I. DISCIPLINE AT CORINTH
Subject:
Discipline.Theme: Administering Church discipline.
Objective: To teach us that Church discipline is a Bible doctrine.
Text: 1Cor. 5:1 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.
I. INTRODUCTION
A.
1. Because they love them.
2. Next to the child’s salvation, parents want more than anything for their children to grow up to be healthy, happy, well-adjusted adults.
3. They want their children to grow up to be successful.
4. They want to have children that they can be pleased with.
5. If a child does not learn discipline, none of these things are going to happen.
B. Why does God disciple His children.
1. For the very same reasons that parents discipline their children.
2. He loves us.
3. He wants us to be mature, happy, well adjusted, God-fearing Christians.
4. He wants us to be successful Christians.
5. He wants to be pleased with us.
C. Does The Bible Teach Church Discipline?
1. Indeed it does.
2. Matt. 18:16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
3.
Rom. 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.4.
1Cor. 5:5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.C.
This Responsibility Given To The Church.1. The church at Corinth was not the first church that was in need of church discipline; but they were apparently (at least one of) the first the didn’t want to administer it.
2. This is another one of the many problems that has plagued our churches for some 2,000 years; and it has only gotten worse with time.
3. Today this responsibility is rejected by the majority of our churches.
4. If all members of the churches were as they should be, there would be no need for any discipline, but all are not as they should be.
5. Some get into the membership of the church, not even being born again.
(a). If such men, who from all outward appearances are saved members of the church, are left to themselves to do as they please, they are capable of being guilty of most anything.
(b). Left to themselves these people can and will bring shame and disgrace to the Lord and to His church.
6. There are others who have their names on the church rolls and are saved, but are full of the fleshly lusts which war against the Spiritual man.
(a). The Bible says these lusts must be overcome and the saved man must be cleansed of them.
(b). Sometimes, it takes a "sifting" to cleanse such a person.
7. Now God is able to take care of such problems in either the instance of the unsaved church member or the carnal church member...
(a). But He has chosen to do this work through the church. (b). In other words, He has put this responsibility into the hands of His church.
(c). We call this responsibility church authority.
8. The church at Corinth had forgotten that they were responsible to use church authority.
(a). They had become indifferent to the immorality in their midst.
(b). They needed badly to exercise church discipline on at least one of their members, but instead, they advertised it.
(c). Paul was writing to them to tell them how serious this error was, and that they should correct it immediately.
II. CHURCH DISCIPLINE
A. Immorality In The Church.
1. 1Cor. 5:1 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife. 2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you. 3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
2. This case involved a man who had taken his father's wife; evidently his stepmother.
3. Paul rebuked the church for permitting such immoral living to continue and to do nothing about it.
4. This made the church partakers in this man's sin; Paul is reminding them of their responsibility.
B. Glorying In Sin.
1. 1Cor. 5:6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? 7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: 8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
2. Some of the members seemed to be glorying in such an action by one of their members.
3. This was an open sin and a public offense, even to the Gentiles.
4. It seemed to be one that everyone was talking about; therefore, it was a disgrace to the church at Corinth.
5. Whether this man had married his father's wife or had kept her as his mistress is not certain, but whichever, it was abominable, intolerable, and not to be ignored nor condoned by the church.
6. The church was responsible to do something about it.
7. Offenses of this nature cannot be ignored within the membership of the Lord’s churches.
8. A terrible deed had been done by one member; but it was a far worse thing for the church to neglect the matter and be unconcerned about it.
C. Paul Tells Them To Exercise Church Discipline.
1. Paul told this church to get together and exclude this man.
2. We are told that he was excluded by a majority vote of the church--- 2Cor. 2:3 I wrote as I did so that when I came I should not be distressed by those who ought to make me rejoice. I had confidence in all of you, that you would all share my joy. 4 For I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to grieve you but to let you know the depth of my love for you. 5 If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you, to some extent - not to put it too severely. 6 The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient for him.
3. The churches of the Lord Jesus as local assemblies have the power given them by the Lord to exclude members so they may be delivered to Satan for the destruction of those fleshly desires.
(a). The delivering of people to Satan to be sifted, buffeted, and for the destruction of the fleshy desires is the work of God.
(b). The act of exclusion from the church is to be done by the church, it is the churches responsibility.
(c). When a church does this, they are only doing what has already been sanctioned in heaven.
(d). If a man is lost, he should not be on the church roll, confined and bound by the boundaries of the church.
(e). If he is a saved man, living a godless life, he needs to be turned loose to the devil for the destruction of the flesh.
4. Discipline is for the good of the whole body (the church), not just the one being disciplined---
1Cor. 5:7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: 8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.(a). Discipline purifies the church and removes a little leaven that would in time grow and leaven the whole body.
(b). The removal is not for the removal from salvation, but from church fellowship.
5. 1Cor. 5:9 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: 10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.
(a). We live in the world, but the world is not to live in us.
(b). It is impossible to be completely separated from unclean men in this life, but we do not have to indulge in their unclean practices.
(c). The church has no jurisdiction over those who are not members, but we must remove those from within our midst who walk disorderly.
III. CONCLUSION (Three Steps Of Church Discipline)
A. Formative.
1. This step teaches, instructs, and guides in the way of truth.
2. It teaches what is expected in the Christian's life; what the Lord says they should and should not do.
3. The intentions is for the Christian to grow in the grace and the knowledge of the Lord.
4. The word "discipline" comes from the word disciple; the intent is to disciple (teach) the Christian.
5. Eph. 4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
6. Unfortunately, formative discipline does not always bring the desired results, for some will not listen to the instructions given. 7. If everyone who became a church member was saved and would listen to the proper instructions which God has sent to them, there would be no need for the next two steps in church discipline.
(a). Some do not attend church services often enough to receive the proper instructions.
(b). Some members are still the children of wrath.
B. Corrective.
1. The second step in church discipline is corrective discipline.
2. This is where we talk to, reprove, rebuke, and sometimes plead with the fallen brother or sister in Christ.
3. This, like formative discipline, does not always achieve the desired results.
(a). Many times the members who are trying to loving help these brothers and sisters are accuse of meddling in their business, not knowing what they are talking about, etc.
(b). Oftentimes this is done regardless of how much love one tries to manifested toward them.
4. Corrective discipline is found in such Scriptures as--- Matt. 18:15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. 16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. 18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
C. Extreme discipline.
1. Or exclusion from church membership is the last step to be taken when all else has failed.
2. Too many want to make this the first step, but it should be the last if at all possible.
3. Most people are afraid to exercise discipline, being fearful of the consequences.
4. The purpose of this third step, as well as with the other two is to help the one who has fallen, to purge the church, and to glorify Christ.
5. The intentions is not so much to get rid of the one who has fallen, as it is to restore him to his proper relationship to Christ and to His church.
6. It is intended to show him that the hand of God is against him in his present condition; that it is his duty to return to Christ and the church.
7. The Scriptures teach that in some instances excessive discipline may be used where corrective discipline has not been exercised or necessary.
(a). 1Cor. 5:5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
(b). 1Tim. 1:18-20
(c). 1Tim. 6:3-5
(d). Rev. 2:1415.
8. The purpose of discipline is to bring the excluded one back into the fellowship of the church when they have repented.
9. This is what Paul told the Corinthians concerning the one who had taken his father’s--- 2Cor. 2:7 So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. 8 Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him. 9 For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things. 10 To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; 11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.