Appendix 4.4: Church Discipline: Doctrinal and Procedural Clarifications
This provision brings greater clarity and alignment with the teaching of Jesus in Matthew 18:15–17, which outlines the biblical pattern of church discipline. The key stages include: (1) private correction, (2) a follow-up with witnesses, and (3) bringing the matter before the church.
Importantly, the step of bringing the matter “before the church” is not the moment of decision by vote—it is a final plea for repentance in the presence of the congregation. If the individual refuses to repent even after this, Jesus commands that the church regard the person as one “unto thee as an heathen man and a publican”, effectively rendering them a non-member by default (Matthew 18:17). This step is not optional and does not require a vote; it is a command of the Lord for those who persist in unrepentance.
Other scriptural support includes Galatians 6:1, which instructs believers to restore the fallen in a spirit of meekness, and 2 Thessalonians 3:14–15, which directs the church to distance itself from those walking disorderly, yet still with a view toward repentance and restoration.
This revision upholds both the authority of Scripture and the redemptive purpose of church discipline. It seeks to protect the unity and purity of the church while extending every opportunity for the erring believer to be restored in grace.
Importantly, the step of bringing the matter “before the church” is not the moment of decision by vote—it is a final plea for repentance in the presence of the congregation. If the individual refuses to repent even after this, Jesus commands that the church regard the person as one “unto thee as an heathen man and a publican”, effectively rendering them a non-member by default (Matthew 18:17). This step is not optional and does not require a vote; it is a command of the Lord for those who persist in unrepentance.
Other scriptural support includes Galatians 6:1, which instructs believers to restore the fallen in a spirit of meekness, and 2 Thessalonians 3:14–15, which directs the church to distance itself from those walking disorderly, yet still with a view toward repentance and restoration.
This revision upholds both the authority of Scripture and the redemptive purpose of church discipline. It seeks to protect the unity and purity of the church while extending every opportunity for the erring believer to be restored in grace.