Bible Students

Thoughts on “Peacemaker” by Sande (chapters 1-4)

This week’s reading was informative on the nature and place of discipline in the church, and the following is an overview of some of the most helpful points from the reading. Discipline and disciple are very similar, as they come from the same root word. Though they are similar, they give instruction in a very different way. Discipline is instruction of the fruit of righteousness, which must be drawn out both through the rod and through encouragement. Discipline leads to good order, which leads to good learning (discipleship). Therefore, discipline must take place before discipleship. 

All things in the church must be done with order and with decency, both in the sermon (for example, no one can be shouting during the sermon, as that is disruptive and undisciplined) and in the life of the body. Discipline brings peace, which may be why there is so much unrest in the public and home life of the body today. In fact, discipline is so important that church growth is impossible apart from church discipline. It is impossible to properly learn apart from discipline. Without structure, teacher can not teach the pupil. Therefore, discipline is not an option, but is an absolute requirement. 

Even still, many confuse discipline with punishment. These are not the same. Rather, punishment is one face of discipline. The Bible views the restoration of an offender as a joyous thing. These things are often confused because it is easier to complain than to compliment. Complimenting someone’s action is much less of a notable thing, though it is a form of discipline, than correcting someone’s action, which is just as much a form of discipline. The teacher of discipline must teach to observe peace through both punishment and encouragement. 

While punishment and encouragement are both necessary, the more true encouragement there is the less true punishment there must be. The more love in the congregation and admonition to love they spread, the less punishment is needed as a response to hatred and sin. Less correction is needed when more love is present. Now, encouraging and engaging in faithful attendance to church is a good example of positive discipline. 

While the majority of church discipline is encouragement, the most help is needed in the area of corrective discipline. Corrective discipline takes place in five stages. First, there is the initial self correction on the level of the individual disciple of Christ. The christian desires to do better and so corrects himself. Next, if this does not take place, another person who knows about the sin should address it with the person in a loving manner, not gossipping. Third, if addressing the sin does not work, anyone else who knows about the behavior and has been affected by it should address the individual and call them to repentance and restoration. If this does not take place, (fourth) the elders of the church should address the sin of the person as a last resort. Finally, if nothing else works and the person chooses to hold on to their sin over the congregation, they are to be cast out of the congregation. In all of these steps, the manner should be kept as close to the chest as possible, involving as few people as is feasible. If the person has done something everyone will know about, such as a pregnancy out of wedlock, they should go to the elders for repentance, and when the elders acknowledge the genuine repentance, they should address the repentance before the church and tell the church not to engage in harmful practices of shaming and gossipping the individual. The point of discipline is to get every individual to concede to the work and commands of the Spirit on their own, in order that they may correct themselves on the level of self.