Precis of Church Discipline
 Purpose of Church Discipline
 Precaution of Church Discipline
 Practice of Church Discipline
 Paradigms of Church Discipline
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Two Actions – It’s about God acting as
Father and the church acting as a
family.
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Two Kinds – It’s about forming
convictions and correcting sinful ways.
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Deuteronomy 8:5 "Know then in your heart that as a
man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God
disciplines you." The Hebrew word translated
"discipline" means "to chasten; to instruct." It is a
correction which results in education.
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Hebrews 12:10 "Our fathers disciplined us for a little
while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for
our good, that we may share in his holiness."
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Revelation 3:19 "Those whom I love I rebuke and
discipline. So be earnest and repent."
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1 Thessalonians 5:12, 14 "Now we ask you, brothers, to
respect those who work hard among you, who are
over you in the Lord and who admonish you ... And
we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle..."
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1 Timothy 5:20 "Those who sin are to be rebuked
publicly, so that the others may take warning.”
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Titus 2:15 "These, then, are the things you should
teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority." The
Greek word translated "rebuke" means also 'to bring
to light, to expose, convict, or to set forth."
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Formative church discipline promotes
personal growth among members.
› Associated with teaching and preaching
› Emphasizes training of mind and
heart
› Includes philosophy in receiving
members
› Focused on motivating, reminding,
and ‘re-converting’
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Corrective discipline (also called excisive
discipline) is geared toward confronting
sin.
› Associated with reprimand and strong
disapproval
› Recognizes different kinds and levels of
sin
› Not to be administered for every
infraction or transgression
1. To glorify God by obedience to his instructions.
2. To bring repentance to the sinner.
3. To maintain the purity of the Church in her worship.
4. To deter others from sin.
5. To prevent giving cause for God to set himself
against the local church.
1. Leaders cannot claim infallible wisdom
2. Leaders should not be tentative or
tolerant
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Admonition is kindly reproving an offender, warning him of
his guilt and danger, and exhorting him to refrain from
such conduct in the future.
Rebuke is a reprimand, a strong, authoritative expression
of disapproval.
Removal from the church roster is referred to in various
ways (in the ICOC): “counted out of membership,” “taken
out,” “former member,” “broken fellowship,” etc.
Shunning is the purposeful avoidance of a member (or
withdrawal of fellowship) for the sake of protecting others
in the church. This action is to be passed only for
obstinate persistence in grave offenses.
Marking is the public naming of individuals (whether
former church members or not) whose motives or actions
present great threat to the church.
Paradigms of Church Discipline
 Matthew
18:15-18
• Private confrontation v.15
• Adding witnesses v.16
• Telling the church v.17
• Imposing separation v.17
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Luke 17:3-5
1. Luke stresses the overwhelming need for
forgiveness.
2. This need is correctly understood by the
apostles, who then realize that their faith is not
enough to meet the challenge.
3. Note the contrast: Luke 17 deals primarily
with a repentant person, while Matthew 18 an
unrepentant person.
1Corinthians 5 must be studied as a
whole.
 Worldliness was taking its devastating toll
of spiritual life in Corinth. The Corinthians
showed a lack of concern for purity.
They neglected the responsibility to
discipline and suffered as a result.
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1 Corinthians 5:1-13
…for the good of the offender (5:1-5)
…for the good of the congregation (5:6-8),
…for the good of the surrounding unsaved
society (5:9-13).
The gravity of the sin of incest
 The arrogance of the church in the
matter
 The neglect of church discipline
(disfellowship/expulsion)
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1. “Repentance over retribution” – Put a
premium on repentance, which is the
ultimate goal and will give greatest glory to
God.
 2. “Private before public” – Deal with a sin
involving the fewest members possible,
adding as needed.
 3. “We over I” – Emphasize that the church
corporately as God’s family imposes the
discipline, and not one person only.
 4. “Process over punishment” – Offer a
vision for the pathway to restoration.

Deut 8:5 Know then in your heart that as a
man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God
disciplines you. – Deut 8:5
Daniel 4:31-32 Even as the words were on his
lips, a voice came from heaven, “This is what
is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar:
Your royal authority has been taken from you.
You will be driven away from people and will
live with the wild animals; you will eat grass
like the ox. Seven times will pass by for you
until you acknowledge that the Most High is
sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and
gives them to anyone he wishes.”