If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother. (2 Thessalonians 3:14-15)
Paul’s directions regarding a brother who is disobedient to
Paul’s teaching in that epistle, though stern, are much less severe that his
directive to the Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians 5:1-5. In the immediate
context of 2 Thessalonians 3, Paul is dealing with unruliness and idleness in
the church; in 1 Corinthians he deals with scandalous immorality, even in the
eyes of unbelievers.
Church discipline is delicate matter. Misuse of it has split
churches; neglect of it has polluted churches. The question is: What is the
standard for church discipline? In other words, what sort of sins and to what
degree call for church discipline?
I know of a Bible-professing church in a mainstream
denomination that has tolerated adultery and the consequential divorce and
remarriage, and all parties remained church members. Their emphasis was on love
and they did love! The only case of church discipline I have heard of in that
church was a man who committed a felony and received a jail sentence!
On the other hand, churches can be too exacting in their exercise
of church discipline. I know of another church that used church discipline to
purge the congregation of members who were critical of the direction the church
as going. Any number of Scriptural injunctions may have been used to “discipline”
the “unruly” members! Not surprisingly, the church spit and split again, and it
no longer exists under its former name.
It has been suggested that unless the great majority of the
church agrees that a certain sin calls for discipline, it should not be imposed.
But what if it is clearly identified as sin in the Bible? In that case there is
a bigger problem: why does not the vast majority of the congregation not see it
as serious? The individual sin in question is only a symptom of wide-spread
carnality in the congregation. That condition requires better teaching,
preaching, and much prayer to bring the people to an understanding of their
sinful condition and repentance. That is what happened in King Josiah’s time
when the Book of the Law was uncovered while cleaning out the Temple.
And Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan
the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the LORD.” And
Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it. And Shaphan the secretary
came to the king, and reported to the king, “Your servants have emptied out the
money that was found in the house and have delivered it into the hand of the
workmen who have the oversight of the house of the LORD.” Then Shaphan the
secretary told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan
read it before the king. When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law,
he tore his clothes. And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the
son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Micaiah, and Shaphan the secretary, and
Asaiah the king's servant, saying, “Go, inquire of the LORD for me, and for the
people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been
found. For great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because
our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that
is written concerning us.” (2 Kings 22:8-13)
Revival happened again among the returning remnants from Babylon
when Ezra and the Levites read and explained the Law of God:
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