THE KEY OF CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINE

Sermon by Rev. Steven R. Key

L.D. 31, Q & A 85

Scripture: I Corinthians 5

Last week we began our consideration of the keys of the kingdom of heaven, the truth of which is set forth in L.D. 31 of our Heidelberg Catechism. And we focused, as you recall, on the key power of gospel preaching. From Titus 1 and Revelation, chapter 3:7ff, we called attention to the truth that the preaching of the gospel which is according to the command of Christ is unsurpassably effective. The church which is truly concerned with the salvation of sinners and the gathering of the elect from all nations has only to obey the command of Christ to preach the Word, with all that that implies. That preaching, as the Catechism pointed out so clearly, is a promiscuous proclamation of the gospel, but a proclamation which is also particular in its contents. On the one hand, it is proclaimed and publicly testified to all and every believer, that, whenever they receive the promise of the gospel by a true faith, all their sins are really forgiven them of God, for the sake of Christ's merits. But that is not the only content to faithful preaching of the Word. On the contrary, it must also be declared and testified to all unbelievers, and such as do not sincerely repent, that they stand exposed to the wrath of God, and eternal condemnation, so long as they are unconverted: according to which testimony of the gospel, God will judge them, both in this, and in the life to come.

Such preaching is effective in the consciousness of every hearer, whether he or she be a believer or an unbeliever. It is such an effective key power, because Christ is the One Who confronts us through the faithful preaching of the Holy Scriptures. It is Christ Who speaks His promise to all who believe. It is Christ Who by His grace draws His elect from their rebellious and disobedient way and calls them powerfully to repent and believe, opening to them the kingdom of heaven. It is also Christ Who closes the door of the kingdom, revealing the wickedness and hardness of heart in those who refuse to repent. It follows, therefore, that the preaching of the gospel is an effective key when it comes to maintaining the purity of the church. There are those whose lives are messed up and who continue to walk in sin, who reach a point where they cannot stand to hear that kind of faithful preaching. When you hear Christ Himself, through His Word, condemning you for your ungodly walk of life, you likely are going to tire of it and find something else to do rather than attending the worship services. And that has undoubtedly contributed to members leaving us also in the past. Them we can only commit to God's righteous judgment, and pray that in His good time He will return them to the fellowship of this flock, if indeed they are His elect, but wayward, children.

But, you see, the key of the preaching of the gospel, although being absolutely effective upon the consciousness of the hearer, does not rid the church of all unrepentant and unbelieving sinners. Just as an impenitent child can stiffen his jaw and take the rebuke of his parent, without turning his back and going the other way, so there are those in the realm of the church who have the boldness to harden their hearts and to take Christ's condemnation, as if it really meant nothing. They refuse to hear Christ, instead saying, "Why should we listen to this man?" You have others who stay in the church because in their social sphere it is acceptable to attend church at least semi-regularly. They attend only for reasons pertaining to their environment, or for family's sake. And at the same time they continue to walk in the ways of the world and have no desire to turn from their evil ways.

Toward such Christ has instituted in His church another key, a key used in connection with the preaching of the Word, a key just as effective and just as binding as the Word of Christ's voice — the key of Christian discipline. Furthermore, besides the unconverted within the church, it is also the case that sin which we bear in ourselves sometimes breaks out. And as is clear not only in I Corinthians 5, but in many other passages, it is the duty of every living church to take action against sin when it manifests itself openly within its realm. Sin must not be seen in our midst without it coming into rebuke and judgment. "The Holy One is in the midst of thee," said Jehovah to Israel through His prophet Hosea. There is, therefore, in the midst of every church where the Holy One lives, and which is not a church only in name, a protest and reaction against all impenitent wickedness. This reaction is Christian discipline, the work of the Holy Spirit — a work which begins with you as members of the congregation and which becomes also the work of the elders which God has ordained to maintain the holiness and good order of His church. We consider then:

THE KEY OF CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINE

I. ITS FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE

II. ITS PROPER EXERCISE

III. ITS BLESSED FRUIT

I. THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE OF THE KEY OF CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINE IS THAT IT BE DONE ACCORDING TO THE COMMAND OF CHRIST.

THAT SCRIPTURAL TRUTH IS SET FORTH IN Q & A 85: "HOW IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN SHUT AND OPENED BY CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINE? THUS: WHEN ACCORDING TO THE COMMAND OF CHRIST...AND SO ON.

The key power of Christian discipline is founded solely and exclusively upon the Word of God. That must be emphasized not only with respect to the proper exercise of Christian discipline, but first of all in order that Christian discipline be exercised at all within the church. The key of discipline is not easy to use. The vast majority of churches today find the concept of church discipline so difficult to handle, that they have no place for it. In fact, they will argue against the use of discipline, calling attention with horror to the possibility that such action will drive a person out of the church. The idea of church discipline has declined to the point where it is largely confined to removing from the membership rolls of a church those persons who never attend. And we have seen more than once church members who think so little of church discipline and church membership, that at the first call to repentance they will walk out and join another church body where they stand no fear of being disciplined with the Word of Christ. For all this, we must be reminded of the fact that Christian discipline, including that which is exercised by the officebearers of the church, is thoroughly biblical and its exercise is commanded by Christ Himself.

Recognition of God's holiness and Scripture's authority is the basis for all Christian discipline, in the home or the church. That is seen also in our confessions. Besides this Lord's Day of our Heidelberg Catechism, the Belgic Confession also speaks in Article 32 of the order and discipline of the church. Actually, the idea of church discipline was introduced in Article 30, where reference was made to the government and offices of the church. There it is said that by means of the offices Christ has ordained, the true religion may be preserved and likewise transgressors punished and restrained by spiritual means. But in Article 32 we read this: "we believe, though it is useful and beneficial, that those, who are rulers of the Church, institute and establish certain ordinances among themselves for maintaining the body of the Church; yet they ought studiously to take care, that they do not depart from those things which Christ, our only Master, hath instituted. And therefore, we reject all human inventions, and all laws, which man would introduce into the worship of God, thereby to bind and compet the conscience in any manner whatsoever. Therefore we admit only of that which tends to nourish and preserve concord, and unity, and to keep all men in obedience to God. For this purpose, excommunication or church discipline is requisite, with the several circumstances belonging to it (and the reference there is to Matthew 18), according to the Word of God."

Furthermore, when we speak of Scripture being the foundation for all Christian discipline, we must not neglect the truth that Christian discipline must be applied not only to those who walk ungodly, but even more especially to those who teach false doctrine. Our own church order emphasizes that in the section on Christian discipline. But very emphatically does Scripture call the church to discipline those who teach false doctrine. That also has gone by the wayside today. The enemies of the church suck in great numbers with their false teaching and flesh-appealing ideas. It is appalling to see heretics go undisciplined! And it is appalling exactly because the name of our God is being attacked and blasphemed! There is nothing more heinous in the sight of God, than a man who leads the sheep of Christ astray. And if you question that, then you ought to read the caustic condemnation Jesus speaks to such in Matthew 23. It would have been better for such, if they had never been born.

When a church has apostatized so far as to let heretics go unpunished even after protests and appeals by God-fearing members, then those true believers have no other option than to leave that apostatizing church and to worship in a church that maintains the key power of Christian discipline and the truth of the Scriptures. For we read in Revelation 2, when the church at Pergamus failed to discipline those who taught false doctrine, He warned them, "Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth." And when Christ comes and fights against a church institute, you are wise if you are already gone to a church that maintains the holiness of His name. So also Paul writes to Titus in Titus 3:10,11: "A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject; Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself." We must reject such! For if we cling to them, we place ourselves under their condemnation. "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils," writes the Apostle in I Timothy 4. "Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee."

IN THE SECOND PLACE CONCERNING THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE OF CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINE, ITS AIM, ACCORDING TO SCRIPTURE, IS BOTH THE PURITY AND HONOR OF THE CHURCH, AS WELL AS THE SALVATION OF THE INDIVIDUAL INVOLVED.

With that in mind, we see that the spiritual power of Christian discipline is distinct and separated from the right of the sword exercised by the civil authorities. The calling of the ruling government is to preserve order in society. Its aim is not the purity and honor of the church, nor the salvation of the criminal. God has instituted human government for one purpose, namely, to punish the evil-doer and to reward the good. The church must not enter into the area of the civil magistrate in legal matters, either. Just a few years ago, a member of a particular Reformed church (which I will not name) was arrested for murder, a murder which was committed in the heat of anger and which crime he did not deny. The church received his confession of sin, but then entered the courts to try to obtain for their member the lightest sentence possible. They were dead wrong.

Never may the church interfere with the punishments of the civil courts. In fact, it was the church's calling in that connection, as difficult as it may seem, to support the precepts of God's Word and to call for the civil magistrate to execute the death penalty in that case. As Christian discipline is entirely spiritual in character, it exempts no one from paying the penalty demanded by the laws of the land. If your child is guilty of law-breaking, your one and only concern must be his salvation from the bondage of Satan. You must allow the civil judge to execute the sentence and you must allow the punishment to run its course. For we also must give all our support as Christians to the authorities which God has ordained.

The goal of Christian discipline, however, is not that of punishment. Even when the sinner continues in impenitence, and steps must be taken to announce his sin and ultimately his name, even to excommunicate him, our purpose is never to punish him. The goal of Christian discipline is his salvation, even through that deep, dark, but thoroughly scriptural way. There is also distinction are far as the objects of discipline are concerned. The sword power of the civil magistrate extends to all its citizens. Although there are national boundaries and different forms of government, the whole human race is subject to the civil authority God has placed over them. And the discipline of that civil magistrate can only be applied to outward violations of the law. It is quite different with respect to Christian discipline. The discipline that takes place within the realm of the church extends only to those who are members of the church. That is because Christian discipline is a spiritual activity exercised in the spiritual realm. The discipline exercised in the church takes place not merely for outward violations of the law of God. No sinner is disciplined for the outward act of his or her sin. Then every one of us would constantly be under the discipline of the church. Rather, the sinner is disciplined for refusing to repent of that particular sin. The church member who steals or commits adultery or idolatry is not brought to the point of being cast out of the church just for that particular sin. He is disciplined and ultimately cast out only because of his refusal to repent of that sin, to turn from his iniquity. That brings us once again to that other purpose of discipline, namely, to preserve the purity and honor of Christ's church.

When all is said and done, it will be seen that the discipline exercised by the church is far more weighty and powerful than that exercised by the state.

In the first place, the church that is living out of the Scriptures and close to her heavenly Father will at the same time recognize sin in her midst. Sin committed in the midst of the congregation by one or more of her members brings dishonor to the name of God and makes a mockery of the truth maintained by His Church. The world punishes larcenies and assaults; but will tolerate whoredom and adultery, drunkenness and blaspheming the name of God, as if all these sins are quite allowable. As church, however, let us remember what God thinks of those sins.

So Paul would remind the church at Corinth in I Corinthians 5. An unrepentant sinner, involved in a sin which was abominable even in the eyes of the heathen, was being allowed to live in his sin while at the same time maintaining membership in the church at Corinth. The problem at Corinth was that the church there was lifted up in pride. It was not that they boasted of the terrible sin that was being committed in their midst. They probably even tried to cover it up. But they were so self-centered, they had no consciousness of God's presence and of God's holiness. They had failed to see that they had no ground for pride in their doctrine, no ground for pride in their salvation, no ground for pride in anything! There is never reason for pride, beloved, not in our churches either. And the Apostle would take them down from their pedestal by a sharp rebuke for their failure to exercise Christian discipline. The church is the temple of God, the tabernacle of His holiness. We may never wink at sin in our midst. The Apostle writes, "And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you" (vs. 2).

Sin must be recognized for the horror that it is! That must be true in your own life and with respect to your own sins. The same for me. And if we are living out of the Scriptures — and the church at Corinth was not; which is why the sharp rebuke of the Apostle — then we ought to mourn over our own sins and those of our brothers and sisters. Should sin tear at the fabric of the church's life, we ought to be lifting up one voice in humiliation and mourning, like a family for the death of one of its members. And in response to the grief and prayer of the church to remove sin from its midst, God will remove it either by working repentance, or by striking the guilty one. He does so, not by some physical execution or external judgment — although there may be that connected with a given sin; but He does so by His divinely ordained key power of Christian discipline.

And therefore, the discipline exercised by the church is far more weighty and powerful than that exercised by the state because it is Christ Himself Who exercises Christian discipline with sovereign purpose and design and by the sword of His all-powerful Word. The church requires no physical force in the execution of Christian discipline. Christ gives us not sword power, but the power of His Word. As Paul writes in II Corinthians 10:4-6: "(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having a readiness to revenge all disobedience...." You see, the state can only exercise temporal punishment. It can sentence a man to life behind bars. It can even execute a man, ending his earthly existence. But the civil authorities have no jurisdiction over a man's soul. Christ does. And with the discipline of His Word He works powerfully, turning to repentance those whom He will, and hardening unto damnation the reprobate in the way of their sin.

II. THE PROPER EXERCISE OF CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINE AND THE WAY IN WHICH CHRIST USES THIS KEY POWER IS SET FORTH CLEARLY IN OUR CATECHISM.

"HOW IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN SHUT AND OPENED BY CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINE? THUS: WHEN ACCORDING TO THE COMMAND OF CHRIST, THOSE, WHO UNDER THE NAME OF CHRISTIANS, MAINTAIN DOCTRINES OR PRACTICES INCONSISTENT THEREWITH, AND WILL NOT, AFTER HAVING BEEN OFTEN BROTHERLY ADMONISHED, RENOUNCE THEIR ERRORS AND WICKED COURSE OF LIFE, ARE COMPLAINED OF TO THE CHURCH, OR TO THOSE WHO ARE THEREUNTO APPOINTED BY THE CHURCH; AND IF THEY DESPISE THEIR ADMONITION, ARE BY THEM FORBIDDEN THE USE OF THE SACRAMENTS; WHEREBY THEY ARE EXCLUDED FROM THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH, AND BY GOD HIMSELF FROM THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST; AND WHEN THEY PROMISE AND SHOW REAL AMENDMENT, ARE AGAIN RECEIVED AS MEMBERS OF CHRIST AND HIS CHURCH."

Once again, the proper exercise of Christian discipline takes place only according to the command of Christ. That means, in the first place, that you and I have no option when it comes to that brother or sister we see walking in sin. To visit that erring brother to to talk to him is not left to our own desire. It is a command of Christ. If you see a brother or sister walking in sin, in the way of God's condemnation and judgment, and you fail to go to him or to her, you yourself walk the way of disobedience. For Christ says in Matthew 18:15, "if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone." The church at Corinth had failed in their calling with respect to that man in their midst who was living in fornication. Individually, those who knew first had failed to confront him concerning his sin. That sin continued and became public. And even the officebearers of the church would not exercise Christian discipline toward that church member. Paul writes, therefore, "Put away from among yourselves that wicked person." To put one outside the church comes only after every attempt in the way of Matthew 18 fails, and the sinner continues in his sin, even rejecting the admonition of Christ's servants.

Let us consider briefly the procedure according to Scripture.

With sins which are not general public knowledge we must follow the rule set forth by Jesus in Matthew 18. Let's put you on the receiving end of such an admonition. What blessedness is yours, if, when you have been quietly and privately reproved by your brother or sister, you immediately confess and forsake your sin. For you shall obtain mercy. The angels in heaven shall immediately rejoice over you. But if to save face you start denying your sin or downplaying it, if you try to clear yourself by lying, then you fall deeper and deeper into your misery. If you will not hear your one brother, he will return with one or two more. If you then heed their admonitions and confess your sin in true sorrow of heart before the face of the Holy One, all is well. For He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

But if you still persist in your impenitence, refusing to confess and forsake your sin, your brother is called to tell it to the church. And by the church is meant the consistory, the elders, to whom Christ has given the charge to rule over His house and to guard His holiness. The elders will then come to you with the love of Christ in their hearts and the longing to see you back in the fold, walking the way to heaven. They will come to you bearing the only authority they have, the Word of God. And if you receive that Word, and repent of your sins, they will rejoice with exceeding great joy, knowing they have gained a brother or sister to journey with them to the cross.

If, however, you remain obstinate in your sin, the consistory, according to the calling of Christ will forbid you to partake of the Lord's Supper. After still more admonitions and opportunities for repentance, an announcement follows to the congregation, that a member of the congregation is under censure for refusing to repent of whatever sin, and urging the congregation to pray for the conversion of the transgressor. Your name is not mentioned at that time, so that no more of the congregation will know that it is you, and that to make the way of repentance and conversion easier for you. For even then, if you confess and forsake your sin, the matter will be kept secret, and the consistory will rejoice with the angels in heaven.

If you still remain obstinate, the consistory will bring your case to the Classis. That is one of the beauties of Reformed church government. Whenever a case like that is brought to Classis, a great deal of time is spent making sure that the consistory has done its work thoroughly and with great care. And if Classis deems that not enough has been done, the consistory will be told to carry on in its attempts to lead you back to Christ's sheepfold. But if Classis sees that all effort has been made to carry out Christian discipline according to the command of Christ, it will consent to the final execution of that discipline. Your full name and sin shall be publicly announced to the congregation.

And then, if the prayers of the church and all the brotherly admonitions do not avail, and you refuse to leave your life of sin, you finally are excluded from the kingdom of Christ. That is done with the reading of the Form for Excommunication. I hope I never have to read that Form here, beloved. That Form is beautifully written and powerful in its application. But the cause is so grievous it sends chills down my spine. But you must understand also this: When you continue in your sin, and refuse to let the elders work with you, requesting instead your membership papers and walking your own way, you had better understand that you effectly cut yourself off from the body of Christ. You excommunicate yourself, showing contempt for Christ's church and the offices He has ordained. To you we may say only one thing, and we say it with all urgency: "Repent and believe; for it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."

FURTHERMORE, TO CARRY OUT PROPERLY THE EXERCISE OF CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINE ACCORDING TO THE COMMAND OF CHRIST, WE MUST WELL UNDERSTAND OURSELVES AND OUR OWN SINS AND WEAKNESSES. I SAY THAT FOR A REASON.

If a person is placed under the yoke of discipline, we ought not to think it strange if he or she rebels with outrage and attempts to hinder its progress. That reaction proceeds from the ingratitude of the sinful heart, which has always shown itself, and always will, by drawing back when God comes near, and even in kicking against Him, when He would put His yoke upon them. We must not think it new, then, if we meet with contradiction when we attempt to lead someone back to the ways of Jehovah and the pure worship of God. Besides, we have the clear announcement of our Lord Jesus, Who tells us that He has brought along a sword with His gospel. But for all that, let us never lord it over such a person. Let us recognize that we are just as rebellious, and but for the grace of God we would be in the same position or worse.

Always those who are called to exercise discipline — and let me emphasize once again, the whole congregation is called to maintain and exercise Christian discipline — always we must take care as to the spirit in which we carry out that work. Even when we meet with rebellion, our reaction must be one of love. The purpose of Christian discipline is to save. We uphold the truth of God and the honor of His holy name. But our action must be motivated by the desire to do all in our power to save those members who in doctrine or life have drifted away. And it is certainly possible to be forthright and even forceful while at the same time showing love to that wayward member. We must consciously fight against all haughtiness, and express ourselves in the spirit of love and meekness, being mindful at all times of the truth, "Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall."

III. IN THIS WAY WILL THE KEY POWER OF CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINE REVEAL A BLESSED FRUIT.

IN THE FIRST PLACE, THE HONOR OF GOD'S NAME WILL BE MAINTAINED AND THE CHURCH WILL BE PURIFIED OF AN UNCLEAN ELEMENT.

For the good of the church is the impenitent sinner barred from the church. As Paul writes, a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. If ungodly members remain in the church undisciplined, they will destroy the congregation like a deadly cancer. Christian discipline exerts a purifying effect upon the church. That is true not only of that discipline exercised towards a member walking in a gross sin. That is true in that Christian discipline exercised by you toward me and vice versa. How often do we not read in the epistles, e.g., that we must admonish one another, exhort one another, encourage one another, reprove one another. We are to be always disciplining one another, beloved, leading each other and assisting one another on the way to heavenly glory. May the Lord so knit us together, that we may grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

BUT WE MUST NOT OVERLOOK THE POSSIBILITY OF A BLESSED FRUIT SEEN IN THE CONVERSION OF A BROTHER OR SISTER WHO ONCE WAS LOST, BUT NOW IS FOUND.

The Apostle spoke of delivering the impenitent unto Satan. To deliver over to Satan is to expel from Christ's kingdom and to relegate to the spiritual kingdom of Satan. By his sin and impenitence this sinner in Corinth had placed himself in Satan's power. He merely deceived himself and others into thinking that he was a Christian because he had wrongfully been allowed to continue his connection with the church. When that outward connection ceases by the command of the Apostle, he and all the members of the church in Corinth know that the man is under Satan and not under Christ. That is the effect of excommunication. For if one does not belong to Christ, it stands to reason that he belongs to Satan in the spiritual-ethical sense.

But our desire is always that his deliverance unto Satan work for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Some sinners must hit the depths before they see the light of God's magnificent grace. God will let His elect go only so far. Although a reprobate will never be saved, not one of God's own can be lost. That is why immediately following the Form for Excommunication, we have a form for the readmittance of the sinner who repents. When one who was lost is found, and returns to the sheepfold, there shall be tears of rejoicing, rejoicing even with the angels in heaven! And we who understand our own sins and miseries, and the wonderful salvation which is ours in Christ Jesus, will reach out our arms and say, "Welcome home, brother, sister. Welcome home."

Amen.

Preaching: Randolph PRC 7/13/97 (am)
===========================
Return to the Heidelberg Catechism Sermons page
Return to the Reformed Literature page
Return to the Reformed Sovereign Grace Literature Home Page