What makes a church a true church? And how vital is church discipline to that definition?
The description of a true church goes back at least to the Belgic Confession of 1561: “If the pure doctrine of the gospel is preached therein; if she maintains the pure administration of the sacraments as instituted by Christ; if church discipline is exercised in punishing of sin; in short, if all things are managed according to the pure Word of God, all things contrary there to be rejected, and Jesus Christ acknowledged as the only Head of the church. Hereby the true church may certainly be known, from which no man has a right to separate himself.”
Historically and biblically, church discipline has been central to the church’s faithful practice of gospel doctrine and order. If a church lacks these essentials, it cannot be defined biblically as a true church. But how many churches today adhere to this definition?
Fearful of lawsuits, many churches choose the path of least resistance that leads to unconfronted sin. The result of non-confrontation is an atmosphere where heresy grows unchecked. Other results include a false sense of unity and factions in the church because of a gradual abandonment of Christianity.
The Belgic Confession states that the third mark of a true church is church discipline. But what is church discipline and what is its purpose?
Church discipline, in its biblical context, is a ministry of love. It is not a church board acting like a police department. Church discipline is a ministry of discipleship by the people of God to assist fellow Christians who fall into sin.
Matthew 18 contains the biblical foundation and characteristics that are necessary for an effective discipline ministry. The ingredients include simple humility (vv. 1–6), frank honesty (vv. 15–17), united prayer (vv. 19–20) and a forgiving spirit (vv. 21–35). The church only gets involved if the individuals cannot reconcile conflict or open sin.
The benefits
Church discipline benefits the modern church. First, church discipline is good for the person disciplined by warning the person of the danger of sin and calling him or her to repentance. Second, church discipline is good for other Christians. Third, church discipline is good for the church as a whole by keeping the local body pure by protecting it from moral decay. Fourth, church discipline is good for the corporate witness of the church and therefore non-Christians. Fifth, and most importantly, church discipline is for the glory of God.
Some church members perceive church discipline as problematic and troublesome. These perceptions are influenced by abuses from the past that resulted in scars and regrets instead of celebrations over reclaiming the fallen Christian and total restoration. The dismal results of the past should not cause a church to dispense with church discipline. The desire to reclaim and restore a fallen Christian should outweigh any negatives that could prohibit the practice of church discipline.
The purpose is restoration. In order for church discipline to work effectively, the church must have a healthy spiritual atmosphere. Church discipline is not a vindictive act or an act of hatred. Rather church discipline is an act of love and concern. As restoration takes place, the purpose is to restore the individual to a point of usefulness again in service to Jesus Christ. Church discipline involves rescuing the individual from a continual lifestyle of sin.
The decline of church discipline has left a visible mark upon the contemporary church. Al Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, described the decline of church discipline as the “most visible failure of the contemporary church.” He went on to describe the contemporary church as one that “sees itself as a voluntary association of autonomous members with minimal moral accountability to God, much less to each other.”
Implementing church discipline will be a challenge for many churches. Changes may need to be made to keep the church proactive instead of reactive. First, a church should develop a covenant membership for members to sign describing the church’s core values as well as who and what the church is as it seeks to bring glory to God by ministering in the community. This will minimize potential litigation situations.
Second, a church should incorporate church discipline guidelines into its constitution and bylaws. Describe the actions and sins that cause church discipline to be implemented. Express the redemptive intent of discipline — restoring the fallen Christian to a point of usefulness by God.
Honoring Christ
Third, a church should not implement church discipline until the church has learned its purpose. Since it is a form of discipleship, it should be taught for several sessions during the discipleship training hour.
As church discipline is conducted in a loving manner with the intent of restoration, the church family will be united. Christ will be honored. A secular world that is not impressed by churches tolerating open sin will notice the changed and transformed lives that result from a redemptive ministry.
Editor’s note — Barry Cosper, director of missions for Bessemer Baptist Association, did his doctoral work on the topic of church discipline.
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