John Carter – January 7, 2018

 

Mark Seven: Biblical Church Discipline

WIAHC?

• Imaging God’s Character
• How Does It Work?
• Shalt Thou Judge?
• Closed or Open?
• Doing Discipline Responsibly

9Marks

Is all Discipline Negative?

What is Church Discipline?

• Matthew 7:1
• “If we cannot say how a Christian should not live, how can we say how a Christian should live?” (P.183)

What Does the Bible Say About Church Discipline?

Hebrews 12:1-14

Matthew 18:15-17

1 Corinthians 5:1-11

Galatians 6:1

2 Thessalonians 3:6-15

1 Timothy 1:20

1 Timothy 5:19-20

Titus 3:9-11

*Revelation 2-3

How Have Christians in the Past Handled Church Discipline?

• ‘In the pre-civil war days, “Southern Baptist excommunicated nearly 2 percent of their membership every year”! …their churches grew at twice the rate of the population growth.’ (P. 192)

“Our Church Would Never Do This, Would We?”

Why Practice Church Discipline?

1. For the Good of the Person Disciplined
2. For the Good of Other Christians, as They See the Danger of Sin
3. For the Health of the Church as a Whole
4. For the Corporate Witness of the Church
5. For the Glory of God, as We Reflect His Holiness

What if We Don’t Practice Church Discipline?

• “If we give up the ability to say what a Christian is not, we cannot meaningfully say what a Christian is.” (P.204)