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As a general rule, church discipline is meant to be slow. Sometimes even painfully slow. The goal is typically not swift removal, but slow restoration. And yet, there are some occasions when church discipline must be swift. But before we examine those occasions, consider Jesus' teaching on church discipline in Matthew 18.

The Normal Process for Church Discipline

Matthew 18:15-17—“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.”

The normal process for church discipline is a somewhat lengthy process that develops over five phases. In phase one the sinning member is confronted by a fellow church member one-on-one (Matt. 18:15). If the sinning member does not repent, phase two should occur where the sinning member is confronted with one or two witnesses (Matt. 18:16). Phase three is not explicitly taught in Scripture, but is a prudential step to ensure church discipline is presented in an orderly manner. In phase three the elders are involved, if they have not been up to this point.[i] In phase four the elders recruit the help of the entire church in pursuing the sinning member (Matt. 18:17a). Phase five only occurs if the sinning member does not repent, at which point the church takes the decisive action of removing the sinning member from membership (v. 17b).

This slow, multi-phased approach to church discipline is a gift to both the sinner, those involved in confrontation, and the entire congregation. The sinning member is helped by receiving multiple opportunities to repent. Those confronting the sinner are helped by having multiple steps and individuals to protect them against a hyper-sensitivity that over-aggressively confronts sin. The entire congregation is helped by being involved in the discipline process before they are asked to excommunicate a sinning member.

That said, Jesus’ instructions in Matthew 18:15-17 are not the only teaching in the New Testament about church discipline. They are the normal process of church discipline, but not the only process of church discipline. There are two examples in the New Testament that require a much more aggressive approach. In both examples the emphasis is on speed.

 

The Egregious Sinner

1 Corinthians 15:1-5—It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father’s wife. 2 And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you. 3 For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing. 4 When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.

1 Corinthians 5 shows us an exception to the normal pattern for church discipline in cases of exceptionally egregious sin. The Apostle Paul does not advise the church to follow the normal process given by Jesus in Matthew 18. Notice Paul simply tells the church to assemble and “deliver this man to Satan,” a clear euphemism for excommunication (cf., 1 Timothy 1:20). No lengthy process of confrontation, no plea to repent, simply a swift removal. Some might wonder if, perhaps, the church had already done the first four phases prior to Paul’s letter. But that cannot be the case since the church was arrogant about this sinner’s presence in their congregation (1 Cor. 15:2).

What practical lessons can be learned from this example? Some sins are so egregious that even if the sinner were to express repentance his/her confession could not be trusted immediately. Such was the case with this man in Corinth, committing an incestual sexual sin unheard of even by unbelievers in that wicked city. Some sins are so deliberate, duplicitous, and longstanding that the church can no longer affirm an individual’s profession of faith even if he were to express repentance. Examples may include murder, sexual assault, theft, longstanding patterns of deceitful and manipulative behavior, some forms of abuse, and even family abandonment (1 Timothy 5:8). In such cases, churches must move swiftly to excommunicate egregious sinners and give them time to bear fruit in keeping with repentance before they are restored to membership.

 

The Divisive Sinner

Titus 3:10-11—As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, 11 knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.

Titus 3 shows us an exception to the normal pattern for church discipline in cases of exceptionally divisive sin. Once again, the Apostle Paul does not advise pastor Titus to lead his church to follow the normal process given by Jesus in Matthew 18. Paul simply urges Titus to warn the divisive person twice, then “have nothing more to do with him,” once again a clear reference to excommunication.

What practical lessons can be learned from this example? Some sins are so divisive that the normal process is insufficient to protect church unity. Such was the case with the divisive person in Crete. Some sins have such potential to harm the church that the normal discipline process is far too slow. Examples may include false teaching, slander, gossip, quarrelsomeness, and an unhealthy obsession with unfruitful debates (e.g., Titus 3:9). In such cases, churches must move swiftly to excommunicate divisive sinners and give them time to bear fruit in keeping with repentance before they are restored to membership.

 

Combining Jesus and Paul

In his book Church Discipline, Jonathan Leeman offers the following synthesis between Jesus’ and Paul’s teaching on church discipline:

Ultimately, I believe the combination of Matthew 18 and 1 Corinthians 5 suggests that churches need to arrive at one of three conclusions before determining that it’s time to act:

    • When a church becomes convinced that a person is genuinely repentant, it should not proceed with any form of discipline (and I cannot think of a single exception to this principle).
    • When a church becomes convinced that a person is characteristically (not temporarily) unrepentant, it should proceed with excommunication.
    • When a sin is so deliberate, repugnant, and indicative of a deep double-mindedness that a congregation is left unable to give credence to a profession of repentance, at least until time has passed and trust has been re-earned, it should proceed with excommunication, determining to test for repentance after the fact.[ii]

Conclusion

While most church discipline cases should move slowly with significant time for the congregation to process, pray, and plead with the sinner to repent, their are some instances when a church's elders must move more swiftly. These situations should be relatively rare, but they are very real exceptions. In all church discipline cases, members and elders must search the Scriptures carefully and pray for wisdom from the Spirit, always keeping in mind the ultimate goal of church discipline:

Galatians 6:1—Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.

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[i] For a more thorough explanation of this phase, see Jay Adams, Handbook of Church Discipline (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1974), 70–71.

[ii] Jonathan Leeman, Church Discipline: How the Church Protects the Name of Jesus (Nashville: Cross, 2012), 63.