INTRODUCTION

Church discipline has commonly fallen out to two extremes. It is either unheard of, or it is overused. Church discipline, however, is intended to be one of God’s methods of chastening. Before there were so many weak churches, people could not be disciplined by one body of believers and readily accepted into another. Things had to be made right. People had to repent and seek restoration. God used this to purify individual believers and entire bodies of believers. According to the scriptures, discipline was implemented not only for the purity of the body, but that those who had gone astray might repent and find restoration amongst the body.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

• (For smaller children) Jesus laid down some rules regarding trouble in the church (Matthew 18:15-17 [15] Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. [16] But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. [17] And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
  See All...). The desire is that the one who is wrong will make things right. If he doesn't, church members may have to separate from him (1 Corinthians 5:11-13 [11] But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. [12] For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? [13] But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
  See All...; 2 Thessalonians 3:14And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.
  See All...) but still love him (2 Thessalonians 3:15Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
  See All...).
• How does the world view church discipline? How do you view it? How can it be implemented scripturally and with a motive of love and restoration?
• How could church discipline be used by the Lord as a means of chastening? How could people lose the understanding of chastening with the failure to implement church discipline?

PRAYER NEEDS

• Ask the Lord to strengthen the leaders in your local body.
• Ask God to give you a biblical perspective of chastening.

HYMN

Brethren, We Have Met to Worship

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