Power Point Show

Scripture Reading: 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15

Part 3

CARRYING OUT CORRECTIVE DISCIPLINE

Intro.

1. Corrective church discipline is a necessary part of helping sinning Christians repent & be saved – 1 Ths. 5:14; 2 Ths. 3:6, 15.

2. Its purpose is basically two-fold: Save the lost & protect the saved.

3. It has a collective element & an individual element. Both must be respected & obeyed / carried out in order for it the discipline to be effective.

I. WHO IS SUBJECT TO CORRECTIVE DISCIPLINE?

A. Every Christian Who Walks Disorderly – 2 Ths. 3:6.

1. ataktos – “out of ranks (often so of soldiers)…deviating from the prescribed order or rule.

-3:6 – Apostolic tradition (teaching from them, doctrine – 2:15).

2. Overtaken in sin & refuse to repent - Gal. 6:1; Jas. 5:19; Matt. 18:17.

3. False teachers – Rom. 16:17-18.

4. Factious – Titus 3:10-11.

II. PRIVATELY KNOWN SIN – Matt. 18:15-20 (Jas. 5:19-20; Gal. 6:1).

A. Sin Between / Against Brethren – 18:15.

B. Individual’s Duty:

1. 18:15 – Go alone & try to resolve - to gain brother (Matt. 5:23-25).

2. 18:16 – Take one or two others with you to address & resolve.

C. Church’s Duty – 18:17.

1. Tell the church so all can try to win the soul.

2. If refused – Apply the final action of discipline (withdraw, mark).

III. PUBLICLY KNOWN SIN.

A. Moral Sins – 1 Cor. 5:1-5.

1. Common knowledge – 5:1 (“reported”).

2. No one, two or three, then church procedure here – 5:3, 4-5.

B. Doctrinal Errors – Rom. 16:17-18.

1. Mark (skopeo) – “note” (NKJV); “to look at, observe, contemplate; to mark” (Thayer, 579) “to fix one’s eyes upon, direct one’s attention to, any one” (Online Bible Greek Lexicon).

2. Avoid (ekklino) – “to turn (one’s self) away, to turn away from, keep aloof from one’s society” (Online Bible Greek Lexicon).

C. Divisive (factious) Behavior – Titus 3:10-11.

-(paraiteomai) – “Refuse” (ASV); “decline…to shun, avoid” (OBGL).

D. Every Christian Who Walks Disorderly – 2 Ths. 3:6, 14-15.

1. Withdraw (stello) – “to remove one’s self, withdraw one’s self, to depart; to abstain from familiar intercourse with one” (OBGL).

2. Note (semeioo) – “to mark, to note, distinguish by marking; to mark or note for one’s self” (OBGL).

E. New Testament Examples:

1. 1 Cor. 5:3-5 – In congregational gathering – deliver to Satan.

2. Gal. 2:11-14 – Immediate, public resistance of the sin. (By the individual saint without congregational action! cf. 1 Tim. 5:20)

3. 1 Tim. 1:19-20 – Delivered to Satan (charges & persons stated publicly). - cf. 2 Tim. 2:17-18; 4:14-15

IV. CONGREGATIONAL ACTION.

A. Publicly Identify the Disorderly Christian, Noting His Sin –1 Cor. 5:4-5.

1. The “marking” or “noting” of the Christian who is walking in sin, as well as the false teacher whose doctrine is divisive, deceitful & destructive to faith (1 Tim. 1:20).

V. INDIVIDUAL ACTION.

A. Remove Social Interaction:

1. “Keep no company with” – 1 Cor. 5:11.

2. “Put away from yourselves that wicked person” – 1 Cor. 5:13.

3. “Withdraw yourselves” – 2 Ths. 3:6, 14.

B. Continue to Warn the Erring Christian – 2 Ths. 3:15.

-Have no fellowship with, but reprove – cf. 2 Tim. 3:5 (Eph. 5:11; 2 Jno. 10-11).

VI. WHEN CORRECTIVE DISCIPLINE IS NOT APPLIED.

A. Without Congregational Action, Sin Infiltrates the Church – 1 Cor. 5:6-7 (2).

B. Without Individual Action, no Pressure is Brought to Bear on the Sinner (emboldened to remain as he is) – 2 Cor. 2:6-7.

-Remove something important & valuable to cause sorrow & repentance!

Conclusion

1. When we apply corrective discipline in the way God wants us to, souls will be saved & protected (“peaceable fruit of righteousness” - Heb. 12:11).

2. When we don’t, we fail to obey God, thus sinning against Him! (2 Cor. 2:9)