Christ's Tabernacle Church Discipline Statement
Church discipline is one of the primary means God uses to restore His children when they fall into sin. It is also one way in which He maintains the unity, purity, integrity, and reputation of the church. Christ Himself declared the church to be heaven’s instrument in carrying out this difficult but necessary function (Matthew 18:15-20).
1. MINOR FAULTS: These are attitudes and actions such as rudeness, impatience, grumbling, complaining, negativity, pettiness, boasting, irritability, speaking too much or when appropriate, lack of trust, worry, timidity, and selfishness. We are permitted, and actually encouraged, to overlook most minor faults rather than resorting to discipline (Proverbs 10:12; 19:11; 1Peter 4:8). Christ’s words command us to be careful about removing the “speck” from our brother’s eye while a “plank” is in our own (Matthew 7:1-5).
2. UNVERIFIABLE SINS: These are offenses that are known to only one person in the church in addition to the offender(s), and no concrete evidence could be brought forth as proof. In such cases it may be necessary for the offended person or lone witness to rebuke the offender privately. If private rebuke is unsuccessful and the offender is not willing to admit his sin to others, normally no further action may be taken. The matter must be left with God; it should not be revealed to anyone else (Deuteronomy 19:15; Proverbs 25:8-10). It must also be recognized that the one being accused of an unverifiable sin may, in fact, be innocent or misunderstood.
3. PERSONAL OFFENSES: These occur between two Christians; more specifically two believers of the same church. In these situations the offended person must closely follow Matthew 18:15-17. After closely following these instructions from the Word of God, the offender of a verifiable sin will be offered another opportunity to repent and be restored by the church body. If he remains unrepentant or is not present, he will be considered an unbeliever and expelled from fellowship of the congregation.
4. PUBLIC DISOBEDIENCE: This is sinful behavior that causes harm to the unity, doctrinal integrity, purity, or reputation of the church as a whole. This would include, for example, false teaching, divisiveness, contentions, gossip, slander of the church or its leaders, insubordination, sexual immorality, drunkenness, covetousness, theft, dishonesty, outbursts of anger or fighting, foul language, willful failure to provide, wrongful divorce or remarriage, and breach of public trust or contract. The procedures found in the New Testament for handling public disobedience are as follows:
Be watchful (Acts 20:28-31; Hebrews 12:14-16). We should not aggressively hunt for offenses or opportunities to enact discipline (Matthew 13:28-30), but we must be vigilant and ready to address sinful behavior when it becomes known. This is particularly the responsibility of the elders who are the shepherds of the flock. The New Testament warns that there will be some who profess to be Christians who will seek to harm the church (Acts 20:30; 2Peter 2:1-3). A person who practices and/or promotes sinful behavior, teaches contrary to sound doctrine, is divisive or insubordinate, or exalts himself (3John 9-10) may be a “wolf in sheep’s clothing”.
Correct through teaching (2Timothy 2:24-26; Titus 1:9). The Word of God is powerful and effective. In all cases, especially when more direct or severe measures are not immediately necessary, elders and other teachers must address disobedience by applying the Scriptures humbly, gently, patiently, and convincingly (2Timothy 3:16-4:2).
Plead with the offender(s) (1Corinthians 1:10-11; Philippians 4:2-3). In both these situations, Paul’s pleas, which were in open letters to the churches, also served as gentle public rebukes.
Warn them of consequences (1Thessalonians 5:14; 2Thessalonians 3:14-15; Titus 3:10-11). Warn them not only of the consequences here on earth, but of the day when they stand before the Lord Jesus to be judged according to their deeds (2Corinthians 5:9-11).
Rebuke them (Galatians 2:11-14; I Timothy 5:19-20; Titus 1:13; 2:15). The prospect of being rebuked, either publicly or privately, should be a powerful deterrent to sinful behavior. Public rebuke also serves the purpose of teaching by identifying and exposing the nature of error (Ephesians 5:8-13). When carried out in the presence of the church, this type of corrective action is a pastoral responsibility. It should never happen without prior planning and agreement among the church’s leadership.
Silence them (Titus 1:9-11). Paul insisted that false teachers and divisive people “must be silenced”, and his implication was that the leaders of the church should make every effort to silence them. There might be a variety of levels at which this can be applied. For example, the elders may forbid them to speak at meetings, instruct them not to discuss certain matters with other believers, or remove them from teaching positions.
Shame them through social avoidance (2Thessalonians 3:6-15). This rare church action becomes appropriate when a church member begins to lead an idle or disorderly life that falls short of gross immorality, but nevertheless disturbs the church congregation. The other believers should demonstrate that such behavior is unacceptable in their midst by temporarily (meaning as long as necessary) excluding the unruly brother or sister from all fellowship. Such a person, for example, would not be welcome at church gatherings or in members’ homes as a dinner guest until his or her ungodly and/or disorderly behavior ended. In appearance, the church’s treatment of such a person would be similar to the exclusion commanded in 1Corinthians 5 and Matthew 18:17. The difference is that the person would still be considered a believer. If this shunning action does not produce repentance within a reasonable (relatively brief) period of time, the offense will be considered “insufferable wickedness”.
***These measures are all intended to correct and restore, and to maintain unity and purity. They should be applied while there is still hope for repentance, and they are less severe than expulsion from the church.***
5. INSUFFERABLE WICKEDNESS: This refers to situations where there is only one proper course of action – expulsion from the church body. There are three kinds of offenders whose behavior will be considered insufferable and will therefore be expelled from the church body:
Unrepentant offenders – these are church attendees who have refused to acknowledge their sin and repent, even after public rebuke and exhortation from the entire church body (Matthew 18:17).
Gross offenders – these are members who commit even a single sin that is so abhorrent, shameful, or notorious that the reputation of Christ and the church is imperiled if they are not immediately expelled (1Corinthians 5).
Offenders who are known by their wickedness - these are members who have become known publicly for sins like heresy, apostasy, divisiveness, sexual immorality, drunkenness, or covetousness. Their sinful lifestyle makes them indistinguishable from unbelievers. They are so characterized by false beliefs, false teaching, destructive motives, worldly affections, or immoral living that they cannot, by definition, be considered believers (1Corinthians 5:11-13; 6:9-10; Galatians 5:19-21; Titus 1:16; 1John 1:5-6; 2:3-4; 3:9-10; 2John 9-11).
In these situations, all that is necessary before expulsion is the establishment of the facts. In 1Corinthians 5 Paul told them to immediately expel him from the church because his gross immorality was well known to all (1Corinthians 5:5, 13). In verse 11 of the same chapter Paul lists other types of offenders who must be treated in the same way.