept in order to exercise authority over the church body?

Jesus himself granted his apostles the authority to put unrepentant sinners out of the assembly (Matt. 18:17). One of those apostles, Paul, pulled rank on the Corinthian church and instructed them to expel an sexual offender (1 Cor. 5:1-5).

Is the concept of church discipline "man-made"? Only as far as the Scriptures are man-made.

 

[Castor Muscular]

Is the concept of church discipline "man-made"? Only as far as the Scriptures are man-made.

Church discipline for things like going to a movie or dancing would be man-made. 

 

[Tarheel Baptist]

Is the concept of church discipline "man-made"? Only as far as the Scriptures are man-made.

Church discipline for things like going to a movie or dancing would be man-made.

I have never heard of that happening, but if that were the case, that church would probably be pressed for time getting all the discipline done.

My experience is that church discipline is more often neglected rather than over used.

 

[prophet]

Is the concept of church discipline "man-made"? Only as far as the Scriptures are man-made.

Church discipline for things like going to a movie or dancing would be man-made.

I have never heard of that happening, but if that were the case, that church would probably be pressed for time getting all the discipline done.

My experience is that church discipline is more often neglected rather than over used.

 
  This I would agree with, and your second post as well.  Church discipline is most effective as a tool in restoration.  Here is a scenario:
  In our church, a man whose wife was pregnant, started an affair with a single mom who attended regularly.  After rebuking him to his face, and judging his defiance (he moved in with her), we voted him out of the membership, at an emergency business meeting, called on the next midweek service.
  After several weeks, the man's child was born, he began to realize what he had done, and began to be very sorry.  He returned to a public service, and confessed his adultery in front of the congregation.  We allowed him to attend, and after several months, when he had made restitution, changed his whole life around, and never  showed any pride, we voted him back in, about 6 months later, I think.
  This is an effective use, To my understanding, of church discipline.

Anishinabe

 

[Smellin Coffee]

Does a local church have the right....the responsibility....to exercise church discipline or is that merely a man made concept in order to exercise authority over the church body?

Jesus himself granted his apostles the authority to put unrepentant sinners out of the assembly (Matt. 18:17). One of those apostles, Paul, pulled rank on the Corinthian church and instructed them to expel an sexual offender (1 Cor. 5:1-5).

Is the concept of church discipline "man-made"? Only as far as the Scriptures are man-made.

Is that what Jesus said?

If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

So the church was to refuse the admittance of Gentiles and tax collectors into their assembly?

 

[Ransom]

So the church was to refuse the admittance of Gentiles and tax collectors into their assembly?

The Jews didn't mingle with Gentiles and tax collectors.  Jesus' audience would have understood the simile, even if you don't.

 

[ALAYMAN]

My experience is that church discipline is more often neglected rather than over used.

I said as much in the "divorce" thread.  And it is a well-established fact that church discipline was widely considered one of the true indicators of a duly operational New Testament church.

 

[prophet]

So the church was to refuse the admittance of Gentiles and tax collectors into their assembly?

The Jews didn't mingle with Gentiles and tax collectors.  Jesus' audience would have understood the simile, even if you don't.

My sentiments exactly.

Anishinabe

 

[Smellin Coffee]

So the church was to refuse the admittance of Gentiles and tax collectors into their assembly?

The Jews didn't mingle with Gentiles and tax collectors.  Jesus' audience would have understood the simile, even if you don't.

IOW, Jesus was supporting their prejudices. Gotcha.

 

[Ransom]

Smellin Coffee said:

IOW, Jesus was supporting their prejudices. Gotcha.

Sure, in exactly the same way as Jesus holding up a hated Samaritan as a good "neighbour" supported their prejudices.

Come on, has your newfound agnosticism, or whatever it is, killed off brain cells?

 

[Mathew Ward]

So the church was to refuse the admittance of Gentiles and tax collectors into their assembly?

The Jews didn't mingle with Gentiles and tax collectors.  Jesus' audience would have understood the simile, even if you don't.

IOW, Jesus was supporting their prejudices. Gotcha.

Matthew 10:5-6  These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Matthew 15:24  But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

 

[Tarheel Baptist]

So the church was to refuse the admittance of Gentiles and tax collectors into their assembly?

The Jews didn't mingle with Gentiles and tax collectors.  Jesus' audience would have understood the simile, even if you don't.

IOW, Jesus was supporting their prejudices. Gotcha.

Matthew 10:5-6  These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Matthew 15:24  But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Dan has some hermeneutic issues....to understate the problem.....