Truth Magazine

Nothing is more unpleasant and heart breaking than for a congregation of God’s people to have to discipline unruly members. Members who will not be faithful are to be withdrawn from. Members who turn and promote false doctrine are to be marked. These are all requirements God has placed on the church collectively and individually.

Paul said that “some would depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils” (1 Tim. 4:1). Paul also stated to the elders of Ephesus this warning, “Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them” (Acts 20:30). When Christians fail to abide by the Word that they committed to following and fall away or become a false teacher, then the church is to withdraw fellowship from them.

The word “discipline” means “to chastise, correct, train, obedience to the rules.” When one does wrong then discipline is usually administered to correct them. Parents are to discipline their children for the salvation of the child’s soul (Prov. 23:13-14; 22:15). Even God disciplines or chastises his children (Heb. 12:6-11). This is to produce the kind of fruit God wants.

God rebuked his children, the Jews, when they got away from doing what he wanted. They provoked God to anger when they rebelled, disobeyed and provoked him, thus God judged them (Exod. 32:28; Num. 14; 16; 21:5-6). In the New Testament we see that God struck Ananias and Sapphira dead when they lied to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:1-11). This resulted in bringing fear upon the church at Jerusalem.

We still must practice discipline. Some churches fail to withdraw from unfaithful, unruly members. The Lord criticized the churches at Pergamos and Laodicea. The Lord knew their works. They stood up against false doc- trine, but they allowed members to drift away from God and did nothing about it. The Lord said they needed to repent of it or else he would remove their candlestick. The Lord knows all the works of every local body of Christ. Churches that do not withdraw are in danger of having their candlestick removed. What does God’s Word say about discipline in the church? We will answer that question in our study.

We must keep in mind that withdrawal is not some- thing we use to get revenge on someone who did wrong. It is not used to hurt someone because he has hurt us, nor to put someone away just to do it. Withdrawal is to deliver one to Satan to destroy the flesh to save the soul (1 Cor. 5: 5). It is to remove the lump damaging the church, similar to a cancer in a person’s body. It prevents others from being infected and it projects a good image to the world. Church withdrawal is always a last resort!

The procedure for withdrawal is up to the congregation. First of all, there needs to be proof of guilt.

God’s word establishes this guilt, not man’s wisdom. Once God’s Word establishes guilt, there is time given for repentance. If no repentance is done, the church announces to the public assembly and to the person that fellowship has ceased to exist. The Bible does not chisel this procedure in stone because each situation determines what course of action needs to be taken. God has given us the freedom to make judgments on the procedure. Nevertheless, God has established this withdrawal of fellowship when members forsake him. It is up to the church to carry them out.

Let us notice some Scriptures that deal with discipline in the church. Please read them and study them so we may clearly know what to do when we must take this action.

Matthew 18:1-17 says, “Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican.” The terms “publican” and “heathen” carry with it the idea of someone outside the body of Christ. Paul used the word “infidel” to describe a Christian who wouldn’t work, that he would be worse than an infidel (1 Tim. 5:8). These are terms to describe sinners who are lost. They are outside the body of Christ. How can a brother or sister in Christ be lost? They can be lost by falling away from God. They can become lost by rejecting the message of Christ. The church withdraws membership from those who do these things.

We are to consider our brethren as a publican and heathen after the procedure Jesus gives has been exhausted. Jesus describes an individual situation that can lead to a congregational situation. However, before there can be congregational action, we must follow the two things Jesus gives. He says go to that brother and try to work it out and if he does not want to work it out, then take two or three witnesses and make the same appeal. If he does not listen to these brethren, then tell it to the church and let the church deal with him. Often we are anxious to bring it to the church first, but that violates the Scripture. The ceasing of fellowship is a last resort.

Romans 16:17-18 says, “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which you have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.” The word “mark” means “to stamp, to be branded, to identify someone or something.” We are to mark those who cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine. Division is a splitting of the body of Christ. Divisions occur because of false doctrine and brethren who leave the body of Christ for unscriptural reasons. Offenses are stumbling blocks, leading people astray. You can lead someone astray by not living right with the Bible (Gal. 2:9-13). You can lead people astray by opinionated thoughts that everyone must live by or else they are not as spiritually minded as the standard setter (1 Cor. 8:8-13). The doctrine is the word of God. It is the standard for the church and our lives. We must follow it to be pleasing to God.

God’s instructions and the doctrines of men are different (Eph. 4:14; 1 Tim. 1:10; 4:6; 2 Tim. 4:3). Someone who does not abide by the instructions of Christ is contrary to the doctrine. We are to avoid them. We must avoid false teachers and brethren who fail to abide in the doctrine of Christ (2 John 9).

1 Corinthians 5. The church of Christ at Corinth did not purge out the sin among them. Thus, they were in the wrong (v. 2). Paul’s command was to remove the person who was causing the unrest and puffing up in the church (vv. 5-7). The lesson we learn is we are to put away those who are wicked (v. 13). Paul was clear about what to do, many still forsake this and allow members to stir up trouble in the church.

2 Thessalonians 3:6-15. Verse 6 tells us to withdraw from every brother that walks disorderly, and not after the tradition of God. Withdrawal means to remove fellowship. The word “disorderly” means “not keeping order, insubordination.” Paul used the same word in 1 Thessalonians 5:14. Vine’s Dictionary says the word describes certain church members who manifested an insubordinate spirit, whether by excitability, or officiousness or idleness (Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words). The traditions are not the traditions of men, but the instructions of God. Those who will not obey God, we are to note (mark) that person and have no fellowship with him, that he may be ashamed (v. 14). However, we are not to count them as enemies, but we are to admonish (warn) them as brethren. What are we to warn them of? We warn them of the Lord’s terror (Heb. 10:31; 2 Pet. 2:20-22).

Church discipline is a sign that we care about the souls of Christians. When elders withdraw fellowship, they do so with sad hearts and sorrow because of their love for the brethren. Those who will not follow the doctrine of Christ cease having fellowship with God and we are to cease having fellowship with them (2 John 9). The purpose of withdrawal is to save their soul and keep the

By Don Alexander

Athletes spend hours each week in training. The Apostle Paul even alluded to this in his epistles (1 Cor. 9; 2 Tim. 2).  A teacher has continuing education training in order to maintain credentials and effectiveness in the classroom. Employees in various businesses have to have training and in-services regularly in addition to routine instruction in the work tasks. In most counties today, even those who want to do home child care must undergo training in order to take care of children not their own in their homes. And the Christian, too, must receive “training in righteousness” in order to be “thoroughly prepared unto every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16-17). The Word of God is designed to provide such training and we must have it to properly train our consciences, exercise our decision-making, and live godly lives to influence others to heaven’s way.

Let’s do the math. Let’s say that I attend the three hours on the Lord’s Day service, hearing two 35 minute sermons and one 45 minute Bible class. That is (if I did my math right!) just short of two hours per week of instruction in righteousness. Let’s say that over the course of the year I average one sermon and one class because of being out of town, sick, asleep, etc. That’s 80 minutes per week. Take 80 minutes per week and multiply by 52 weeks per year. That’s 4160 minutes, or about 70 hours per year of instruction. The average person in the U.S. watches television 4-6 hours per day, or about 28-42 hours per week. Sitcoms on TV that are 30 minutes in length have only 22 minutes in actual content (after 8 minutes of commercials), so if you watch only one per day for a year or one half-hour news cast per day for a year, you will have watched 8030 minutes, or about 134 hours per year, almost double your yearly Bible instruction on a Sunday morning.

Of course, people also read the Bible on their own and study with their family, their neighbor, or others. They may also attend extra services like Wednesday night Bible class, gospel meetings, lectureships, etc. Do the math in your own life as a Christian and see if the “training in righteousness” you’re receiving from the Word of God is providing you enough to live so as to reach Heaven’s shore. My math may be off a little, and “statistics can be used to prove anything” as sometimes is said. But when we look deep down into our hearts, we know.

By Irvin Himmel

Prayerful thought needs to be given to this question. A person may suppose that he is a child of God when in fact he is not. The word of God discloses the mind of God on this important subject.

A Child of God Is One Who Has Entered the Family of God

The Jews were considered as children of God because of the covenant that Jehovah made with the nation of Israel. Moses reminded them, “Ye are the children of the Lord your God . . . For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God, and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth” (Deut. 14:1, 2).

In the New Testament, becoming a child of God is an individual mat- ter. Jesus Christ “came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of man, but of God” John 1:11-13). Paul explained the process in Galatians 3:26, 27 as follows: “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”

We do not enter the family of God by a physical birth but by “being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever” (1 Pet. 1:23). The individual who believes in Jesus Christ has the power or right to become a child of God. When his faith is exercised by being baptized into Christ, he becomes a child of God by putting on Christ.

A Child of God Is One Who Is Led by the Spirit of God

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” (Rom. 8:14). It is by means of the word of God that the Spirit leads, hence Jesus said, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5).

There is more to one’s being led by the Spirit than submitting to the gospel by believing and being baptized into Christ. One must continue to walk by the Spirit. “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh” (Gal. 5:16). “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (Gal. 5:25). To become a child of God one must follow the directions of the Spirit in God’s word, and the true child of God walks by the Spirit. Being led by the Spirit of God is a continuous process.

A Child of God Is One Who Is an Heir of God

‘The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together” (Rom. 8:16, 17). An “heir” is a person who is bequeathed something; he has an inheritance. The heavenly Father provides for his children “an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven” for them (1 Pet. 1:3, 4).

The inheritance of the saints is made available in Christ (Eph. 1:11). After Paul explains that we are children of God by faith when we are baptized into Christ, he states, “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Gal. 3:29). What a privilege it is to be considered as sons! “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ” (Gal. 4:6, 7).

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God . . . Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is (1 John 3:1, 2).

A Child of God Is One Who Partakes of the Character of God

“In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother” (1 John 3:10). “For whosoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4).

God expects his children to be holy. After John mentioned the exceptional love by which we can be called the sons of God and have the hope of seeing him as he is, these words were penned: “And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure” (1 John 3:3).

Peter wrote along this same line: “As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy” (1 Pet. 1:14-16).

The conduct and character of a Christian indicate his spiritual parentage. If one’s life is cumbered with sin, rebellion, and impurity, his claim of being a child of God will not be taken seriously. The true child of God walks in the light and confesses his sins (1 John 1:7, 9), thereby being cleansed of unrighteousness. In his first epistle, John sets forth a number of ways in which one may test himself as to the genuineness of his claim that he is a child of God. When professing Christians are no different from the world except in church affiliation, they are not children of God. To use the language of Jesus, “By their fruits ye shall know them.”

By Mike Willis

There is no one who serves God who does not face trials, tribulations, adversities, and other things that tempt him to throw up his hands and quit. That is common to Christians and, for that reason, there are numerous Scriptures to encourage us not to become discouraged and disheartened. Paul exhorted, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Gal. 6:9). Sometimes it helps us to be reminded of those things that make serving God worthwhile. Consider some of these things that Christ gives us:

1. A hope of heaven. On several occasions, the Lord described to us what he has prepared for us in heaven.

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son (Rev. 21:1-7).

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also (John 14:1-3).

The hope that one has enables him to endure the horrible burdens of life. The Proverbs speak of how one without hope has trouble perservering.

Prov. 12:25 — “Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop . . .” Prov. 15:13 — “A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.”

Prov. 18:14 — “The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?”

We think of some faithful men who endured, such as Job. Their hope sustained them. Job wrote, “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me” (Job 19:25-27).

2. Forgiveness of sins as a present possession. How could one look at himself in the mirror without having forgiveness of his sins? More than any other person he is aware of his failures, his transgressions, the pain he has caused others, his innermost thoughts that are not always pure, the words he has spoken in anger, the off color jokes he has told and laughed at, and other failures in his life. He is fully aware of his failures and knows by experience what Paul so ably expressed,

I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. But in fact it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me (Rom. 7:15-20, NRSV).

How blessed a sinner is to know that his sins are forgiven and that he has peace with God. Christ is the expression of God’s grace, his undeserved and unmerited kindness toward mankind. The Father gave his Son as an atonement for sin that men could be saved from their transgressions and iniquities. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:8-9).

Salvation from one’s sins gives the sinner a release from his guilty conscience. Paul described this peace as that “which passeth all understanding” and which is able to “keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:7). Through Christ we who once were alienated from God can be at peace with him (Eph. 2:14). The beautiful message of Christianity is that it is a redemptive system. Regardless of what you have done in the past, you can be forgiven and have newness of life. Paul wrote, “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:3-4).

3. A brotherhood of Christians. Christians are part of a family, the family of God. What a blessing we have to be called the children of God. John wrote, “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not” (1 John 3:1). Everywhere God has a son, I have a brother. How blessed one is to be a part of the family of God.

God’s children are lovely and loving people caring for one another’s needs. Paul described how God’s children should act toward one another when he compared the church to a physical body: “. . . the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it” (1 Cor. 12:25-26).

Sometimes the brotherly affection for each other is most apparent in the hour of adversity. I have watched how Christians rally to the support of those who are hurting. I was so proud of my brethren who raised over $400,000 last year to help their Filipino brethren who were destitute, even though most of us would not know by face any one of these brethren. I watch how Christians minister to one another when the call of death arrives. Christians are generally ready to assist the family through the suffering the family endures as it awaits that final hour. Indeed, I am honored to be associated with the best people in the world in being a part of the family of God.

4. Purpose for living. Christianity gives us direction in life, helping us to sort out what is most important and what is least important. In a culture in which men are tempted to become consumed by recreational activities because of our abundance of leisure time, we need to remember that life’s purpose is not self-gratification, as the hedonists might teach us. In an age when one might think that life’s purpose is the accumulation of things (as illustrated in the game of monopoly — he who has the most at the end wins), we need to remember that these things will be left behind when we hear the call of death and then whose shall they be (Luke 12:15-21)? What is life’s true purpose? Here was Solomon’s conclusion: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil” (Eccl. 12:13-14).

5. Hope for tomorrow. Everyone goes through dark and gloomy times in his life. One has reminded us, “I don’t know what the future holds, but I know who holds the future.” Whatever comes to me will come from a God who truly and dearly loves me. Jesus said, “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” (Matt. 7:11). Recognizing God’s providence, I know that there is hope for tomorrow. “For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning” (Ps. 30:5). In one of Bill Gaither’s songs is this line: “Hold on my child, The darkest hour means dawn is just in sight.”

6. Strength to endure. Paul reminded us that through the strength of the Lord, he had the ability to endure his suffering and remain faithful to his God. So can we. His inspiring words are worthy of our meditation: “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me”  (Phil.

4:11-13).

Conclusion

As we face life’s trials, let’s try to keep focused on what truly is important in life. There is so much reason to have.