Tag: Church Discipline

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How to Understand The “Other Side” Of Church Discipline

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The “Other Side” Of Church Discipline

© 2026 by C. O. Bishop

2nd Corinthians 2:1-11, compare 1st Corinthians 5:1-7

Introduction:

Quite some time ago, we taught through 1st Corinthians 5. There we saw a man known to be having sexual relations with his father’s wife. The church of Corinth did not see this as an evil thing. They did not know the Mosaic Law condemned such behavior in strongest terms. That is no surprise, since, in the first place, they were Gentiles, and abysmally ignorant of the Mosaic Law.

But Paul pointed out that, even in most Gentile societies, such a thing was unthinkable, and universally condemned. So, how could they have “missed the memo,” so to speak? Why did the Corinthian Church actively support behavior that “everyone knew” to be wrong? (And which God specifically stated was wrong?)

“Welcome to Corinth!” The community center for that city was the largest house of prostitution in known history! It was the temple of Aphrodite. There, the practitioners approved every form of perversion! The Britannica Encyclopedia said, in its peak years, that temple employed 10,000 prostitutes, male and female. Corruption ran especially deep in Corinth. And that is where this story originated! Please turn to 1st Corinthians 5:1-7.

1st Corinthians 5:1-7

1 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife. 2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.

3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? 7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

What Was The Problem? Incest!

This is nothing new. It happened in the Old Testament, at least once (Genesis 35:22.) And it had permanent consequences for the young man involved. He had committed incest with one of his father’s younger wives (Genesis 49:3, 4).

But in Corinth, they proposed no consequence for the sin. The church seems to have applauded it. They were at least proud of their own “tolerance.” (Sounds eerily familiar, doesn’t it? It is happening today, as a spreading pattern among churches.) Paul said they were “puffed up,” meaning “conceited, or proud.” But He condemned their pride. He said that they were dead wrong, for not judging the sin that was being openly paraded before them.

Paul warned that some sins are especially “contagious.” He said sin spreads, just as yeast multiplies in bread dough, until all the dough is full of yeast. They knew enough about the Passover to know that it used strictly “unleavened bread.” Yeast, or any kind of leaven was forbidden. God is Holy, and a walk with Him will constantly require self-examination and confession.

So, he concluded that their “glorying” in their tolerance of sin was not good: it was both counter-productive, and destructive. He said that they should have been mourning that such a thing was happening among them. And he commanded that they separate themselves from that Evil, by separating the individual from their fellowship.

Church Discipline

We usually call this practice “Church Discipline.” But we seldom practice it today. And, sadly, when we attempt to do so it is usually done wrongly, with wrong motives, and for wrong reasons.

I knew a man whose wife left him for another man. But his own church put him out of the fellowship! Why? Because they felt that he had “not done enough” to bring her back.

A few months ago, I heard of a young mother whose husband had been continually abusing her. She finally left him. And her church informed her that she was no longer welcome to take communion with them, because her marriage had failed.

Both of these circumstances are horrible misuses of Church discipline, and they are the sorts of things that give churches a bad name.

Galatians 6:1-5 outlines the correct motive for approaching another believer about sin: The motive is restoration, not condemnation. If there is sin that is threatening the flock, it does require that we approach the persons involved, hoping for restoration, but knowing that, “unless something changes, we are going to part ways.” So far as I am aware, that has only happened once in the thirty years’ history of this church.

So, what happens then? What if they repent, and they want to do right?

The “Other Side” of Church Discipline

The Corinthian Church repented of their sin, and they obeyed Paul’s command! We know nothing about the inner workings of how that played out, but we do get to “read the last chapter” on that situation: The man repented! So, what should they do now??

We Can Read About The End Results In 2nd Corinthians 2:1-11.

1 But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness. 2 For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me? 3 And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.

4 For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you. 5 But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all.

Here, in verses 1-5 we can see how Paul felt about the whole matter: He knew that the words he had sent the church, regarding the sin in their midst, were going to cause grief. He did not want to have to deal with such a “mess” in person, if they would respond to a letter.

He wanted to have a good relationship with them, and, if they would obey the Word without Paul’s personal presence, they would surely have a more joyful response when he finally arrived in person. In fact, in verse 9, he stated that one reason he wrote was to find out whether, indeed, they would obey,

Discipline is Temporary, for Restoration

But the most serious point, here: They had seen the separation as a permanent expulsion. Paul informed them that that was not the purpose of church discipline.

I have never played hockey: but I have read that when a player violates some rule, the referee sends him to a “penalty box.” And the rest of the team struggles on, competing without him. He is not “off the team,” he is just off the ice, for a period of time. It is a penalty for both him and the whole team! In a limited sense, Church discipline is similar.

We need one another, and we do not want to lose people. But God commands that if we “can’t play right,” then He requires our own team to put us out of fellowship. This is not due to some unintentional error, or because someone doesn’t like them. It is a united response to a known sin, and it is specifically due to an unrepentant response to all attempted correction.

We need one another, and we are aware of our own fragility. We are not condemning a person: we are condemning a persistent practice of deliberate sin.

But What Happens When The Sinning Brother Repents?

Paul says: 6 Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.

The man in 1st Corinthians 5 was living in a corrupt city, where there was only one group of “Bible-believing Christians,” as we might call them today. He could not say, “Well, fine, there’s a dozen other churches I can join!” There were no other believers to join.

How to Understand The “Other Side” Of Church Discipline

The “Other Side” Of Church Discipline

© 2026 by C. O. Bishop

2nd Corinthians 2:1-11, compare 1st Corinthians 5:1-7

Introduction:

Quite some time ago, we taught through 1st Corinthians 5. There we saw a man known to be having sexual relations with his father’s wife. The church of Corinth did not see this as an evil thing. They did not know the Mosaic Law condemned such behavior in strongest terms. That is no surprise, since, in the first place, they were Gentiles, and abysmally ignorant of the Mosaic Law.

But Paul pointed out that, even in most Gentile societies, such a thing was unthinkable, and universally condemned. So, how could they have “missed the memo,” so to speak? Why did the Corinthian Church actively support behavior that “everyone knew” to be wrong? (And which God specifically stated was wrong?)

“Welcome to Corinth!” The community center for that city was the largest house of prostitution in known history! It was the temple of Aphrodite. There, the practitioners approved every form of perversion! The Britannica Encyclopedia said, in its peak years, that temple employed 10,000 prostitutes, male and female. Corruption ran especially deep in Corinth. And that is where this story originated! Please turn to 1st Corinthians 5:1-7.

1st Corinthians 5:1-7

1 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife. 2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.

3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? 7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

What Was The Problem? Incest!

This is nothing new. It happened in the Old Testament, at least once (Genesis 35:22.) And it had permanent consequences for the young man involved. He had committed incest with one of his father’s younger wives (Genesis 49:3, 4).

But in Corinth, they proposed no consequence for the sin. The church seems to have applauded it. They were at least proud of their own “tolerance.” (Sounds eerily familiar, doesn’t it? It is happening today, as a spreading pattern among churches.) Paul said they were “puffed up,” meaning “conceited, or proud.” But He condemned their pride. He said that they were dead wrong, for not judging the sin that was being openly paraded before them.

Paul warned that some sins are especially “contagious.” He said sin spreads, just as yeast multiplies in bread dough, until all the dough is full of yeast. They knew enough about the Passover to know that it used strictly “unleavened bread.” Yeast, or any kind of leaven was forbidden. God is Holy, and a walk with Him will constantly require self-examination and confession.

So, he concluded that their “glorying” in their tolerance of sin was not good: it was both counter-productive, and destructive. He said that they should have been mourning that such a thing was happening among them. And he commanded that they separate themselves from that Evil, by separating the individual from their fellowship.

Church Discipline

We usually call this practice “Church Discipline.” But we seldom practice it today. And, sadly, when we attempt to do so it is usually done wrongly, with wrong motives, and for wrong reasons.

I knew a man whose wife left him for another man. But his own church put him out of the fellowship! Why? Because they felt that he had “not done enough” to bring her back.

A few months ago, I heard of a young mother whose husband had been continually abusing her. She finally left him. And her church informed her that she was no longer welcome to take communion with them, because her marriage had failed.

Both of these circumstances are horrible misuses of Church discipline, and they are the sorts of things that give churches a bad name.

Galatians 6:1-5 outlines the correct motive for approaching another believer about sin: The motive is restoration, not condemnation. If there is sin that is threatening the flock, it does require that we approach the persons involved, hoping for restoration, but knowing that, “unless something changes, we are going to part ways.” So far as I am aware, that has only happened once in the thirty years’ history of this church.

So, what happens then? What if they repent, and they want to do right?

The “Other Side” of Church Discipline

The Corinthian Church repented of their sin, and they obeyed Paul’s command! We know nothing about the inner workings of how that played out, but we do get to “read the last chapter” on that situation: The man repented! So, what should they do now??

We Can Read About The End Results In 2nd Corinthians 2:1-11.

1 But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness. 2 For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me? 3 And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.

4 For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you. 5 But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all.

Here, in verses 1-5 we can see how Paul felt about the whole matter: He knew that the words he had sent the church, regarding the sin in their midst, were going to cause grief. He did not want to have to deal with such a “mess” in person, if they would respond to a letter.

He wanted to have a good relationship with them, and, if they would obey the Word without Paul’s personal presence, they would surely have a more joyful response when he finally arrived in person. In fact, in verse 9, he stated that one reason he wrote was to find out whether, indeed, they would obey,

Discipline is Temporary, for Restoration

But the most serious point, here: They had seen the separation as a permanent expulsion. Paul informed them that that was not the purpose of church discipline.

I have never played hockey: but I have read that when a player violates some rule, the referee sends him to a “penalty box.” And the rest of the team struggles on, competing without him. He is not “off the team,” he is just off the ice, for a period of time. It is a penalty for both him and the whole team! In a limited sense, Church discipline is similar.

We need one another, and we do not want to lose people. But God commands that if we “can’t play right,” then He requires our own team to put us out of fellowship. This is not due to some unintentional error, or because someone doesn’t like them. It is a united response to a known sin, and it is specifically due to an unrepentant response to all attempted correction.

We need one another, and we are aware of our own fragility. We are not condemning a person: we are condemning a persistent practice of deliberate sin.

But What Happens When The Sinning Brother Repents?

Paul says: 6 Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.

The man in 1st Corinthians 5 was living in a corrupt city, where there was only one group of “Bible-believing Christians,” as we might call them today. He could not say, “Well, fine, there’s a dozen other churches I can join!” There were no other believers to join.

The unrepentant Sinner found himself “drifting” in a sea of vile sin and corruption. He found himself “shipwrecked” on a desert island, devoid of the food and water of fellowship. But he soon realized that his decision to practice the same sins as the community of the lost, forced him to take up residence with them again… He had nowhere else to turn.

Less Effective Today

Today, this practice is much less effective, because people do feel that they can just “find another church.” (And they can!) But… he repented! Paul told them how to respond to the repentant man:

7 So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. 8 Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.

Paul commanded them to receive him back, and to comfort him. The goal was never to drive him to despair, but only to allow him to reflect on his bad decisions, and make a new, good decision.

He needed to see that the other believers still loved him and cared for him: But they simply could not allow him to continue in a pattern that would not only destroy his relationship with God, but would also affect the believers around him.

9 For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.

Paul admitted that part of the reason he wrote to them in the first letter, regarding the sin in their church, was to discover whether they would respond to correction. They passed the test! Now he says, “The penalty is over! He is repentant, and he desires fellowship with you. He has abandoned his sin, and he is trying to walk with God again! Step in and help him! Encourage him! Forgive him for all the past error!”

Paul Concludes:

10 To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; 11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

He assures the Corinthian Church that he is in full agreement with their forgiveness and the restoration of fellowship. The Unity of the Church is a vital part of our testimony in the World. The three criteria by which Jesus has authorized the World to judge the Church, are:

  1. The Agapé Love which we either do or do not show toward one another. Remember, Jesus said, “by this shall all men know that ye are my disciple if ye have Love one for another.” (John 13:34, 35)
  2. The Unity of the believers…not fighting and bickering amongst themselves. Jesus also said, (John 17:21) “…That they may be one in us, that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.”
  3. The Good Works of committed believers. The overall “Smell of Jesus” in their lives. (Matthew 5:15, 16; 2nd Corinthians 2:14-16)

We are not to be tearing each other up, in self-righteous indignation over imagined faults. But certain sins can “infect” other people. Hebrews 12:15 points out that bitterness, for example, is contagious, and, if it is allowed to remain, it will defile many. Give that some thought.

Lord Jesus, help us to learn the principles of Your Holiness, and the Power of Your Grace, and the Value of Your Forgiveness, to the end that our fellowship may grow strong in all three.

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Fail to Address Sin? Pride is Still the Root of the Problem

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Pride is Still the Root of the Problem

© 2024 C. O, Bishop

1st Corinthians 5:1-13

1 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife. 2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.

3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

Pride was the Problem!

6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? 7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: 8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

9 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: 10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.

11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. 12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? 13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

Introduction:

This is a very uncomfortable passage to study: The immoral behavior of the persons in question repulses us, and the response of the assembly perplexes us. But then, we are also uncomfortable with the response of the apostle in calling for judgment.

The simple fact is, we are uncomfortable “talking about sin,” as sin! We are conscious of our own fallibility: and due to our fragility, we are reluctant to judge sin in others. A friend once encouraged me to sing some sacred songs to a group of hardened unbelievers. I told him I thought it would be inappropriate, as Jesus had said (in Matthew 7:6) “Do not cast your pearls before swine, neither give that which is holy to the dogs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn and rend thee.”

He said, “But, are we supposed to judge such things?”

I retorted, “Of course we are! How else could we obey the command?” He said, “I never thought of that!”  You see, we have to “use good judgment!”

Things to Bear in Mind

There are several points of which we should take note, as we seek to understand this passage: First, simply as a foundation for reading, we need to see that this is not about “condemning” believers. Romans 8:1-4 teaches that “there is now therefore no condemnation to them that are in Christ.”

In John 5:24, Jesus promised that “he that heareth my Word and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation, but has passed from death into life.” (Again, no condemnation!)

Second, we need to see that, while the correction God extends to his saints may seem harsh, at times, His only goal is to teach us to walk with Him.

Third, we need to remember that Jesus is the Judge, here. This is not an encouragement for believers to attack believers. The only goal is restoration.

Finally, the twin purposes of this chapter are (a) to protect the church by removing someone who was badly affecting the other believers, and (b) to bring that sinning believer to repentance and restore him to a walk with Christ.

What Do We See in 1st Corinthians, chapter 5?

There is a fairly obvious “outline” we can discern as we read through the chapter:

This Was Open, Public, Flagrant Sin

The sin in question was open, flagrant, and unbelievers universally condemned it. Thus, it was truly affecting the testimony of the whole church. This was not some “quiet” thing, that was affecting no one else. Everyone already knew about it. It affected the whole church.

In the past, unmarried couples have attended here and in other churches. They were quietly living in error. But we did not reject, judge, or condemn them. We taught the Bible as the Word of God, and the scriptures soon convicted them. They asked the church to marry them. And we rejoiced with them!

The situation in this chapter was not that sort of thing. Unbelievers universally condemned the sin, and it could not be rectified except by confession and repentance. It had to stop, not just change. Technically, it was incest. Virtually all cultures forbid this sin: usually by law.

This Was Not a “Questionable” Issue

Virtually every culture has things largely disapproved, but which have no bearing on the teachings of the Bible at all. This is not such a thing. Some people think it is sin to subscribe to a Sunday newspaper. Others think it is sin to wear colorful clothing. Some judge others for their haircut, their personal hygiene, or their grooming. This is not that sort of thing.

We have had members who truly desire to stop a bad habit, such as smoking. The Bible does not touch on that at all, yet some people condemn it as a sin, as if it were a definite moral issue. But it is not. Is it unhealthy? Surely, it is! So is welding; as are most heavy construction jobs. So is overeating. So are many other societal patterns. We do not condemn such a person.

If they need help, we offer our support. We pray for one another. In some cases, we go to such a person privately, and we intervene at one level or another, encouraging them to drop the self-destructive behavior and to follow Jesus. But there is no condemnation.

God condemned this particular sin and the unbelieving world rejected it, as well. Everyone knew it was wrong. The man involved was not ignorantly sinning, nor did he just “innocently fall into a bad pattern.” It was not just a “lifestyle choice.” It was open rebellion and sin.

Pride is Still the Root of the Problem

We saw back in the first chapters of the book, that pride was dividing the church and demonstrating the carnality of the church. And pride was still the root of the problems. The believers at Corinth were “proud of their tolerance.” They were “puffed up.” They did not mourn the sin; nor did they consider the damage to their testimony. They approved of the sin and thought they were “spiritual” for doing so!

Romans 1:32 concludes, “Who, knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same but have pleasure in them that do them.” They approve of the sins that God condemns. In Romans, Paul was addressing the sins of the unbelievers.

We still see the same patterns today as those spelled out in Romans chapter one. For example, the movies that receive the highest ratings in terms of popularity are always the ones with the most sin in them, whether violence, nudity, vile language, or immoral sexual behavior. Even when a society “claims to reject such behavior,” they vote with their feet and pocketbooks, and those movies show the overall approval of the population.

Unfortunately, when we tolerate flagrant sin, as believers, one of the possible results is that we can become “proud” of it. We are proud of our reluctance to “judge sin.” But God commanded us to judge sin. Pride has led us astray once again! We are “proud of tolerating evil” and “proud of not admitting that evil is evil.”

And, it still is the problem, today!

This is becoming a very current issue, today, in the modern church: There is a local church group here, who are quite proud of their sin, and they no longer see it for what it is. There are no Bibles in their building. Their teacher no longer addresses the Word of God at all. They have forgotten the repeated teaching in the Bible that Jesus is the Living Word of God. They still claim the name of Christ, but they have turned away from Him entirely, and they have dragged His Name into such deep shame, by their uncleanness, that they are truly a dead church.

In Revelation 2:20, Jesus condemned the behavior of the Church at Thyatira, specifically because they tolerated the sin of the woman he called “Jezebel.” She was teaching believers to commit immorality and idolatry. Yes, He judged the sin of that person and those who followed her into sin, but He also judged the Church for tolerating the sin.

Why is it such a problem? Because it infects the whole Church, one way or another. Verse six compares sin to leaven or yeast. It does not stay in one spot. It spreads and grows until it permeates all of the bread dough it can reach.

What is the Goal of this Warning?

The purpose or goal of this warning, which required the church to unanimously judge sin, was twofold:

  1. to purge the church of that specific uncleanness, or wickedness, and
  2. to restore the sinning believer. (Verse 5)

This is in keeping with Galatians 6:1-5…the purpose of “church discipline” is always restoration, not condemnation of the believer. And, again, notice that the judgment is not directed toward unbelievers: this is about those who call themselves believers, but who are polluting the church by open rebellion against God.

We treat unbelievers kindly: they are welcome here, but they are not allowed to teach, nor to create division. This church does not ask for money from visitors, at all, lest anyone think that contributing to a church brings a right relationship with God. We cannot become a “monastic” society, closing ourselves off from the World. We are here to reach out to the world. Verse 10 points out that we would have to “leave the planet” to achieve such separation.

But a believer, who is bringing shame to Christ by his or her behavior, is in a different category. Those are the ones regarding whom this warning is given.

No Hierarchy of Sin

Finally, when we look at “sin” as a general topic in scripture, we cannot discern a “hierarchy” of sin. God lumps them all together as condemned by His Righteousness. In Proverbs 6:16-19, the one “list” where God says, “these things the LORD hates,” Pride is listed, along with gossip, lying, and talebearing: But sexual immorality is NOT. Does that mean God does not hate all sin? No…but the heart issues that cause all the others are where God points out the root of the outward sins…the heart is the source, and pride is frequently the root.

Everyone sins. There are no exceptions, except for Jesus, who was God in the Flesh. We confess to everyone that we are saved sinners. We continually confess our sins to God, to maintain a fellowship relationship with Him. So, this is not an invitation to a “feeding frenzy” of believers attacking other believers for perceived faults. (Remember, in Revelation 12:10, we see that Satan is the “Accuser of the Brethren.” We do not want to do his “dirty work!”)

The Church at Corinth was in trouble. And the issue was their pride in their tolerance of open rebellion and sin. Not simply that there was “sin in the camp.”

What is the Real issue?

The church can be seen as a “hospital for saints and sinners.” We are not surprised that the “hospital has sinners:” That is why we are here! We confess that Jesus died for our sins. And, yes, our sins grieve us, and our failures grieve us. We are not “surprised that it happens.” We are simply grieved that it continues!

But consider again the “illustration” of a hospital ward. A “patient” may come in with zero desire for healing. Also, he is preventing others from healing. Such a patient is to be quietly and kindly ushered back outside. They do need help, but we can’t help them when they reject the help.

We want them to know we care about them. We assure them that, if they repent, and come back to submit to the Great Physician, desiring to be healed, they will be welcomed with open arms. There is no condemnation. It is simply a matter of protecting the church from those who turn others away from the Christ who bought them with His Blood.

Lord Jesus, help us to read your Word, understand it, and take it to heart. Help us to apply it with the Love and Mercy that You offered through the Cross.

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What are our Choices and Requirements for Mutual Fellowship?

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The Choices and Requirements of Fellowship

© 2023 C. O. Bishop

2nd Thessalonians 3:10-18

10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. 11 For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.

12 Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. 13 But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing. 14 And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

16 Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all.

17 The salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle: so I write.

18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Introduction:

Last week we read 2nd Thessalonians 3:6-9, and we saw that Paul and the other missionaries had set an example by working to earn money to pay for their own food and lodging, during their very brief stay in Thessalonica.

Paul pointed out that he and the others had earned the right to expect compensation, but they chose to set aside that “right,” and deliver the Grace of God to the people of Thessalonica without cost. We have done the same. We have no employees here: all the work is done by volunteers. All of our teaching and sermons are available online, free of charge

Support

In other passages, Paul laid out the need for support for the elders of a church, but he had already established the precedent that a leader can abstain from receiving support; and he gave the reasons why he, himself, had done so.

It is a good thing for the believers to support one another, especially if someone is sick or disabled and needs assistance. But: human nature being what it is, there will always be a tendency for some to try to take advantage of the generosity of believers, and avoid earning their own keep.

So, Paul addresses that problem in these last verses.

Disorderliness

Paul describes the broad issue of disorderliness; but he links it to idleness (not working) and being “busybodies.” We know what it means to “not work”…and Paul specifies in verse ten that he is referring to someone who will not work: not someone who cannot work, for whatever reason (injury, illness, other incapacities.) But what is the biblical meaning of a “busybody?”

In modern English, it usually means a “meddler:” someone who is constantly involving themselves, uninvited, in the affairs of others. Sometimes it is linked to gossip and talebearing.

What is a Busybody?

But in this passage, the Greek word is “periergoi,” meaning “around working.” (Getting around work, perhaps? Or, maybe, being a “runaround,” working the system?)  

In 1st Timothy 5:13 we see the same Greek word used, this time in a context that may offer some explanation, specifically in the context of someone who is capable of function, but who is needlessly being supported by others. “13 And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.”

In the Timothy passage, we see several things linked together:

  • Idleness (choosing to not work)
  • Wandering from house to house (as opposed to tending to their own home.)
  • Tattlers (tale-bearers, gossips)
  • Busybodies (periergoi, again)
  • “Speaking things which they ought not.”

In this context, it seems that perhaps our modern definition of “busybody” fits pretty well.

Other Shades of Meaning

It is interesting to note that the passage in 1st Peter 4:15, which uses the same English word, is from an entirely unrelated Greek word, literally meaning “overseeing the business of others:” “meddling,” perhaps: trying to exert influence in other people’s affairs. That word comes much closer to our modern definition.

But, collectively, the picture seems to be of someone who “hasn’t got anything better to do” than running around “chatting people up,” and avoiding doing any work of their own. Paul exhorts believers to do what God has called us to do, earn our keep at whatever trade or work we can do, and be a good testimony of the Holy God who has called us. To do otherwise is to be “disorderly,” and such behavior dishonors the Lord. Paul commands such people to work, tend to their own business, earn a living and eat the food they earned.

“Fellowship” means “Partnership:”

Some people try to say that “fellowship” means “two fellows in a ship: both in the same boat.” That is simplistic at best; it is an error. Two people on a ship may hate each other, and they even may be committed to one another’s destruction. That is certainly not fellowship. Fellowship means “having in common.” It implies “partnership.” We are called to join in the fellowship of the suffering of Christ. (Philippians 3:10) The believers at Philippi (Philippians 1:5) were commended for their fellowship in the gospel. They were partners in the work of evangelism.

In 2nd Corinthians 8:4 Paul commended a poverty-stricken church in that they begged the privilege to join in the fellowship of ministering to the needs of the believers in Jerusalem. They wanted to serve as partners in the work! As believers, they chose to function as partners, and they begged him to receive that gift, acknowledging that partnership. It is obviously implied that he did choose to accept it. (This is in the context of correcting the church at Corinth, who evidently were not so eager to participate.)

Fellowship is a Choice

We attach ourselves to a local assembly of like-minded believers and we are willing to be partners with them in worship and in service. Each person has a different ability and different gifts, but we serve together and desire to collectively please the Lord who has called us and who bought us with His blood.

Is it possible to desire the appearance of partnership without actually being committed to that union? Yes, evidently it is. There are thousands of people who are on the membership list at churches across the world, who never attend, and yet will claim membership in “their church” as a part of their credentials as a “fine, upstanding citizen.” But they have no real connection or partnership with that assembly of believers.

We are called to become partners in the work of ministry, and in the work of evangelism and discipleship with the local assembly to which we have attached ourselves. We make a conscious choice to do so.

Requirements of Fellowship

But God has also called us to live in such a way as to not dishonor Him, and not shame the church. We are warned that such behavior is detrimental enough that believers are told to not have “partnership” with such persons. That is a hard thing to do, when we are called to love one another. But that is what it says!

Could this requirement be used wrongly, to attempt to force conformity on a person who is doing no wrong? Certainly, it can, and it has happened many times! Missionaries have been dismissed from  Organizations because they disagreed about some relatively small point of doctrine.

People have been drummed out of churches for things that were none of their doing. I knew a man whose wife left him for another man…and he was told to leave his church! I’m not sure what their accusation was, but he was definitely the victim, and rather than seeking to help or comfort him, they excluded him from fellowship.

So, How can We Prevent the Misuse of This Concept?

Galatians 6:1, 2 spells out a rule for church discipline that should prevent abuse.

1Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. 2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

Five points:

  1. The one doing the restoring always must be in the Spirit…this is not done in the flesh!.
  2. The motive is always to be restoration, not punishment or rejection.
  3. The approach is always to be one of humility, and gentleness, not condemnation.
  4. The person or persons attempting the restoration must always remember that they, too, are fragile, and that they can easily be drawn into sin, through anger, pride or other flaws.
  5. We are always to help others bear their crushing circumstantial burdens, not just stand back, and watch them struggle.

But, if such a person simply rejects help, rejects correction, and rejects the Word, then there is no place for partnership. We are still reaching out, desiring their restoration, but true fellowship is not possible. (No Condemnation! v.15: He is not an enemy! You treat him as a brother!)

Grounds for Fellowship

Paul lays out the sevenfold basis of our Unity in Christ…the “Unity of the Spirit.”
In Ephesians 4:1-6, he says,

“1 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”

Seven unities:

  1. One Body (1st Corinthians 12:12)
  2. One Spirit (John 14:16)
  3. One Hope of our Calling (Colossians 1:27)
  4. One Lord (1st Corinthians 8:6)
  5. One Faith (Romans 1:5, 16)
  6. One Baptism (1st Corinthians 12:13)
  7. One God and Father (John 17:3)

If all those “unities” are in place, fellowship should be possible. But fellowship can be broken, even among brethren who agree with all these “unities.” That is why it says we are to endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace. It is a fragile fellowship, easily damaged by pride and self-will.

We are warned specifically that a “root of bitterness” can spring up and thereby defile many. Others will be affected! None of us live lives disconnected from the believers around us. My sin does not affect just me: it can affect all of my family, and anyone in my sphere of influence.

Maintaining Unity

So, we are to give diligence to maintaining that unity and not allowing small differences to grow into serious divisions. Are we concerned about the overall testimony of the church? Yes, absolutely! But we are equally concerned about the well-being and spiritual health of every person. We are not on some kind of “inspection tour” to “ferret out flaws” and “slap sense into slackers!”  The Command is to “Love One Another!”

(v. 16) Paul reminds us, that we are called to peace! We are called to forbear one another in Love. We are called to forgive one another, just as God, for Christ’s sake, has forgiven us! Let’s not forget these things!

And the Grace of God (v. 18) is what sustains us all.

Lord Jesus, draw us into close fellowship with Yourself and with one another. Help us to Love one another as You have commanded us. Protect Your flock from Evil, in Jesus’ Name.

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