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Grace Bible Church

4000 E. Collins Rd.   P.O. Box #3762   Gillette, WY  82717   (307) 686-1516

 

- Preaching the Living WORD through the Written WORD - 2 Tim 4:2 -

 

 

 

 

THE DOCTRINE OF CHURCH DISCIPLINE - 3

 (7/1/12)

Grace Bible Church, Gillette, Wyoming

Pastor Daryl Hilbert

 

I.     PURPOSES IN CHURCH DISCIPLINE

II.    PERSPECTIVES IN CHURCH DISCIPLINE

III.  PROCEDURES IN CHURCH DISCIPLINE (Mat 18:15-18)

IV.  PERSONS OF CHURCH DISCIPLINE

 

A.    Sinning Brother (Mat 18:15-18)

1.     This refers to a believer who commits a grave offense towards another believer and remains impenitent and rebellious.

2.     There must be recognition and repentance of the sin before restoration.

B.    Overtaken Brother (Gal 6:1)

1.     This is a believer who was not looking to sin, but was not watching out for a sin either, and the sin eventually overtook him.

2.     The goal of the “spiritual” (i.e. leadership, church) is to be restoration with humility and gentleness.

C.    Immoral Brother (1Co 5:1-2)

1.     This would apply to any “immoral” sin (porneia - fornication, adultery, or immorality in general, Eng. pornography), though this particular sin was rare even among the pagans (vs.1).

2.     Paul was just as grieved with the church allowing this sin to go on as he was with the immoral brother (2).

D.    Unruly Brother (2Th 3:6, 10-15)

1.     The text speaks of one who was “undisciplined” (ataktōs - strictly, of soldiers who will not obey orders disorderly; hence unruly, undisciplined, Fri), but the context refers specifically to being idle and neglecting financial responsibilities.

2.     The word, “undisciplined,” would secondarily apply to any believer who is disorderly and rejects the instruction of God’s Word (13).

3.     They were not to associate with the sinning brother though he was to be treated as a brother and not an enemy (15).

E.    Sinning Elder (1Ti 5:19-20)

1.     Those in church leadership do not have a license to sin, and are to be rebuked publicly. (20).

2.     However, to avoid self-serving and misguided attacks, there must be two or three witness (19).

F.     False Teachers (Tit 1:10-16)

1.     False teachers who make inroads in the church are to be rebuked severely and silenced (cf. 1Ti 1:20; 2Ti 2:17-18 cp. 1Co 15:12).

2.     Nevertheless, Paul showed considerable patience for believers (Gal 3:1) who were misled doctrinally. He patiently taught the Corinthians about resurrection.

3.     Both Jesus and Paul spoke strongly against false teachers (Gal 5:12 cp. Mat 23:27).

G.    Divisive People (Tit 3:10-11; Rom 16:17-18)

1.     A “factious” (haireti,kos - loyalty to a unbiblical views, or one who causes divisions) person may be one who causes serious doctrinal divisions within the church or it may be a person who causes divisions in general rather than focusing on edification of the body.

2.     Such a person can cause devastating effects in the church and is to be dealt with severely (1Co 1-4; 1:10; 11:18; 12:25 cp. Pro 6:16-19).

 

V.    PURSUING OVER SIN (Rom 6:6-14)

 

A.    “Realize” The Old Self Is Dead (6, 9-10)

1.     The believer must realize that his old self (sin nature) has been crucified with Christ because of his identification with Christ (6).

2.     Christ died to sin and death “once for all” (ephápax - a single and complete occurrence; i.e. once and for all) (9-10).

3.     Since sin and death no longer has mastery over Christ through His sinless atonement, sin and death no longer have mastery over the believer.

4.     Christ’s death and resurrection is not only the basis for forgiveness of sins and eternal life, but also the basis for living the Christian life.

B.    “Reckon” The New Self Is Alive (11)

1.     The believer must “reckon” (logízomai which means to count, credit, calculate or “count a fact as a fact”), because of His identification with Christ’s resurrection, that his new nature is alive to God (11).

2.     The fact is that the believer “is” dead to sin and “is” alive to God. The believer does not have to hope this becomes a reality. It “is” a reality. Now the believer must make an objective reckoning to this reality in his life. This reckoning must be done by the believer continually (i.e. present imperative).

3.     It is difficult to always see ourselves as alive spiritually when so often we are prone to fleshly living. But the Christian life is always lived by faith and it is by faith that we are to believe that we are alive to God. Regardless of emotions, feelings, and even circumstances, the believer is positionally alive in Christ.

C.    “Refuse” to Let Sin Reign (12)

1.     Since it is a fact that the believer is dead to sin but alive to God, he must refuse to let sin reign in their lives.

2.     This is a present imperative which could be translated, “You must keep on refusing to let sin rule in your life.” It is accomplished through the believer’s continuous volition regardless of the believer’s emotions or lusts (epithumía impulse, desire, or craving) in the mortal body.

3.     The word “reign” is the verb form of the word king (basileúō). Believers are not to let sin rule and reign or be king and master over them.

D.    “Recommit” Yourself to Obedience to God (13-16)

1.     In addition to refusing to let sin reign, the believer is to continuously recommit himself to obedience to God.

2.     Rather than presenting himself and his members to sin, the believer is to “present” (pres imper - parístemi - lit. to place alongside, place at one’s disposal, cp. Rom 12:1) himself to God for the purpose of “obedience” (hupakoúō - hear and obey, listen to, mind) resulting in righteousness (16).

3.     Note the divine and glorious declaration that “sin shall not be our master” (14).

 

VI.  OBSERVATIONS AND APPLICATIONS

 

A.    Church Discipline Applies to the Church not the World

1.     These principles do not apply to the world outside the church.

2.     However, these principles can guide the believer’s prevailing spiritual attitudes in his interaction with the world’s situations.

3.     These principles also guide the believer when he finds himself faced with lesser offenses among the community of believers.

B.    Don’t Sin! If you are Sinning, Stop!

1.     Don’t sin, because sin is a serious violation to God and His holiness.

2.     If you are sinning, stop it immediately because of your fellowship with the Lord and the possible consequences of sin.

3.     If necessary seek spiritual help in overcoming sin and temptation.

C.    Walk in Victory over Sin

1.     In conclusion, by “realizing,” “reckoning,” “refusing,” and “recommitting,” the believer will avail himself of his powerful position in Christ and will have victory over sin.

2.     Through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, only Christ will be the believer’s Master.

D.    Walk in a Spirit of Grace and Forgiveness

1.     God holds believers and the church accountable to walk in holiness.

2.     God also holds believers and the church accountable to walk in a spirit of grace and forgiveness with respect to those who are overtaken in sin.

E.    A Battle To Be Reckoned With

1.     There is a battle to be waged in the Christian life. Oddly enough the war has been won by our Champion-Savior. But there are myriads of skirmishes that must be fought in battle with sin.

2.     Do not grieve if you find yourself always in the midst of skirmishes with sin. Rather fret, grieve, and awaken if you hardly ever hear the trumpet sound and you have no bruises to show for your worth as a soldier in the King’s army.