Undermining the Gospel

Church discipline requires a tender heart. It is an act of love not legalism. A biblical attitude is crucial to the whole process of church discipline. If the attitude of those implementing discipline is not right, then what God designed to be a beautiful act of selfless love is transformed into an ugly act of power, even if all the other instructions are followed to the letter. The offspring of that evil may shortly surface as a disuniting and judgmental spirit in the fellowship, or it may lay dormant until the next attempt to lead the church in discipline and then surface with a vengeance. [For a fuller explanation of these see my book, Undermining the Gospel: The Case for Church Discipline.] The following is vital to a biblical approach to church discipline.

First, the attitude of the church should be one of grief. Paul scolded the Corinthians for their failure to have the proper attitude concerning a sinning brother when he said, "And you have become arrogant, and have not mourned instead, in order that the one who had done this deed might be removed from your midst" (1 Corinthians 5:2 italics added). The word mourn is the Greek word pentheo. It means, "to mourn, to grieve" it is commonly used for mourning for the dead." [Kittel and Friedrich, Theological Dictionary, s.v. "pentheo."] This is true in both the Old and New Testaments. It was used by the Old Testament prophets in prophecies of disaster (Joel 1:9, Jeremiah 14:2; Lamentations 2:8) and in the New Testament (Matthew 9:15; Revelation 18:7-8). It is easy to see that mourn communicates an intense sadness and remorse.

The word embodies that inexpressible and profound sense of loss and grief that is experienced when a loved one dies. The church is to be brokenhearted over a brother or sister who chooses to walk in sin over walking with the Savior. I have seen discipline implemented with an attitude of grief on many occasions. I have experienced time after time when the chairman of the deacons, staff member, laymen, and pastors have stood before the flock of God sharing with tears the sin of a wayward brother or sister, and the church's responsibility toward them; then witness that grief spread throughout the congregation. It is as though a death has taken place, and that is not by accident.

The practice of church discipline is not something that is supposed to be uplifting and easy. It is the reminder of death, and the cause of death succeeding once again in hurting the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is the death of a walk with God, fellowship, and a testimony for Christ, and it should evoke deep grief.

Jesus' feelings concerning Israel and her unwillingness to repent and how that affected Him demonstrate a true attitude of grief. As Jesus entered Jerusalem as the Messiah, "He saw the city and wept over it, saying, 'If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes'" (Luke 19:41-42). There is intense pathos in these words, deep and profound grief. Jeremiah expressed this grief in response to Judah being exiled to Babylon because of her defiance toward God saying, "My soul will sob in secret for such pride; and my eyes will bitterly weep and flow down with tears" (Jeremiah 13:17).

Second the attitude of the church should be one of humility. Paul warned the Corinthians against pride saying, "Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall" (1 Corinthians 10:12).

Galatians 6:1-3 also speaks to the need for humility when dealing with brothers and sisters caught in a trespass, "Brethren, even if a man is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself." This passage speaks to both the humility needed in viewing one's own potential to fall and the humility needed for properly viewing one who has already fallen.

This passage also reiterates the believer's spiritual responsibility to help a repentant brother or sister. The verb bear is present tense, plural in number, and imperative. The present tense signifies a continuous or repetitive action, plural in number signifies all the members and not just the leaders, and the imperative means this is a command. The body of Christ is commanded to care for and help those who are weak or are trying to overcome temptation. This is unglamorous and difficult to put on statistical reports, but it is authentic Christianity. This verse portrays a loveliness of Christianity found most prominently in a church practicing biblical discipline.

Third, the attitude of the church should be one of gentleness. The prescription set forth in Galatians 6:1-3 is unfortunately and regularly presented as an alternative to church discipline. However, it is not an alternative, but an indispensable element of it. This explains how a brother or sister, who is overtaken by sin and repents when confronted, is to be handled. The requirement for Christians to be gentle is as essential in church discipline as any other activity (Ephesians 4:2; Philippians 4:5; Colossians 3:12-13, 4:6; 1 Peter 3:15).

"For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another. For each one shall bear his own load" (Galatians 6:3-5).

The escalation of church discipline from one-on-one to the involvement of others is generally the church's response to the unwillingness of the offender to repent. As long as the offender is seeking to follow Christ and deal with his sin, we are there to bear his burden (Galatians 6:2).

Fourth, the attitude of the church should be one of love.