Church discipline

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Church discipline is the practice of censuring church members when they are perceived to have sinned in hope that the offender will repent and be reconciled to God and the church. It is also intended to protect other church members from the influence of sin. Excommunication is usually considered a last resort if a person does not repent of their sin.

Catholic Church discipline

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith is the oldest of the nine congregations of the Roman Curia. Among the most active of these major Curial departments, it oversees Catholic doctrine. The CDF is the modern name for what used to be the Holy Office of the Inquisition.

According to Article 48 of the Apostolic Constitution on the Roman Curia, Pastor Bonus, promulgated by Pope John Paul II on June 28, 1988: "the duty proper to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith is to promote and safeguard the doctrine on the faith and morals throughout the Catholic world: for this reason everything which in any way touches such matter falls within its competence."

The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments is the congregation of the Roman Curia that handles most affairs relating to liturgical practices of the Latin Catholic Church as distinct from the Eastern Catholic Churches and also some technical matters relating to the Sacraments.

In some contexts, church discipline may refer to the rules governing an ecclesiastical order, such as priests or monks, such as clerical celibacy.

Protestant Church discipline

Along with preaching and proper administration of the sacraments, Protestants during the Reformation considered it one of the marks of a true church. Church discipline is mentioned several times in the Bible

In I Corinthians 5 and other passages, the Bible teaches that sin if not dealt with in a congregation can contaminate other members of the body of Christ, as leaven spreads through bread. This was an important doctrine in the development of different branches of the Plymouth Brethren movement. It is also an important topic of discussion in many churches today.

The Westminster Confession of Faith sees the three steps of church discipline as being "admonition", "suspension from the sacrament of the Lord's Supper for a season" and then finally excommunication.

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 Luke expresses his message for all people of all nations. Jesus is Savior all mankind not only of the Jews as in Matthew. Luke traces Christ to Adam ( not to Abraham as in Matthew) father of all mankind. In the Benedictus Zechariah says "a light for Gentiles Matthew says Jesus came for the lost sheep of the house of Israel. In the Dedication or presentation of the child Jesus is the light to the Gentiles. So Gentiles can share in the kingdom too. Luke alone records 70 Disciples for the 70 nations of the world? Matthew records only 12 Apostles for the 12 tribes of Israel. In his missionary Journeys with Apostle Paul, Peter discovered that more Gentiles embraced the Gospel than the proud Jews.

2.Gospel for Gentiles Luke commends Christians to Gentiles. Parable of the Good Samaritan found only in Luke. The 10 lepers that were cleansed and only one return to appreciate Christ and he was a Samaritan. The Centurion's see vantage was healed and he was a non Jew. Jesus was rejected in his own town Nazareth. 3.Gospel of hymns

a) Elizabeth's song of praise to Mary - Hail Mary
b) Mary's Declaration of faith - The magnificat
c) Zechariah's song of praise -(Benedictus) on the day of John' circumcission
d) At the dedication Simeon sang ( Nunc Dimitis). Luke is the only evangelist who records all these songs.
e) The Angels sang the Gloria when Christ was born.

4.Gospel of Thanksgiving and Praise -There are many instances of thanksgiving and praise in this Gospel. The shepherds glorified and praise God after the birth of Christ After Jesus had healed a man with Parlsy he patiently thanks Jesus over and over. The woman with the spirit of infirmity praised and thank God 13:13 The Samaritan leper out of the 10 who were healed returned to thank God. The blind man at Jericho and the centurion at the foot of the cross glorified God (23:47)

5.Gospel of prayer Luke alone records our Lord's Prayers and gives many occasions and parables about prayers. Jesus Prayed

     During his baptism 3:21
     Withdrew very often for prayers 5:16;9:18; 11:1
     Before calling his apostles 6:12
     At his transfiguration 9:28 - 29
     He taught his Disciples the Lord's Prayer 11:1-4
     During the agony in the garden 22:41
     On the cross for his murderers 23:34
     On the cross for himself 23:46

Luke records many parables about prayer

    The friend at midnight
    The Pharisee and the Publican
    The widow and the unjust judge

LESSON:

Perseverance in prayers and humanity in prayers.

6.Gospel of Womanhood 7.Gospel of Contrast 8.Gospel of Angels 9.The Gospel of outcasts and Sympathy 10.Gospel of bereaved and Sorrowful

. (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)

References

Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Ecclesiastical Discipline" . Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
For example in 1 Corinthians 5 and Matthew 15:15–18 and Matthew 18:15–20
Church Discipline, Judgment. Part 1 of 3.Digging in the Word
Westminster Confession of Faith, xxx.4.
Dr. H.L. Wilmington Wilmington's Guide to the Bible P. 715

Misplaced Pages

Catholic Church discipline

Protestant Church discipline

Fundamentalist Corrective Church discipline

See also

References

Further reading