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