Ecclesiology : The Discipline of the Church.

A. The Definition of Discipline.

To Discipline is to penalise an individual for breaking the laws of a unit of society to which he belongs with the view of restoring him back to those laws.

Dictionary.com defines discipline as the following:

1. training to act in accordance with rules; drill: military discipline.

2. activity, exercise, or a regimen that develops or improves askill; training: A daily stint at the typewriter is excellent discipline for a writer.

3. punishment inflicted by way of correction and training.

4. the rigor or training effect of experience, adversity, etc.: theharsh discipline of poverty.

5. behavior in accord with rules of conduct; behavior and order maintained by training and control: good discipline in an army.

6. a set or system of rules and regulations.

7. Ecclesiastical . the system of government regulating the practice of a church as distinguished from its doctrine.

8. an instrument of punishment, especially a whip or scourge,used in the practice of self-mortification or as an instrument of chastisement in certain religious communities.

9. a branch of instruction or learning: the disciplines of history andeconomics.

B. The Basis of Church Discipline.

The Basis of Church Discipline in a local church is the Holiness of God.

Psa 93:5  Your decrees are very trustworthy, and holiness always befits your house, LORD. ISV.

1Pe 1:15  Instead, be holy in every aspect of your life, just as the one who called you is holy.

1Pe 1:16  For it is written, "You must be holy, because I am holy."

1Pe 1:17  If you call "Father" the one who judges everyone impartially according to what they have done, you must live in reverent fear as long as you are strangers in a strange land.

C. The Authority of Discipline.

The Ultimate Authority in the church rests in Christ, who authorises His church to exercise discipline when it is needed.

Mat 16:19  I will give you the keys to the kingdom from heaven. Whatever you prohibit on earth will have been prohibited in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will have been permitted in heaven."

Mat 18:17  If, however, he ignores them, tell it to the congregation. If he also ignores the congregation, regard him as a gentile and a tax collector.

Mat 18:18  "I tell you with certainty, whatever you prohibit on earth will have been prohibited in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will have been permitted in heaven.

Mat 18:19  Furthermore, I tell you with certainty that if two of you agree on earth about anything you request, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven,

Mat 18:20  because where two or three have come together in my name, I am there among them." ISV

1Co 5:4  In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are gathered together (and I am there in spirit), and the power of our Lord Jesus is there, too,

1Co 5:5  turn this man over to Satan for the destruction of his body, so that his spirit may be saved on the Day of the Lord.

D. The Recipients of Discipline.

Who demands church discipline?

1. Troublemakers and those who sow discord among the brethren.

Pro 6:16  Here are six things that the LORD hates—seven, in fact, are detestable to him:

Pro 6:17  Arrogant eyes, a lying tongue and hands shedding innocent blood;

Pro 6:18  a heart crafting evil plans, feet running swiftly to wickedness,

Pro 6:19  a false witness snorting lies, and someone sowing quarrels between brothers.

Rom 16:17  Now I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who create divisions and sinful enticements that oppose the teaching you have learned. Stay away from them,

Rom 16:18  because such people are not serving the Messiah our Lord, but their own desires. By their smooth talk and flattering words they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.

2. The Unruly, disorderly and undisciplined.

1Th 5:14  Now we exhort you, brothers, admonish the disorderly, encourage the discouraged, be supportive of the weak, be patient toward all.

Admonish the disorderly (noutheteite tous ataktous). Put sense into the unruly mob who break ranks (a privative and taktos, verbal adjective of tassō, to keep military order). Recall the idlers from the market-place used against Paul (Act_17:5). This is a challenging task for any leader. RWP

2Th 3:6  But we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother living in idleness, and not according the tradition which they received from us.

3. Those who disobey the great Doctrines of the Faith.

2Th 3:14  Now if anyone does not obey our word in this letter, take note of him, and do not associate with him, that he may be ashamed.

2Th 3:15  Yet do not consider him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

Admonish Websters dictionary

ADMON'ISH, v.t. [L. admoneo, ad and moneo, to teach, warn, admonish.]

1. To warn or notify of a fault; to reprove with mildness.

2. To counsel against wrong practices; to caution or advise.

Admonish one another in psalms and hymns. Col 3.

4. To those who deny the Great Doctrines of the Faith.

1Ti 6:3  If anyone teaches otherwise, and does not consent to wholesome words (those of our Lord Jesus Christ), and to the doctrine according to godliness,

1Ti 6:4  he is proud, knowing nothing. He is sick concerning doubts and arguments, from which comes envy, strife, evil speakings, evil suspicions,

1Ti 6:5  meddling, of men whose minds have been corrupted and deprived of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness. Withdraw from such.

2Ti 2:16  But shun profane, vain babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness.

2Ti 2:17  And their word will eat like a gangrene; among whom are Hymeneus and Philetus,

2Ti 2:18  who have erred concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past, and who overthrow the faith of some.

2Ti 2:19  Nevertheless the foundation of God stands sure, having this seal: "The Lord knew those who are His." And, "Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity!"

Tit 3:9  But avoid foolish questions and genealogies and contentions, and strivings about the Law, for they are unprofitable and vain.

Tit 3:10  After the first and second warning, reject a man of heresy,

Tit 3:11  knowing that he who is such has been perverted, and sins, being self-condemned.

Heresy: Websters Dict.1. A fundamental error in religion, or an error of opinion respecting some fundamental doctrine of religion. But in countries where there is an established church, an opinion is deemed heresy, when it differs from that of the church. The Scriptures being the standard of faith, any opinion that is repugnant to its doctrines, is heresy; but as men differ in the interpretation of Scripture, an opinion deemed heretical by one body of christians,may be deemed orthodox by another. In Scripture and primitive usage,heresy meant merely sect, party, or the doctrines of a sect, as we now use denomination or persuasion, implying no reproach.

2. Heresy, in law, is an offense against christianity, consisting in a denial of some of its essential doctrines, publicly avowed and obstinately maintained.

5. The Immoral

1Co 5:1  On the whole it is reported that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not even named among the nations, so as one to have his father's wife.

1Co 5:2  And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, so that he who has done this deed may be taken from your midst.

1Co 5:3  For as being absent in body but present in spirit, I indeed have judged already as though I were present concerning him who worked out this thing;

1Co 5:4  in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, with my spirit; also, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ;

1Co 5:5  to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

1Co_6:9  Do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor abusers, nor homosexuals,

Heb_13:4  Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled, but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.

Jas_4:4  Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever desires to be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.