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Why do some churches discipline their members and others do not? What should be the motive behind church discipline? How should church discipline be enacted within the local body?
In this episode of the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Richard Caldwell helps us understand why and when a church should enact discipline upon a member(s). He gives clear evidence that the church is taught to do so from the New Testament and from the command of Jesus Himself in Matthew chapter 18 where the steps of discipline are laid out. The church should practice discipline as an expression of our mutual responsibility and accountability among the members of the local body of Christ; and the motive behind it must be love, God’s glory, and restoration.
Dr. Caldwell discusses that dealing with the sin should be restricted to those who have knowledge of it and to those who will deal with it. He further discusses that we want to be obedient to the commands of scripture, but that we also don’t want to be over zealous in the process; the goal is not about exposure, embarrassment, or retribution. We need to be patient, thinking about the person, giving them time and space for repentance, truly caring for the soul of the individual(s). Sometimes, however, there are situations when the disciplinary action must be enacted in a swift manner. Not dealing with the sin of people or persons who are sinning against others means that people are going to get hurt. In dealing with those who are sinning, we aren’t only helping the person who is committing the sin, but also the people who might be impacted by it.
Other questions that Pastor Caldwell answers in this episode include: What is the church’s responsibility if the sinning person repents? What if the sinning person refuses to repent and is actually put out of the fellowship of the local body? What does church discipline do for the church and its witness in the world?
Scripture references that are specifically discussed in this episode come from Matthew 18, 1 Corinthians 5, and 2 Corinthians 2:5-7.