Daily Scripture Reading – Galatians 6

Verses of the Day
1 Corinthians 5:10-13 – Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner–not even to eat with such a person. For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? But those who are outside God judges. Therefore “put away from yourselves the evil person.

Matthew 18:15-17 – Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that “by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.

Devotional Thoughts
The Sixth Mark of a Sound Church: Discipline of the Membership is Biblically Administered

A sound church is striving to be a pure church. Does that mean that a sound church will be without sin or impurity? No. But it does mean that a sound church is faithful to practice discipline and thus protect the membership from the influence of sin and the infiltration of false doctrine.

It is the responsibility of the church leaders to protect the flock just as it is the charge of the members to watch over one another. That is what it means to love one another. And the church leadership is ultimately responsible before God for the membership and its spiritual condition. They will give account directly to God for those He has put in their care.

The proper form for this discipline is laid out for us in the Scriptures. The Bible tells us:

Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that “by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.” And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector. Matthew 18:15-17

Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Galatians 6:1-3

The process of discipline given in these texts tell us that it is the responsibility of those in the church to care for one another by being willing to admonish and confront, in absolute love, sin which is not being properly dealt with in the life of the church. The simple steps are as follows :

If any member of the church sins

1. He is to obey the Lord and heed his conscience by repenting and being reconciled to God and to anyone else he has sinned against (1 John 1:9; Matt. 5:23-24; James 5:16).

2. If he does not repent, he is to be reproved in private (Matt. 18:15).

3. If he still does not repent, he is to be reproved a second time with two or three witnesses who may confirm his response (Matt. 18:16).

4. If he still does not repent, the matter is to be taken before the church (Matt. 18:17).

5. If he will not listen to the church, then the church is to remove him from fellowship and membership (Matt. 18:17; 1 Cor. 5:12-13).

The whole process is to be carried out in love with the ultimate goal at all times being the restoration of a sinning member to fellowship. This is to be done with care and gentleness. And if at any point, including after removal from the church, the sinning member repents, he is to be immediately restored to fellowship. We are to “forgive and comfort” him (2 Cor. 2:7), and “reaffirm your love” for him (2 Cor. 2:8).

Church discipline is to be carried out without partiality in the case of any member who sins (1 Tim. 5:19-21; Gal. 2:11).

BONUS #1: Discipline: The Missing Mark by Dr. Al Mohler.

BONUS #2: The Glory of a True Church and Its Discipline Displayed by Benjamin Keach

Bible Reading For Further Study
Psalm 141:5
Proverbs 13:18; 15:31-32; 25:12; 27:5; 28:23
Hebrews 12:5-6
Revelation 3:19

Recommended Songs for Worship
Comfort, Comfort Ye My People
Remember Not the Sins of Long Ago