Church discipline

I would like to respond to the letter “Church Discipline,” which appeared in the Feb. 7 issue. No one should be “beat up” in our church services. As for the term “the judgmentalism of Christians,” I’m not surprised that a lost world sees Christians as judgmental. I never liked my paw telling me I was wrong and needed to change my ways. Maybe our churches are failing in teaching that it’s not the church who requires these changes but a holy God.

Church discipline is for the church member who is a part of the body of Christ, who as a member of that body is commanded to live God’s Word. Discipline within the church is administered to a member who has wandered from the faith and is living outside the standards a member agrees to live taught by the Bible and the church covenant.

Jesus said, “… except ye repent, ye shall as likewise perish.” It is important for a Christian to come to the place of repentance for conduct that is hurtful to the ministry of the church. When  applied correctly, church discipline leads the wayward church member to repentance for their failure and forgiveness by their brothers and sisters within the church. I’m sorry for the pain my brother has experienced, but it is not the “judgment of other Christians.” It is God’s Word, the standard of judgment for the Christian’s life and for a lost world.

Timothy Davis
Gallion, Ala.