When church discipline/disfellowshipment is needed!
In part one of this topic, it described how Jehovah, the God of mercy, never tolerates or excuses sin. This is to be carefully adhered to by those who claim to be followers of Christ. Throughout the Bible we find many cases of dealing with sin.
In this article, let us examine together how to deal with sin and sinners, in Christ’s stead.
Why is this so serious?
One of the cases of a traitor recorded in the Bible is that of Achan; because of his sin the whole nation of Israel suffered under the displeasure of God.
“Achan’s sin brought disaster upon the whole nation. For one man’s sin the displeasure of God will rest upon His church till the transgression is searched out and put away.” –Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 497
The search for the sin and the sinner was commanded by the Lord. After searching first for the tribe, then for the family, and then for the household and finally for the man, Achan was pointed out as the guilty one (Joshua 7:14–18). The time was one of searching the heart as well. The tribes were passing before the Lord, one by one, followed by the families, households, and individuals, with the purpose that the sin be eliminated.
Then questions arise: Is it possible, in our day, that there may exist, in the church of Christ today, someone who is causing the displeasure of God to rest upon the whole camp? A Judas—traitor of the Lord in the company of believers? If yes, what to do so that the displeasure of God be not upon us all? About Jonah, it was asked, “What shall we do unto thee?” And his answer was, “Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea” (Jonah 1:11–12). But the insubordinate Jonahs of today would say, “Who has the authority to cast me out of the ship?” And the Achans, “Who is worthy to cast the first stone at me?” But, the Lord said, “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.” Matthew 18:18
Sister White wrote about a brother with the same spirit: “I then saw Brother J. He had wounded and torn the hearts of God’s people. I saw he had been stubborn and rebellious, and unless he changed his course entirely, the church should disfellowship him, for he has been a dead weight to the church.” –Manuscript Releases, vol. 5, p. 202
No Compromise Lest We Perish
Let us read the experience of Aaron: “‘Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons, Uncover not your heads, neither rend your clothes; lest ye die, . . . for the anointing oil of the LORD is upon you.’ The great leader reminded his brother of the words of God, ‘I will be sanctified in them that come nigh Me, and before all the people I will be glorified.’ Aaron was silent. The death of his sons, cut down without warning, in so terrible a sin—a sin which he now saw to be the result of his own neglect of duty—wrung the father’s heart with anguish, but he gave his feelings no expression. By no manifestation of grief must he seem to sympathize with sin. The congregation must not be led to murmur against God.
“The Lord would teach His people to acknowledge the justice of His corrections, that others may fear. There were those in Israel whom the warning of this terrible judgment might save from presuming upon God’s forbearance until they, too, should seal their own destiny. The divine rebuke is upon that false sympathy for the sinner which endeavors to excuse his sin. It is the effect of sin to deaden the moral perceptions, so that the wrongdoer does not realize the enormity of transgression, and without the convicting power of the Holy Spirit he remains in partial blindness to his sin. It is the duty of Christ’s servants to show these erring ones their peril. Those who destroy the effect of the warning by blinding the eyes of sinners to the real character and results of sin often flatter themselves that they thus give evidence of their charity; but they are working directly to oppose and hinder the work of God’s Holy Spirit; they are lulling the sinner to rest on the brink of destruction; they are making themselves partakers in his guilt and incurring a fearful responsibility for his impenitence. Many, many, have gone down to ruin as the result of this false and deceptive sympathy.” –Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 361
The Authority of the Church
“God has invested His church with special authority and power which no one can be justified in disregarding and despising, for in so doing he despises the voice of God.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 3, p. 417
“‘Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.’
“This statement holds its force in all ages. On the church has been conferred the power to act in Christ’s stead. It is God’s instrumentality for the preservation of order and discipline among His people. To it the Lord has delegated the power to settle all questions respecting its prosperity, purity, and order. Upon it rests the responsibility of excluding from its fellowship those who are unworthy, who by their unchristlike conduct would bring dishonor on the truth. Whatever the church does that is in accordance with the directions given in God’s word, will be ratified in heaven.” –Gospel Workers, p. 501
Dealing with Private Sins
The Jonahs and Achans of today not only question the authority of their brethren and sisters to act on this hard and unpleasant task, but also question the way it is to be done. But all should remember the words of Christ in Matthew 18:15–17: “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. 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. 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.”
“No church officer should advise, no committee should recommend, nor should any church vote, that the name of a wrongdoer shall be removed from the church books, until the instruction given by Christ has been faithfully followed.” –Gospel Workers, p. 501
According to the above text, there are 3 steps to take:
- The first lesson is not to go in haste, but with searching of heart, “considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted” (Galatians 6:1), “lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame.” Proverbs 25:8
He might say: “Behold, a beam is in thine own eye.” Matthew 7:4. But there is still another danger of being put to open shame, and the instruction of the Lord is: “Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; and discover not a secret to another: Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thine infamy turn not away.” Proverbs 25:9–10
Therefore, “Let us take the words of Christ. If the man has done you an injury, go to him, and between you and him alone seek to set the matter right. Do not go to anyone but himself. If he refuses to hear you, then take two or three others, and go to him again; but do not publish it in the church or out of the church. When you have done your duty, if he still refuses to hear you, then let the church take it up; but let them deal gently with the erring. Do not even listen to the gossiping tongue. If one comes to you with an evil report, ask him if he has been to the offending brother, as the Bible directs. If he has not, refuse even to hear him. Nine-tenths of the church trials might be avoided, if all would, in the spirit of kindness and love, pursue the course marked out by Inspiration.” –The Signs of the Times, January 6, 1887
“Men have no right to surmise evil in regard to their fellow-men. Church-members have no right to follow their own impulses and inclinations in dealing with fellow-members who have erred. They should not even express their prejudices regarding the erring; for thus they place in other minds the leaven of evil. . . . Do not tell others of the wrong. One person is told, then another, and still another; and continually the report grows, and the evil increases, till the whole church is made to suffer. Settle the matter ‘between thee and him alone.’ This is God’s plan.” –Gospel Workers, p. 498
And the result of the work of a wise reprover will be as “apples of gold in pictures of silver . . . upon an obedient ear.” Proverbs 25:11–12. “All heaven is interested in the interview between the one who has been injured and the one who is in error. As the erring one accepts the reproof offered in the love of Christ, and acknowledges his wrong, asking forgiveness from God and from his brother, the sunshine of heaven fills his heart. The controversy is ended; friendship and confidence are restored. The oil of love removes the soreness caused by the wrong; the Spirit of God binds heart to heart; and there is music in heaven over the union brought about.” –Gospel Workers, p. 499
- The second step then comes: “If he will not hear thee,” the Lord says, “then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.” As a result of our great desire to do the will of God in this matter, blended with our love for the erring one stepping on dangerous ground, there arises a great concern: Who am I going to take with me on this important mission of rescuing our brother or sister? But we thank the Lord He has given us instruction, for He says: “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness.” Galatians 6:1
“Take with you those who are spiritually minded, and talk with the one in error in regard to the wrong. He may yield to the united appeals of his brethren. As he sees their agreement in the matter, his mind may be enlightened.” –Gospel Workers, p. 500
- Then step number three may occur: “If he shall neglect to hear them,”—those in the second step, the spiritual brethren—then and only then “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.” Matthew 18:17. “What then shall be done?” and who only can do it? “Shall a few persons in a board meeting take upon themselves the responsibility of disfellowshiping the erring one? . . . Let the church take action in regard to its members.” –Gospel Workers, p. 500
In John 20:23 Christ “gives no liberty for any man to pass judgment upon others. In the Sermon on the Mount He forbade this. It is the prerogative of God. But on the church in its organized capacity He places a responsibility for the individual members. Toward those who fall into sin, the church has a duty, to warn, to instruct, and if possible to restore. ‘Reprove, rebuke, exhort,’ the Lord says, ‘with all long-suffering and doctrine.’ (2 Timothy 4:2).”–Gospel Workers, p. 502
In this process we are brought “to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.” Therefore “see that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from Him that speaketh from heaven: Whose voice then shook the earth: but now He hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.” Hebrews 12:23–27. “A kingdom which cannot be moved” (verse 28) has been established by God, and to refuse its counsels and appeals is to refuse the voice of God, because “God has invested His church with special authority and power which no one can be justified in disregarding and despising, for in so doing he despises the voice of God.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 3, p. 417
Therefore, brethren and sisters, “let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.” Hebrews 12:28
And When the Sin is Public?
“Whatever the character of the offense, this does not change the plan that God has made for the settlement of misunderstandings and personal injuries.” –Gospel Workers, p. 499
How can these words be applied to public sins? The Bible says, “Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.” 1 Timothy 5:20. There is one case on record in the experience of Ellen G. White and her husband that gives us a perfect example of public discipline in Testimonies for the Church, vol. 2, p. 14–15: “The next morning, as we were about to leave for the house of worship to engage in the arduous labors of the day, a sister for whom I had a testimony that she lacked discretion and caution, and did not fully control her words and actions, came in with her husband and manifested feelings of great unreconciliation and agitation. She commenced to talk and to weep. She murmured a little, and confessed a little, and justified self considerably. She had a wrong idea of many things I had stated to her. Her pride was touched as I brought out her faults in so public a manner. Here was evidently the main difficulty. But why should she feel thus? The brethren and sisters knew these things were so, therefore I was not informing them of anything new. But I doubt not that it was new to the sister herself. She did not know herself, and could not properly judge of her own words and acts. This is in a degree true of nearly all, hence the necessity of faithful reproofs in the church and the cultivation by all its members of love for the plain testimony.
“Her husband seemed to feel unreconciled to my bringing out her faults before the church and stated that if Sister White had followed the directions of our Lord in Matthew 18:15–17 he should not have felt hurt. . . . My husband then stated that he should understand that these words of our Lord had reference to cases of personal trespass, and could not be applied in the case of this sister. She had not trespassed against Sister White. But that which had been reproved publicly was public wrongs which threatened the prosperity of the church and the cause. Here, said my husband, is a text applicable to the case: 1 Timothy 5:20: ‘Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.’”
This is what the apostle says: “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness.” To restore is one of the main purposes of church discipline, as well as to free herself from the wrong influence of unworthy members. “Toward those who fall into sin, the church has a duty, to warn, to instruct, and if possible to restore. . . .”
A Solemn Warning
Here is a warning from the Lord: “Many appear to be steadfast in the truth, firm, decided on every point of our faith; yet there is a great lack in them,—the tenderness and love which marked the character of the great Pattern. If a brother errs from the truth, if he falls into temptation, they may make little or no effort to restore him in meekness, considering themselves lest they also be tempted. They seem to regard it as their special work to climb upon the judgment seat and condemn and disfellowship. They do not obey God’s word, which says, ‘Ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness.’ The spirit of this passage is altogether too rare in our churches. It is the lack of it that shuts out the Spirit of God from the heart, from the home, from the church. Shall we not henceforth practice the Bible plan of restoring erring ones in the spirit of meekness? Shall we not have the spirit of Jesus, and work as He worked?
“Keep back that disposition to crowd out a brother, even if you think him unworthy, even if he has hindered your work by manifesting a spirit of independence and willfulness. Remember that he is God’s property. Err always on the side of mercy and tenderness. Treat with respect and deference even your most bitter enemies, who would injure you if they could. Let not a word escape your lips that would give them opportunity to justify their course in the least degree.” –The Review and Herald, December 16, 1884
However, we must “call sin by its right name. Declare what God has said with regards to lying, Sabbath-breaking, stealing, idolatry, and every other evil. ‘They which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.’ (Galatians 5:21). . . . She [the church] must say about sin what God says about it. She must deal with it as God directs, and her action is ratified in heaven. He who despises the authority of the church, despises the authority of Christ Himself.” –Gospel Workers, p. 502
May the Lord keep us so that we may overcome the world in doing good, serving Him in fear and doing what He commands. Amen.
Victor Shumbusho DR Congo