Church Identity and Perpetuity Part 15

The fourth mark of the Apostolic church was the maintenance of strict discipline. -Hassell 

Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities. -Psalm 141:5 

Every institution, without exception, has some rule of discipline from which the main body will not tolerate deviation. When the rules of membership change, the institution changes. The church was designed to give glory to God and to perpetually maintain her identity within a world full of evil that is opposed to her and her Lord. The discipline of the church describes what is required of her members and how she enforces that standard. Two churches maintaining different standards of discipline cannot be in fellowship and only one that stays consistent with the apostles remains the church.

To expand what is meant by discipline, let’s consider our own physical bodies which provide a great analogy. Our bodies survive in a world full of toxins and pathogens that will kill us if they can. The body is equipped with an immune system to remove the invaders that don’t belong. Discipline is needed to keep that system healthy by exercising and eating the right food. If we just do what feels right in the moment, we will soon become sick. Likewise with the church, the subject of discipline is something that many people would rather skip in the short term, but it’s necessary for the long-term joy and perpetuity of the church of our membership. 

The first and fundamental type of discipline is self-discipline. The church is populated by individuals who love the Lord. When we all make pleasing the Lord our priority in practice, everything else is taken care of. But since no one, except Jesus, is perfect, it’s imperative in the church that we care for each other enough to remind, encourage, forgive, and provoke one another unto love and good works Heb 10:24. "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted." Gal 6:1 

Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh! -Matthew 18:7 

Jesus sets down the basic outline of church discipline in Matthew 18. He is giving a specific procedure to follow in the case of private/personal offenses between members, but let’s notice some preliminary points. The opening of the chapter identifies that it is necessary to become as little children to enter the kingdom, and that whoever offends one such child is cursed. Church discipline is about separating from those that offend the peace of the church. There is also reference to amputation of a hand, foot, and eye which should capture our very somber attention. I believe this analogy is here to prepare us for the reality that excommunication is sometimes necessary for the church. When a member of your physical body has lost its ability to control and remove its own infection, amputation is necessary to prevent your whole body from dying. 

If lax discipline has led to churches dying, eager discipline has done the same. Can you imagine a doctor that recommended amputation for an early or mild infection? You would and should fire that doctor. So too, I think we should remember that excommunication is a last resort after other biblical means of reconciliation have failed and should be done with sorrow and not bitterness. Excommunication that is done in love will be accompanied with sorrow and if the lost member repents, he can and will want to come back. If church discipline is executed with indignation or bitterness, the rest of the body is sick and there will be no desire for restitution in the event of repentance. 

Verses 15-20 of Matthew 18 is what we are commanded to do when one church member offends another. If we neglect this order by ignoring offenses or by skipping steps; we will lose peace. The Apostle Paul was so serious about this procedure that he chastised the church at Corinth for going to law against members of the church in 1Cor 6:1-8. He said that was defrauding the church and despising the wisdom that members of the church have and exercise in subjection to the Law of Christ. In Matthew 18:17, Jesus says if a member neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. After all lawful steps have been taken to be reconciled to your brother, if he neglects to hear the mind of the church, he simply has contempt for the body of Christ and should be excommunicated. Then and only then are we allowed to sue him in a secular court as we would a heathen. 

And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear come on all them that heard these things. Acts 5:5

Now notice an example of church discipline enacted by the Holy Ghost found in the first eleven verses of Acts 5. Ananias and Sapphira, his wife, pretended to donate the entire proceeds of a sale but secretly kept part for themselves. Peter asked them why they lied about their donation since they could have kept as much as they needed. Then Ananias fell dead upon hearing those words and three hours later the same thing happened to Sapphira. Peter made it known that they were judged, not for how much they gave or didn’t give, but for pretending piety while harboring covetousness. The result of this divine act was to cause great fear to come upon all the church and as many as heard these things (v.11). Another result was that, although the sincere disciples were all in one accord, there were others (the rest) that dared not join them (vv. 12,13). We are surrounded by a religious world that values appearances and popularity, but the discipline of the Holy Ghost here plainly drove those folks from his church in favor of a small group of believers who were sincere in their fear of God. So, there should be a reverential fear about joining the church and we shouldn’t do it unless we’re committed to submitting ourselves to the discipline of Christ. 

We never see Apostles take any authority for inflicting bodily chastisement let alone death, because God reserves that right to himself. Paul says we “turn them over to Satan”. The most severe punishment that the church is authorized to inflict is removing access to communion. If close communion is not practiced, as defined in the third mark, then the church can't enforce any standard of conduct without an extreme social banishment or physical chastisement. Communion must be special and restricted if the church is to keep discipline without being severe and oppressive. 

For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God Judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person. 1Cor 5:12,13

Another example of the Apostolic church maintaining strict discipline is 1Co 5. Here the Apostle Paul deals with the situation of a member publicly engaged in a sin that brings a reproach to the church. It brought a reproach because it was a sin condemned by the surrounding community and therefore the toleration of it would undermine their witness. 

A distinction must be made between offenses that are private and those that are public. Jesus in Mat 18:15-16 is telling how to address a brother that offends you—private. The nature of the offense in 1Co 5 is public because "it is reported commonly that there is fornication among you". When a member acts immoral in public, the whole church is offended—public. A second distinction is made between "gross" immorality and "minor" offenses. Hassell refers to minor offense as something that is understandable for someone to do under a strong temptation. A minor offense can be handled by going to the brother in private as in Titus 3:10, Gal 6:1. With repentance and a sincere acknowledgment to everyone who is aware of it, the church can move forward. However, if a public sin causes damage to the church's reputation, is a repeat offense, or an intentional spite to the rules of the church, it falls under the pattern set in 1Co 5 where the church, as soon as it meets should exclude the member in the name of Jesus Christ (vv. 4-5). There is room left for the judgment of the church according to real circumstances, but we should remember the amptuation analogy and pray for God to give us wisdom.

Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. Col 3:12-14 

The first purpose of church discipline is for the glory of God. That's why we are a church and carry the name of Jesus Christ (vs 4). Secondly, excluding a member is done in the hope that the shame of being put away from the church will cause repentance that ultimately brings them back to the sheepfold (vs 5). Thirdly, maintaining discipline keeps corruption from spreading, so the church remains pure (vv. 6-8). 

The Apostolic church practiced strict discipline, and it served to set us apart from the institutions of the world. It keeps the church a place of quiet rest and a refuge from strife and corruption that is everywhere in the world.  

Church Identity and Perpetuity Part 14

As soon as Jesus and his disciples finished the bread and wine, Jesus got up and established the practice of washing the saints’ feet that the Primitive Baptists practice today. To get the full picture of the life and teaching of Christ, we must combine the accounts of all the Gospels and epistles because no one evangelist told every detail that we’re supposed to know and do. It’s the same with communion. Although Matthew, Mark, and Luke cover the symbolism of the bread and wine, they don’t cover the feet-washing; and although John covers the feet-washing, he doesn’t cover the bread and wine. When we come together to commemorate our blessed Redeemer in communion, we ought to wash each other’s feet, because he told us to.

The narrative is found in John 13:1-17. What Jesus did is illustrate humility, service, and brotherly love by establishing this ceremonial practice. I think it’s a sad mistake that so many church’s do not continue this practice because there isn’t more powerful image of service and love than in this ceremony.

It was a common thing for servants to wash the feet of the master and his guests when they came in to the house. But what happened here was more than that. We know he was continuing the communion ceremony, because if he was just showing another example of serving his brethren in a practical way, he would have washed their feet when they needed it—before supper. This occurred after supper ended. When Peter questioned him, the Lord responded that Peter didn’t yet know what he was doing, but that he would know hereafter. When Peter tried to stop him from humbling himself, he said that unless he washed his feet, he had no part with him. This is more than another example of service. It’s a ceremony showing the bonds of service that members of the church owe each other in washing the sin and offense from their walk.

Jesus intends for his church to continue this ceremony because he said, “If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.” There isn’t a clearer way to state that command from the Head of the church—the practice should continue.

Like baptism (to adults by immersion), washing each other’s feet is something that goes against the grain of our nature. It is reprehensible to human nature. So, there is no wonder that people would explain it away. But there is nothing so joyful and sweet that we can experience than when we submit ourselves to the feet of our brethren and watch them do the same to us. I have scarcely ever gotten through this service without seeing a grown man cry with joy and love for his brethren. We have tasted the Lord’s promise in vs 17: “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.”