In most churches, Church Discipline is a foreign concept, almost never exercised. Often, when it is exercised, the goal of the discipline is not restoration into he family of God, resulting in the stereotypically negative ideas about the nature of church discipline.
Church discipline is never fun, but it is necessary and helpful. Church discipline is not emotionless, but neither is it driven by emotions. It should be driven by the truth of the Word, and responded to with the proper emotions. Not emotions of hatred or indifference, but strong love and desire to see the unrepentant return to Jesus in faith and repentance. Sometimes love looks far different from our natural conception of how love should look.
Every case takes on it’s own DNA, and every individual responds in different ways. But what doesn’t change is God’s sovereign hand and the mandate to exercise church discipline to purify the church and to attempt to restore the wayward to fellowship with God and His Church.
Church discipline cannot be separated from heavy hearts, sadness, and hopeful expectation of God’s mighty hand working to draw His own close to Him.
Helpful Reading:
The Surprising Offense of God’s Love – Jonathan Leeman
Church Membership – Jonathan Leeman
Nine Marks of a Healthy Church – Mark Dever
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