And what’s even more disturbing is that they are not being challenged by Church leadership and shown the road to correction and the consequences they face if they are unrepentant.
Why is today’s Church leadership so reticent about applying discipline to wayward congregants?
In my opinion:
1. Their fear of man is greater than their fear of God.
2. Lack of Biblical knowledge.
3. Fear of losing congregants.
4. The Church has become a people pleaser and not a God pleaser.
5. They are not fully committed to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
6. They are set in their erroneous ways and have a fear of rocking the boat.
7. Nepotism within the leadership group.
8. They are not focused on preaching the full truth of the Gospel – Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
Let’s have a look at what the Bible says about the discipline that the Church should be applying.
Hebrews 12:5-11 (NIV)
5 And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,
“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
6 because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”[Prov 3:11-12]
7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? 8 If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! 10 They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
Proverbs 3:11-12 (NIV)
11 My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline,
and do not resent his rebuke,
12 because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
as a father the son he delights in.
As God’s children we are told to look after each other, to correct each other when we sin and to restore the one who is at fault. As the Church of Jesus our Lord and Saviour, we are charged with the responsibility of bringing and enforcing Biblical discipline in the Church especially those who are in authority in the local congregation.
Matthew 18:15-17 (NIV)
15 “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. 16 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.’ 17 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.
The above verses are the words of Jesus himself. If we know a brother or sister in Christ is in sin, we should go to them and show them their fault. If they refuse to listen take two or three others along and again try to restore them. If they still don’t listen expose them to the Church and if they still don’t listen treat them as unbelievers, have nothing to do with them.
From the above verses and from the other scriptures we will be reading in this article, we will see that God is very serious about maintaining Biblical discipline within His Church without compromise and without interference from man’s personal emotions and feelings!
The Church, when bringing God’s discipline in the Body must be obedient to His Word without compromise. With love, yes, but without compromising the Word! God disciplines the ones He loves as we are told in Proverbs 3:11-12 above.
Dealing with specific sin in the Church.
In 1 Corinthians 5 the Apostle Paul deals with specific sin in the Church.
From verses 1 – 5 in this chapter Paul deals with sexual immorality of the worst kind – incest. In verse 5 Paul states emphatically that this person should be handed over to Satan and tells us why!
1 Corinthians 5:5 (NIV)
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.
(Note: In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit.)
Now the Bible tells us that sexual sin in any form is particularly abhorrent to God for this reason:
1 Corinthians 6: 18-20 (AMP)
18 Run away from sexual immorality [in any form, whether thought or behavior, whether visual or written]. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the one who is sexually immoral sins against his own body. 19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is within you, whom you have [received as a gift] from God, and that you are not your own [property]? 20 You were bought with a price [you were actually purchased with the precious blood of Jesus and made His own]. So then, honor and glorify God with your body.
The Bible reinforces God’s particular abhorrence of sexual immorality in the Church with a number of other scriptures as well. Let’s examine some of them!
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (AMP)
9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit or have any share in the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate [by perversion], nor those who participate in homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers [whose words are used as weapons to abuse, insult, humiliate, intimidate, or slander], nor swindlers will inherit or have any share in the kingdom of God.
In the above two verses Paul gets more specific about sin and includes other forms of sin besides sexual immorality. The perpetrators of such sin will have no part in the kingdom of God:
- The unrighteous – unbelievers.
- The sexually immoral – perpetrators of any form of sexual sin.
- Idolaters – those that value the things of the world before God – money, possessions, sport, self-pride, family including children.
- Adulterers.
- Homosexuality – male and female – men who have sex with men and women who have sex with women.
- Thieves – ‘thou shalt not steal.’
- The greedy – those who want more and more and are never satisfied.
- Drunkards.
- Revilers – explained in the verse.
- Swindlers – those that defraud others in any way.
In the Book of Colossians Paul expands upon specific types of sin and tells us to put them to death and deprive them of their power over us.
Colossians 3:5-10 (AMP)
5 So put to death and deprive of power the evil longings of your earthly body [with its sensual, self-centered instincts] immorality, impurity, sinful passion, evil desire, and greed, which is [a kind of] idolatry [because it replaces your devotion to God]. 6 Because of these [sinful] things the [divine] wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience [those who fail to listen and who routinely and obstinately disregard God’s precepts], 7 and in these [sinful things] you also once walked, when you were habitually living in them [without the knowledge of Christ]. 8 But now rid yourselves [completely] of all these things: anger, rage, malice, slander, and obscene (abusive, filthy, vulgar) language from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, for you have stripped off the old self with its evil practices, 10 and have put on the new [spiritual] self who is being continually renewed in true knowledge in the image of Him who created the new self—
In the above verses we are instructed to cast off all these evil things as we are now born-again, Christ has made us new, spiritual creations, our old selves have gone! As such we are told that we are being continually renewed in true knowledge through the Holy Spirit to be conformed in the image of Christ himself.
Now, let’s have a look at what Jesus himself tells us in the Book of Revelation. This is what he told the Apostle John through His angel!
Revelation 21:8 (NIV)
But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
“The cowardly” – from the Greek word “deilos” – full meaning is: cowardly, fearful, timid – it is an adjective and it describes a person who has lost their moral fortitude as their fear of man (or the world) is greater than their fear of God – they no longer have faith in Christ Jesus! (Strong’s 1169).
“The unbelieving” – from the Greek word “apistos” – meaning: incredulous, unbelieving (of the things of God) and unchristian. It not only refers to someone who never believed in God, but also to one who once believed but has now lost their faith in God by continuing in acts of deliberate disobedience (sin). (Strong’s 571).
“The vile” – from the Greek word “bdelussomai” – vile, to detest, loathe abhor, abominable. This refers to idolatry as well – those things that people put before God such as money, self, sport, work etc. (Strong’s 948).
Now, having read and examined these verses, what happens if we continue to ignore them and carry on sinning even though we are born-again and, what will happen if the leadership of the local Body of believers do not discipline those in sin? Well, one thing that is for sure, we definitely won’t be more and more conformed to the image of Christ.
What happens when a Christian continues to deliberately and willfully sin?
Hebrews 10:26-29 (AMP)
26 For if we go on willfully and deliberately sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice [to atone] for our sins [that is, no further offering to anticipate], 27 but a kind of awful and terrifying expectation of [divine] judgment and the fury of a fire and burning wrath which will consume the adversaries [those who put themselves in opposition to God]. 28 Anyone who has ignored and set aside the Law of Moses is put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How much greater punishment do you think he will deserve who has rejected and trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has considered unclean and common the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and has insulted the Spirit of grace [who imparts the unmerited favour and blessing of God]?
Now, much has been written, debated, and expounded on Hebrews 10 and the above verses in particular. The main bone of contention being, ‘once saved, always saved.’
Let’s have a look at the spiritual and political environment in which the Book of Hebrews was written. This is just a “nutshell” view.
As the title states it was written to the Hebrews, the Jews of the time, and mostly likely specifically to the Jews in Rome, sometime between 40 and 60 AD. These were Jews who had renounced Judaism and were now following or converted to “The Way” as Christianity at the time was often called, they had accepted that Jesus was the Messiah and were thus born-again in today’s terms.
The political arena at the time was extremely harsh towards Christians both to Jewish converts and to Gentiles alike. Nero was the emperor, and he persecuted the Christians to extreme measures, and they became fair game to murder, thievery and destruction of their property and entire families were being wiped out in one horrible way or another.
The author was writing to these Jews as, because of the harshness of the persecution, many of them were renouncing Christianity and publicly returning to Judaism and all its religious laws and ceremonies. The author implores them in different ways not to go back to their old selves in Judaism but to stay as the new creations they are in Christ Jesus.
In Hebrews 10 the Jews were told that once they have publicly renounced and rejected Jesus and moved back to their old sinful lives it will be impossible for them to come back again.
Dear reader I would encourage to read and study Hebrews 10 for yourselves.
Now coming back to our verses in Hebrews 10:26-29 and in the knowledge that all scripture is God-breathed and applies to all believers at all times and no matter what nationality you are, if you continue to willfully sin and disobey the teachings and commands of the Bible, I am of the opinion that you will lose your salvation! Do you not willfully reject Jesus when you continue to willfully sin against Him? Let’s read Hebrews 10:29 again.
Hebrews 10:29 (AMP)
How much greater punishment do you think he will deserve who has rejected and trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has considered unclean and common the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and has insulted the Spirit of grace [who imparts the unmerited favour and blessing of God]?
And just something, dear reader, for you to ponder on, even if my opinion is wrong, why on earth would a born-again Christian who loves the Lord want to continue to deliberately reject Jesus and continue to wilfully sin? We are supposed to allow the Holy Spirit to conform us more and more into His image, are we not?
How should sin in the Church be dealt with?
The Bible gives us four simple points for dealing with sin in the Church and also shows us as individuals that we all play a part in the disciplinary procedure.
1. In a private meeting between two brothers and sisters in Christ.
Matthew 18:15 (NIV)
15 “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.
If they don’t listen and repent take the step 2.
2. Meet with the person with two or three trusted witnesses.
Matthew 18:16 (NIV)
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 don’t listen take step 3.
3. The leadership of the Church should make a public announcement to the congregation. At this announcement the congregation should be instructed to not longer have fellowship with the person/s.
Matthew 18:17 (NIV)
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.
4. Expel them from the congregation.
The Lord says that the final step is, “Let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax-gatherer” (Matt. 18:17). Paul says, “Remove the wicked man from among yourselves” (1 Cor. 5:13; also, 5:2). It seems to me that Paul combines steps 3 & 4, mentioning the man’s sin before the church and excluding him from the fellowship at the same time. If someone’s sin is damaging the reputation of the church and damaging the faith of other congregants, he needs to be removed from the fellowship quickly.
The goal in all four steps is to lead them to genuine, heartfelt repentance in love so that they can be fully restored to God and fellowship.
If the person expresses genuine repentance, then the church should be informed, and the person should be forgiven and accepted back into the fellowship (2 Cor 2:8). Of course, there should be a time of proving before a repentant person is put into positions of ministry or leadership. Also, the restoration process should include some training or discipling to help the person grow and avoid the sin in the future.
What happens when Church leadership does not address and correct those in their congregation that continue in sin?
What does the Bible say?
1. Sin within the congregation will eventually corrupt others in the congregation and could end up corrupting the whole congregation, especially those that have a weaker faith. One bad apple will spoil the whole barrel! The congregation will collapse or at the very least, stagnate!
1 Corinthians 15:33-34 (AMP)
33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.” 34 Be sober-minded [be sensible, wake up from your spiritual stupor] as you ought, and stop sinning; for some [of you] have no knowledge of God [you are disgracefully ignorant of Him, and ignore His truths]. I say this to your shame.
2. Not disciplining the congregation when required is contrary to the Word and thus an act of disobedience to God. This is a sin in itself and will filter down from the leadership to the congregation and instil a ‘lukewarm’ attitude throughout the congregation! Discipline forms part of a leader’s role in caring for the Church – God takes this very seriously!
Church leadership should be ever ready to act quickly to prevent sin permeating the whole congregation!
Acts 20:28 (AMP)
Take care and be on guard for yourselves and for the whole flock over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers, to shepherd (tend, feed, guide) the church of God which He bought with His own blood.
Matthew 18:5-7 (ESV)
5 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, 6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.
7 “Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes!
Ephesians 4:11-13 (NLT)
11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. 13 This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.
In verse 11 above the Apostle Paul lays out the structure for church leadership, commonly known as the five-fold ministry, if a Church (a local congregation) does not have all these in place, it will not be firing on all cylinders and will just stutter and stumble along – one step forward and three steps back!
Please read my blog ‘The Five-Fold Ministry in a Nutshell’ published on 1 May 2021. https://rayskilton.blogspot.com/2021/05/the-five-fold-ministry-in-nutshell.html
All glory, honour and praise belongs to Jesus!
Jesus the Name above all names!
Remember: Reading this article is no substitute for reading and studying the Bible for yourself! I am flawed the Bible is not!
People pleasers. Laodiceans.
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