2 Corinthians 13:1-10 - A Loving Model of Church Discipline (Rev. Erik Veerman)

Please turn to the last chapter of 2 Corinthians. Chapter 13. Our sermon text is verses 1-10. You can find that on page 1153.

Last week, the apostle Paul reminded the church of his fatherly love for them. Paul was their earthly spiritual father. And as their spiritual father, he warned them about their sin.

Those who had wandered from the truth and godly living needed to return to the Lord. And they needed to do that before Paul’s third visit.

In the last paragraph in chapter 12, Paul expressed his fear that the Corinthians would not repent.

That brings us to chapter 13. In our verses this morning, Paul warns them about what will happen if his fears come true. He will need to discipline them.

Reading of 2 Corinthians 13:1-10.

Prayer

Just last month, Lifeway research published a study on church discipline. They found that many churches have discipline policies but rarely are their policies put into practice. Four out of five churches have discipline policies, but only one in seven have recently put those policies into practice.

It’s not surprising. Discipline is not fun. Parents know that. Children know that. And when something difficult happens in the church as a result of someone’s behavior or belief our natural tendency is to avoid the issue, or we hope that the person who committed the offense will move on. Hard conversation and actions are difficult.

However, those difficult church discipline conversations and actions are the most loving thing that can be done. It’s loving for the sake of their souls, for the sake of any victim of their sin, and for the peace and purity of the church.

In short, church discipline matters.

Now you may have two questions in your mind. #1 – what exactly is church discipline. And #2 – how does it relate to this text in 2 Corinthians 13. Those are excellent questions.

My goal today is to answer them. In fact, the sermon outline lists several questions. Not just the what, but also the why and the how and the who. We’ll spend our time going through them, and I hope by the end you will not only have a picture of church discipline’s importance, but will also see its loving purpose in your life and our church.

1: What is church discipline and what is it not?

Question #1: What is church discipline and what is it not?

That’s a great place to start and I found a good definition from another pastor. He put it this way:  “Church discipline is the process by which the church confronts sin in the life of a believer and seeks to bring about repentance, restoration, and reconciliation.”

Let me say that again. “Church discipline is the process by which the church confronts sin in the life of a believer and seeks to bring about repentance, restoration, and reconciliation.”

We’re going to see that worked out in these verses. In fact, I believe, these verses, 2 Corinthians 13:1-10 are the most helpful passage in the Bible on church discipline.

That’s a bold statement. We read another helpful passage earlier from Matthew 18. It’s considered by most to be the foremost directive for church discipline. In that passages, Jesus talks about when a brother in Christ sins against you, that you should first go to him. If he doesn’t listen, bring someone with you. And if he still doesn’t listen, Jesus says, bring the matter to the church. It’s very helpful. We’re told how to deal with sin when we are sinned against. And the church has some level of responsibility to adjudicate.

But the question is this, what does it look like for the church to handle such situations? And this is where 2 Corinthians 13 helps. It gives us an example which includes the warning of discipline, the lead up to discipline, the basis of discipline, and its purpose.

The reason that this text is about church discipline is found right there in the middle of verse 1. Take a look at it. Paul writes, “Every charge must be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.” Remember again from last week, Paul had just warned them about the consequences of unrepentance, and here he used the language of judgment.

That requirement of 2-3 witnesses goes back to the Old Testament laws regarding crimes and offenses. So, in other words, the warning in chapter 12 could lead to the legal action described in chapter 13, depending on whether the sin is proven. So, even though the word “discipline” is not used, these are matters involving the judgement of sin.

And that is the heart of church discipline. It’s judging and confronting serious sin in a believer’s life in order to bring peace and purity to the church.

Alright, let’s consider some examples. That’s always helpful.

First, let’s go to Corinth. As you know, we’ve spent the last 7 months working through this letter. And one of the things we’ve seen over and over is how the false apostles taught a false Gospel and were making false accusations against Paul. Those were serious matters. And add to that, at the end of chapter 12, Paul lists two other categories of sin that continued to infect the church. One category dealt with the peace of the church – he includes “quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder.”  Those things will tear the church apart. He then listed sins that affected the purity of the church – he mentions “impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality.”

So, false doctrine was being taught, an innocent party was being accused, the unity of the church body was being damaged, and the lifestyle of some in the church was contrary to God’s design. Those are serious things.

Let me expand that with some concrete examples today.

If a pastor constantly berates church staff members or volunteers with a harsh and derogatory tone, and is unrepentant about it or does not change, that pastor needs to be discipline.

If a wife or husband breaks the one-flesh union they have with their spouse by committing adultery, that wife or husband has committed a grave sin and needs discipline.

If there’s case of domestic abuse involving members of a church, the abuser needs discipline and the one being abused needs care.

Just to be sure, there are civil laws and civil punishments related to some of these situations. Those need to be worked out through the legal system. In other words, when it comes to church discipline, there are no physical punishments. Again, the civil courts handle that.

Rather, when we talk about church discipline, we are specifically talking about spiritual discipline. That means formally confronting sin and seeking repentance and restoration. That may involve requiring someone to abstain from the Lord’s Table, or it may involve removal from membership.

For the younger children here. Last week, I asked you if you had ever been warned by your parents about consequences. You said or did something that was hurtful to someone else. Maybe you lied about something, and your mom or dad sat you down and warned you. I saw many of you nodding your head, that yes, that happens.

Well, have you ever ignored their warning? Did you say or do something you parents warned you not to do? I see some nodding. Maybe you disrespected your mom or you continued to lie about something. Well, what happened? You were punished. Right? Maybe you lost a privilege like screen time or playing with friends, or maybe a spanking, or maybe you had to write an apology letter. All of those different consequences are forms of discipline. You were being disciplined by your parents.

And what was the goal of that discipline? Was it to make you mad at your parents? No. It was to help you learn what is good and right and true. It’s so that you would learn how to love others and how to be truthful and honest and hardworking.

Well, it’s a similar thing in this chapter. Turns out, adults need disciple, too.

The truth is, we are all selfish. We desire things that are not ours. We commit acts that dishonor God and break the trust and unity in the church. Even though the power and penalty of sin has been removed by Christ, those in him still have the presence of sin, and we all are still on the path of sanctification and renewal.

2. What is the basis of church discipline?

So that is generally what church discipline is about. Which brings us to a second question.  Actually, this question is not on the outline – it’s a late addition, but it is crucial.

What is the basis of church discipline?

Church discipline needs to be based on the truth. It needs to pursue truth. This is absolutely critical. It’s why these verses begin with the need for 2-3 credible witnesses. It’s why Paul sent multiple brothers to Corinth to assess the situation. And look at verse 8. “For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.” There has to be truthful and credible testimony and evidence. It’s really easy to make assumptions and it’s really easy for someone to twist or pervert the truth in defense of sin or out of retribution or revenge. The truth is not always clear and that makes it difficult, but credible testimony and witnesses need to be pursued. In other words, church discipline needs to stand for what is true and right and good and it needs to be based on what is true and right and good.

Those given charge to care for your souls and care for the church need to pursue the truth with diligence and care.

That is really important, so I wanted to include that question.

3. What are its goals?

Ok, the next question is also very important. Actually, all of these are very important, but I think this one needs to be front and center. What is the goal of discipline?

In a word the goal of spiritual discipline is “restoration.”  Look at verse 9. Second half of the verse. “Your restoration is what we pray for.”

Paul desired that those in Corinth who were committing these grievous acts or who held to these unorthodox beliefs be restored. He wanted those who were gossiping and slandering other believers to put an end to the destruction that they were causing. He desired that the church forgive one another and be unified.

In fact, he talked about repentance and forgiveness back in chapters 2 and 7. One of Paul’s critics had repented from undermining Paul, and the apostle urged the church to restore him. He forgave this man, and so should the church.

Verse 10 expands on the goal of restoration. Paul said that his use of authority is for “building up and not tearing down” That’s at the end of verse 10. Church discipline is to build up the body of Christ. It’s just like how the discipline of a child is for their maturity.

The goal of church discipline is always repentance and restoration, which builds up the body of Christ.

Now, to be sure, the destruction that some sin causes may not be reparable in this life. Some marriages broken by adultery are not reparable. Or worse, think about murder. It’s also devastating. But let me say this, there is no sinful act that God will not forgive for those who come to him with a true repentance…. That is, who come to him with a heart grief for one’s sin not just feeling sorry, and seek to turn from it.

4. What precedes discipline?

Next question. What should precede discipline? In other words, at what point should a formal church discipline process begin?

Part of the answer is found all throughout 1 and 2 Corinthians. Over and over Paul conveyed his love for the church. Over and over he identified sin in their midst that needed to be dealt with. He’s been very specific about it. Over and over he has called them to return to faithful living and belief. And over and over Paul warned the church of the consequences.

All of that is part of spiritual discipline, but in 2 Corinthians 13, the apostle warns of a formal process involving witnesses and authority and judgment.

What I am saying is that that step needs to be the very last step after ample displays of love, ample warnings, and ample opportunities to be restored.

Just to be sure, there are situations like abuse where for the sake of the victim, church discipline needs to be accelerated. But even then, it needs to be done carefully, with firm resolve, with a clear warning about the gravity of that sin, and a call to repentance and change.

Look at verse 2. “ I warned those who sinned before and all the others, and I warn them now while absent, as I did when present on my second visit, that if I come again I will not spare them.” Multiple warnings. In fact, this chapter is not the implementation of discipline. Rather it is a final warning. This is the discipline they will experience if they didn’t repent.

To sum up this answer: discipline needs to be preceded by patient, loving, clear, and firm warnings about the consequences of sin and the judgment of God.

5. What is the message of discipline?

Next, what is the message of discipline?

The message of church discipline is a plea for self-examination. Look at verse 5: “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!”

Church discipline should implore the offender to search his heart. The severity of the unrepentant sin may indicate that he not a believer in Christ.

In other words, the message of spiritual discipline is the message of the Gospel. It needs to be. The message is that Jesus’ death and resurrection defeated sin and death. As Romans 6 asks, “How can we who died to sin still live in it?” If you have been redeemed by Christ, then by the ministry of the Holy Spirit in you, God enables you to repent of that sin and to pursue righteousness.

That does not mean that dealing with the vestiges of sin in our lives is easy. No. But it does mean that God gives believers a heart grief of their sin and a desire to turn from it. And we have the help of the church to come along side of us as we seek to walk in the newness of life in Christ. Church discipline is about unrepentant sin and therefore its message is the Gospel.

That is why Paul called the Corinthians to examine themselves. The test is whether they are in the faith, as verse 5 puts it. Discipline is a call not just for repentance from a specific sin but it is a call for repentance unto life - true Gospel repentance that sees our utter need for the mercy of God and turns to Jesus by faith as our Savior.

This is the message of spiritual discipline. Furthermore, it is why, if the discipline is not heeded, that the one being disciplined should be removed from membership. We call that excommunication. Jesus said, “if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.” In other words, treat him as an unbeliever.

And let me ask, how do you treat an unbeliever? By loving them and witnessing to them the love of God in Christ… and calling them to faith and repentance.

6. What is the perception?

Next, what is the perception of church discipline? Well, the perception is often negative.

Sometimes its perceived negatively because it was handled poorly, perhaps by leaders who have no history or understanding of loving servant leadership.

However, oftentimes spiritual discipline is handled lovingly and carefully but still considered harsh or as I heard recently, legalistic.

In particular, the ones receiving the discipline often react against it. That’s what was happening in Corinth. Some turned the tables on Paul. They claimed that he failed the test of faith. That’s found twice in here. First in verse 3, they wanted proof that Christ was speaking through Paul because according to the false-apostles, Paul was not an apostle. They questioned his authority.

Then in verse 7, Paul says that he prays to God “that you may do right, though we may seem to have failed.” Some had been calling him a failure.

In both cases, the call to repentance was met with a counter-attack against Paul. But notice that he received it with grace. He says in verse 9, “For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong.” And that is when he says, “your restoration is what we seek.”

In other words, Paul would rather appear weak if it meant that they would be strong in the faith and return to the Lord and to faithfulness in him.

Even though the perception of discipline is often negative and often responded to with criticism, it should not deter the church from a loving, thoughtful, and diligent call to faith and repentance.

7. Where does the authority come from?

One more question and it’s related. Where does the authority for discipline come from?

And the answer is that the authority has been given by the Lord, himself. Paul makes that clear in verse 10. To be sure, Paul was specifically speaking about his apostleship. In the establishment of the early church, the apostles were given the initial authority. But the ongoing authority has been given to the shepherds of God’s flock. Those are the elders which the Lord establishes in his church. So, the authority comes from the Lord and is given to the church through her elders. And those elders are themselves accountable to the Lord and subject to the same discipline that they oversee.

So, the ultimate authority is Christ. But he uses his church to protect his church and to maintain its purity and peace.

Conclusion

To summarize:

1. What is church discipline? It is the loving and careful process that confronts unrepentant sin, calls for repentance and restoration of the sinners and seeks peace and purity in the church.

2. What should discipline be based on? Discipline cases need to be based on truth and credible witnesses.

3. What are its goals? The restoration of the believer, the building up in maturity unto Christ, and the peace and purity of the church.

4. What should precede discipline? Formal discipline should be undertaken only after many loving and thoughtful attempts to confront sin, except in special cases involving egregious sin.

5. What is the message of discipline? Its message is the message of the Gospel – repent and believe for as verse 4 says, “he was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God.” The death and resurrection of Christ are at the center of discipline’s call and its power to overcome sin.

6. What is the perception of discipline? Even though discipline is often perceived negatively or countered with baseless accusations, it should still be undertaken with humility and care.

And 7. Where does the authority come from? The authority for discipline comes from Christ. He is Lord and King of the church and he entrusts that authority to the elders of his church who are called to fulfill that discipline, faithfully.

I want to say that if you would like to talk through any of these points in more detail, please reach out to me. I recognize there’s a lot here and these are difficult things.

Let me leave you with this.

May we be a church that seeks purity and peace. And may our elders lovingly and earnestly pursue us if we go astray… and if necessary, with spiritual discipline that points us to the Gospel.

And may we as members receive the discipline, return to Christ, and be restored to his body, the church, all under the authority of Christ, our Lord.