This week in our continuation about purity, we learn that the church must be careful to examine sin within itself. First, Christians must examine their own hearts and take responsibility for disciplining their own lives. Second, Christians are to be on the lookout for sin in the church body and discipline others around them. Biblical references concerning the examination of sin in the church follows: [I Peter 4:17, Peter says “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin[s] at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” Ephesians 5:11 “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.” I Timothy 5:20, “Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.” Titus 1:13, “This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;” Luke 17:3, “Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.”]
God was the first disciplinarian in the church. An example to indicate how critical purity is and the severity of sin in the church occurs in the example of Ananias and Sapphira who lied to the Holy Spirit in an effort to gain religious prestige and to be thought of as being spiritual. God disciplined them by execution where they dropped dead before the face of the whole church. [See Acts 5:1-11]. Things that can lead to disunity and impurity in today’s church body are superficial Christians who commit sin and hide in the church because the church never deals with their sin. God dealt with it, and we must learn to deal with sin in today’s church. In churches where unity and purity dwells therein, pure evangelism will help the church to grow.
However, Christians must be careful with disciplining others in the church. Be careful to not take the “I’m holier than thou” attitude. Rebuking others must be done in love and for the purpose of restoration. Before you take it upon yourself to rebuke someone, first examine yourself, pray and know what the scriptures say about rebuking others. Ask yourself if you love, are willing to forgive, is the rebuke for correction, and will the rebuke help the person in their Christian walk.
Read Matthew 18:15-17 which tells Christians how to approach a person who offended them: 1) first tell the person what offended you and why. If they heed the rebuke, you have gained a brother. Forgive, forget and leave it alone. This what God ultimately desires. 2) If the person doesn’t or refuses to hear, take one or two others along and attempt the rebuke again so the word will be established in two or three witnesses. If the person doesn’t listen the second time, 3) take it to the church leaders for resolution, not to the church body.
Church discipline must be performed in a manner to bring the person back to Christ and into the loving embrace of the church body. “Rebuke” must NOT be to condemn, raise suspicion, withhold forgiveness or permanently exile the offender from church. Church discipline must be to strengthen, train, correct, perfect, and most of all to purify the offender and bring them back into unity with the church body so effective evangelism can occur within the church.
