APOSTOLIC DISCIPLINE RESTORED TO THE CHURCH.
11 July 2004 Ian Johnson Papatoetoe Elim Church.
THE MAN WHO DIDNT WANT TO GO TO CHURCH
I am reminded of a story about a person who didn’t want to go to Church. He told his mother this and she told him that he had to go. "But mom, they don’t like me there." His mother said, "There are a lot of people who like you, now you have to go." "But mom, it’s too hot in the church." His mother replied "We’ll sit by a window, now we have to go." "But mom, I’m too tired, I watched the late show last night." His mother replied "It’s only for an hour and after that I’ll let you sleep all afternoon." "But mom,..." and this time his mother wouldn’t let him finish. "Son you have to go," she said. "You’re the minister!"
In our lives there are a lot of things we don’t like to do. Yet we have to do them because we are the only ones uniquely qualified to do that particular task. The same is true with Church Discipline. No one likes going through the process. We are dealing with friends and in some cases even relatives,
Yet the Scriptures state that we as Christians are the only ones who can use this extreme measure in an attempt to restore a brother or sister back to their relationship with the Lord.
It’s also true that very few people like to be told they are accountable and will be held responsible for anything in society today. We can accept it in the workplace because there is remuneration for the job that we do. But outside the workplace, we have a difficult time when someone tells us that we have to accept additional accountability and responsibility, especially when because of a stand we take, we have no alternative.
Yet this is exactly the position that as a Christian we find ourselves in. As a Christian our lives are not our own anymore
2 Corinthians 5:14-15
14 Whatever we do, it is because Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for everyone, we also believe that we have all died to the old life we used to live. 15 He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live to please themselves. Instead, they will live to please Christ, who died and was raised for them.
Galatians 2:20
I myself no longer live, but Christ lives in me. So I live my life in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
These passages tell us that as Christians our lives are no longer ours to live as we chose. We live our lives according to the Word of God and that Word includes accepting the responsibility and accountability to administer Church Discipline should it be needed.
In the 1500’s John Calvin wrote:
“What in the world will happen if every man be allowed to do as they please?”
Discipline can be described as a bridle to reign in those who conspire against good doctrine. Or as a rod, to gently bring correction.
A bridle is used to guide a strong will in the right direction. Not to destroy the will and control.
A Rod is used to bring direction but not to control
This is why in this day and age the church is afraid to exercise discipline. Because in the 80’s discipline was abused. But we must not throw the baby out with the bath water.
What is discipline? ...To understand.. To turn Godly teaching into Godly conduct.
Training from God to do the right thing and turning from the wrong thing.
Look at:
Matthew 16:18-20
Now I say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. 19 And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you lock on earth will be locked in heaven, and whatever you open on earth will be opened in heaven.”
Jesus gave the keys not to one man but to the Church...
He simply said.. “I am the rock and your faith in me shall be on the rock; and I will give you the keys to permit or forbid”
God is calling us to this kind of apostolic authority again
The degree we live under Gods discipline is the level of Gods authority we have.
We ask ourselves why? Are things so bad in this country? The answer is simple. We the church, have not yielded to the discipline of God. The world reflects the Church. If the Church is out of order then the world is out of order.
We need to recognize.
We are called to Permit or Forbid. But unless we ourselves are under this kind of discipline how can we exercise it in others?
1) By the Holy Ghost we are leaders
2) Leaders are to warn house to house
3) We must put into place an apostolic leadership team. (Discipline will be out of balance otherwise. We must have the five fold gifts in action
4) Half of discipline is forbidding half is permitting.
5) Jesus is the head Jesus appoints leaders.
The five fold brings balance
Eyes ~Prophetic
Ears ~Teaching
Mouth ~Evangelist
Nose ~Pastor
Brain ~Apostle
Neck ~Administration.. Practical application.
Jesus demonstrated time and time again how to discipline in order to bring change.
1) Woman caught in Adultery
2) Woman at the well
3) Rich young ruler
4) Healing on the Sabbath
What was the response of the people?
Bad reaction.. The religious Spirit
Good reaction.. Repentance, The humble spirit.
Jesus taught us the right way to bring discipline: using the principles we have been discussing.
Matthew 18:15-20
“If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the fault. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. 16 But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. 17 If that person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. If the church decides you are right, but the other person won’t accept it, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector. 18 I tell you this: Whatever you prohibit on earth is prohibited in heaven, and whatever you allow on earth is allowed in heaven.
19 “I also tell you this: If two of you agree down here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. 20 For where two or three gather together because they are mine, I am there among them.”
We must take action:
In recent times there has been wrong discipline in the church and for this we as leaders must take responsibility
1) Violent discipline (Control not love)
2) Indulgent discipline ( Politically correct) Fear of man
3) Absent discipline (bury or head)
Because of wrong do we not discipline at all? God forbid.
The Bible warns of the destructiveness nature of some sins when they take root in a church.
See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. Hebrews 12:15 (NIV)
Paul addressed a situation in the Corinthians church that threatened the integrity of the church.
It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that does not occur even among pagans: A man has his Father’s wife. And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have been filled with grief and have put out of your fellowship the man who did this? 1 Corinthians 5:1-2 (NIV
Some folks chop Matt 18 verse 19 out of context and make it say God will give you anything if you can get at least two people to agree and pray about it. That’s not true. These verses must be taken in context. In matters of church discipline, Christ promises his power and presence. He gives us keener insight and wisdom in what to do when we take him at his word and act in obedience.
That power and presence is given for our comfort in a difficult task. Even more, when we act like God’s Community and not polite stranger at the country club, God more fully provides what is needed for the one who’s gone astray to find repentance, forgiveness and healing.
God has called us to bring obedience in the house so that Miracles can flow!
We have to have faith in the church to be the church.
We are not taking matters to the church for gossip’s sake, nor do we take a matter to the church in the hopes of turning the people against one that has fallen.
We turn the matter over to the church in an open forum to make sure that we have conducted a through investigation, and that we have lived up to our responsibilities to the fallen individual and to God. We conduct the matter in open forum to make sure that the church realizes that there is no other option but the action taken. We conduct the matter in open forum to give the church the final say, as Matthew 18:17 states we are to "tell it to the church". We take it to the church for the church’s forgiveness of the individual and once that forgiveness is given, then the church has dealt with that matter and it may never be brought up again.
We are entering a time in the Church where we will have to work shoulder to shoulder in order survive the onslaught of the enemy. The Church is an army and armies win wars because of discipline.
