Introduction
Last week we looked at several reasons for church discipline: warning the people of God, guarding the health of the church, protecting the honor of Christ, as well as preventing the wrath of God. This week, we look more closely at the aim of reclaiming and restoring an erring brother or sister. This is sometimes the harder purpose to understand when it sometimes seems to make it harder for them.
Gain Your Brother
Of course, we can say that our aim is to restore a brother and still practice church discipline poorly. Nevertheless, the Bible teaches that our goal in pursuing a brother is to “gain” our brother (Mt. 18:15). Paul says that a brother in sin is handed over to Satan “for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord” (1 Cor. 5:5). Again: “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness” (Gal. 6:1). “My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins” (Js. 5:19-20). “And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh” (Jude 22-23). All of this is part of the gospel itself: God is the one who sent His Son in order to seek and save the lost (Lk. 19:20). “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners (Mk. 2:17). God is the Good Shepherd who goes after the one sheep that has gone astray and rejoices greatly when He brings her home (Mt. 18:12-13).
Different Tools in the Tool Box
Jesus lays out the general pattern of dealing with sin at the lowest, most private level first: go talk to your brother, “you and him alone” (Mt. 18:15). If that doesn’t work, two or three witnesses may be invited to provide accountability, and this accountability works in both directions, “so that every charge may be established by two or three witnesses” (Mt. 18:16). Finally, if the sin continues unrepentant and it has been clearly established, there may come a time when it must be told to the church for one final appeal, but if he does not listen to the church, he must be put outside the church (Mt. 18:17, cf. 1 Cor. 5). This is the basic biblical template, but church discipline is not a one-size-fits-all machine, anymore than parenting can be boiled down to three easy steps. For example, Paul says that if any do not obey what he writes they should “take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother” (2 Thess. 3:14-15). Elsewhere, Paul instructs Timothy that if someone persists in sin, “rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear” (1 Tim. 5:20). In another place, Paul tells Titus: “As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned” (Tit. 3:10-11). Again, Paul instructs Timothy to patiently correct his opponents with gentleness that God may perhaps grant them repentance (2 Tim. 2:24-25). All of this is to demonstrate that there are different tools in the church discipline toolbox. Not every sin requires all of these. Some sins require lengthy, patient, gentle correction. Some sins require a private admonition and that is all. Some sins require more public action.
The Law of Christ
We noted last week that most church discipline is actually the work of Christ by His Holy Spirit convicting individuals privately of their sin and driving them to repentance (Jn. 16:8). But it pleases Christ to often work through other people in the church. He calls us to love one another enough to speak the truth, to admonish, to correct, to rebuke. Nevertheless, this does not leave us with a wooden mandate or arbitrary applications. We aren’t blindly pulling options out of a hat.
Several principles:
- Love your brother. Pray for him or her. Apply the law of love: do for them what you would want them to do for you in the same situation. Truly want good for your brother. Have compassion on them like God does (Ps. 103:13-14). Confess any and all of your sins: remove the log out of your own eye (Mt. 7:1-5). You can be right and go about it all wrong (Gal. 6:1-2). With the measure you use it will be measured back to you (Mt. 7:2).
- Deal with sin at the lowest, most private level possible. Joseph was a just man and not willing to put Mary to shame and was planning to divorce her privately (Mt. 1:19). Nevertheless, sin should ordinarily be dealt with as publicly as it has occurred. Paul confronted Peter in front of all the brothers when Peter withdrew from eating with the Gentiles in Antioch (Gal. 2:11-14).
- Remember that love covers a multitude of sins: “whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins” (Js. 5:20, cf. 1 Pet. 4:8-9). Remember whenever you confess the sins you know about, God is busy cleansing you from “all unrighteousness” (1 Jn. 1:9). You have been forgiven much; go and do likewise.
- Fear God. This means that we must obey God and not fear what anyone thinks or despair at the immediate results. Elders will give an account to God for the souls under their care (Heb. 13:17). Hell is real, and if elders do not warn the wicked, God will require their blood at their hand (Ez. 33:8-9). And you are your brother’s keeper.
Conclusion
Why do we confront sin? It’s not merely because sin is bad and wrong. It’s because God’s grace is so good. Where sin has abounded, grace abounds still more (Rom. 5:20). The goal isn’t to “get it right” or “be good”; the goal is to magnify the grace of God, to enter into His joy and glory. And this doesn’t change after a member has been excommunicated. Let them be to you as an enemy, and go and love your enemies. Do not pretend everything is fine, but bless them, do good to them, show them the grace of God in Christ. Wait for them, look down the road for them, and prepare to celebrate when they come home