Good Morning!
No one likes being told that they are saying things that are false.
Even more so we all chafe at the accusation that we are doing something which is wrong. Yet, in the next chapter of the Westminster Confession of Faith, “Of Church Censures”, that is exactly what we will be looking at. How has the Church been given the duty to admonish, and correct, members of local congregations (and the wider body, Synod in our case) and why is there a whole portion of a document which purports to summarize what we believe when it comes to doctrine focused on this subject?
Well, as we have seen in previous parts of the WCF, we are sinners. Sinners fall short of the glory of God and should be reminded to turn away from sin and embrace the way of life ordered by the Word in His word. (John 14:15, 1 John 2:1-6). And we have oodles of examples in Scripture (Paul rebuking Peter, Nathan calling out David, Jesus upbraiding Peter, etc…) where those in authority in a given situation are granted the right to go to a brother, or sister, and show them where they are going astray, and how they should turn back to the right and good path. This authority in the New Testament is granted by Christ to His officers. Hear the Confession:
To these officers the keys of the kingdom of heaven are committed: by virtue whereof, they have power respectively to retain, and remit sins; to shut that kingdom against the impenitent, both by the Word and censures; and to open it unto penitent sinners, by the ministry of the Gospel, and by absolution from censures, as occasion shall require.
In fact, church discipline is less about playing gotcha games as it is the means by which the Lord has made to prune us and mold us to be more and more like our Redeemer. However, most people don’t see it like that. It’s almost as if they imagine the Elders (in our case as Presbyterians) as being a vigilante service organized just to pick on, or even worse, bully and humiliate people for all kinds of questionable reasons. To be fair, I am sure we can all think of examples where this was the case. Yet, this is not true for the vast majority of church sessions. As the elected, and called, leaders in the congregation Elders are given a solemn responsibility, one for which they will have to give an account, as we see in the words of our Confession:
Church censures are necessary, for the reclaiming and gaining of offending brethren, for deterring of others from the like offences, for purging out of that leaven which might infect the whole lump, for vindicating the honour of Christ, and the holy profession of the Gospel, and for preventing the wrath of God, which might justly fall upon the Church, if they should suffer His covenant and the seals thereof to be profaned by notorious and obstinate offenders.
The reality is as we see in the above paragraph the work of discipline is a caring act. We would all agree with Proverbs 13:24, “Spare the rod, spoil the child”. When parents exercise oversight of their youngin’s none of us would say that this is in any way harsh or unloving. It is a necessary part of training a child up in the way they should go. The same is true of correction within the body of Christ. It is an exercise of iron sharpening iron; of those mature in the faith coming alongside fellow believers to help them in their walk with Christ.
Probably the most famous case of church discipline in the Bible is the man caught in adultery with his mother-in-law. Paul excoriates the people of Corinth for allowing this sin to go unchecked in their presence. Remember he says, “And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you.” (1 Cor. 5:2). It’s interesting, to me at least, that the Apostle chooses to use an illustration that points to arrogance. Being “puffed up” in this context means that the members of the church are likely bragging about the situation. They probably used the word “tolerance” a lot. Yet the problem is that they are ignoring the danger which this sin is causing, to the individuals, and to others in the congregation. As Paul goes on to say, “Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?” Here we are reminded that countenancing open sin, passing it off either as no big deal, or as in this situation, actually promoting it will bring destruction upon a church. Look back above at the Confession’s last warning. We are inviting the judgment of God as long as we make excuses for those living outside of the commands of Scripture.
Some will say at this point, “What about Matthew 7:1, ‘judge not, that you not be judged’, doesn’t that mean we shouldn’t really confront people. Isn’t the church supposed to be a place where we love each other and just support one another in love?”. Well, yes. Yes it is to be a place where we love each other and just support one another in love, and as with our children, it is showing that we care about that person when we call them to flee from sin and run towards righteousness in Christ. Sin never does anyone any good. It is always destructive and divisive. This is why in Matthew 18 Jesus gives us a pattern to follow when dealing with a brother or sister who is engaging in a lifestyle that embraces things that are out of accord with the commandments of God. For we are to judge in accordance with a righteous judgment (John 7:24) to win our brother or sister back and save them from the fire (Jude 1:20-23). Paul reminds the people in his Second Letter to Corinth that refusing to deal with sin, even among family members as much as church members, can only lead to pain and anguish in the long run. It is good and godly to correct sin and the church should never be embarrassed to do it.
This was a tough subject to look at, but it is a necessary one. For more on the benefits of church discipline see this short article:
https://www.christurc.org/blog/2015/9/11/four-ways-church-discpline-benefits-christs-sheep
Blessings in Christ,
Rev. Benjamin Glaser
Pastor, Bethany ARP Church