church discipline
1. Reasons for
- purify church - 1 Cor. 5:6-7
- save erring brother - 1 Cor. 5:5
- NOTE: When it is suggested that such discipline doesn't work, it usually only means #2 - the erring brother didn't repent. What is always forgotten in such cases is that the church was purified - it DID work.
2. Upon Whom
- disorderly - 2 Thess. 3:6
- busybodies - 2 Thess. 3:11
- Those obeying not the word, 1 Tim. 6:3-6; 2 Thess. 3:14; 2 Jn. 9-10; Romans 16:17
- those that cause division - Romans 16:17
- Factious person - Titus 3:10-11
3. Scriptural course of Action
- pray for them - 1 John 5:16
- go see (individually) Matt. 18:15-17
- Try to convert - James 5:19-20
- Try to restore - Gal. 6:1f
- admonish them - 1 Thess. 5:14
- take two with you if above fails - Matt. 18:15
- then - tell church - Matt. 18:15f
- Withdraw from them if NOT change 2 Thess. 3:6; 1Cor. 5:4,5,13; 2 John 10; 2 Thess. 3:14ff
- Whole church should support such action - Matt. 18:17; 1 Cor. 5:9-12
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