Fundamentalist Corrective Church Discipline
Ultimate authority resides in Christ, who authorizes the Church to use it as needed. (Matthew 18:17)
Corrective Discipline is for:
- Troublemakers and those who sow discord. (Romans 16:17)
- The unruly and disorderly. (1st Thessalonians 5:14)
- Those who disobey the great doctrines of the faith. (2nd Thessalonians 3:13-14)
- Those who deny the great doctrines of the faith. (1st Timothy 6:3-4)
Procedures in Discipline
- Note those in need of discipline. (Romans 16:17)
- Arrange a private meeting with the offender. (Matthew 18:15)
- If a private meeting fails, meet with them and several witnesses. (Matthew 18:16)
- Admonish and warn them. (Titus 3:10)
- As a final resort, bring the matter up to the whole church. (Matthew 18:17)
- Remove their membership, and avoid them. (Romans 16:17)
- Be ready to forgive them when repentance occurs. (2nd Corinthians 2:7)
Purpose of Discipline
- To maintain the standards of the church to a watching world. (Matthew 5:13-16)
- To keep sin from spreading throughout the church. (Joshua 7:3); (1st Corinthians 5:6-7)
- Help the guilty person find their way to God. (2nd Corinthians 2:6-8)
- To escape God's judgement upon habitually sinning saints. (1st Corinthians 11:30)
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