A Few Thoughts on Church Discipline

Discipline is one of those terms that for most people creates a negative feeling. After all, isn’t discipline punishment? This podcast will discuss a brief look at the necessity for church discipline as a corrective promise, not punitive coercion. Church discipline is how the Church handles problems, disputes, errors, false teaching, and sinful behavior. Most of all, church discipline’s primary purpose is to prove those who are in the faith and those who are not, no matter their profession, church discipline will establish a judicial expression of God’s sovereign election.

1. Discipline is commanded by the Lord
2. Discipline is corrective by the word
3. Discipline is private and public
4. Discipline proves who are the church. Those that stay in fellowship vs. those that do not.
5. Discipline is exercised only on the matters commanded by Scripture: Violations of Doctrine, Unbelief, Sin against another, judgment hearts, willful disunity, abandonment, pride, being unkind, harsh words, self-righteousness, bearing false witness, covetousness, and any other sin listed and revealed by the Scripture that causes disunity and harm to the church.
6. Discipline in the end for the church is purifying; for the lost, identifying.