Let's Study 2 Corinthians

One of the most difficult aspects of church life is the carrying out of spiritual discipline.

The world regards it as an intrusion on individual freedom. 'What right have you to judge others?' is the response of most non-Christians. Even Christians may be so unaccustomed to biblical teaching on its necessity that they also question its validity.

The Bible leaves us in no doubt about its importance. The church's responsibility is not to judge those outside the church, but those inside. Church discipline takes seriously the pervasive power of wrong influence in the church (1 Corinthians 5. 6,7). Although the ex-ample in 1 Corinthians concerned sexual immorality, that is not only the ground for church discipline, although, sadly, it may be the most frequent. Grasping attitudes, idolatry, slander, drunkenness and swindling all constitute grounds for church discipline. Disputes between believers, false teaching and apostasy are further reasons for its exercise. Church discipline aims to promote the health of the whole church.

Too severe?

After giving his advice in his first letter, Paul became aware that the Corinthians had probably been too severe in discipline. We are uncertain of the individual's identity in this chapter. It may have been the person mentioned in 1 Corinthians 5. That has been the traditional view, although sometimes challenged.

When we remember what we know about the city of Corinth, and the evil practices from which the Corinthians had been delivered (1 Corinthians 6.9-11), it is not surprising that church discipline was necessary. Sins prevalent in the world inevitably threaten the life of the church since its members have to live out their lives in its environment.

Seven principles

We may deduce a number of principles from this passage about church discipline.

1. The exercise of church discipline must be in the context of grief - corporate grief - about sin (verse 5), but with our feelings under control.

Paul acknowledges that hurt had been caused by the sin committed. That was entirely appropriate. What grieves God should grieve us. When the Spirit of God is pained by what happens, so should we be. Grief is a better response than anger. Anger is understandable, but it can distort our judgment. It is easy to be angry with the person who has sinned. The anger may be prompted as much by the trouble it causes us, as the dishonour it brings to God's Name. Grief is a better reaction than anger, but even then it must be controlled.

That is probably what Paul implies when he writes 'not to put it too severely' (verse 5). He was aware that we can get things out of perspective, and say too much, or be too violent in our reactions. For this reason, it is good to 'sleep on a situation' and not to act immediately, but rather to let our feelings, and the corporate reaction of a church fellowship, have time to settle. We frequently feel that something must be done at once. That is probably true, but 'at once' does not mean the actual moment we discover that something is wrong. The next day things are often not quite so desperate as they appeared at first. Furthermore, there is always a right way forward if honestly sought.

2. Church discipline demands a majority judgment and decision (v. 6).

We do not know what is behind Paul's comment that 'the punishment inflicted on' the individual 'by the majority is sufficient for him' (verse 6). Presumably it means that the church leadership at Corinth - e.g. the elders - brought the sin of this believer before the church after the pattern laid down in 1 Corinthians 5 and by our Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 18. 15-17. Then, whatever their procedure, disciplinary action was proposed, and voted on in some way. The majority concurred and the decision was implemented.

There is a suggestion in Paul's words that the decision was not unanimous. That may often be the case. Unanimity is a great blessing, but we must not demand it to the point that we do nothing whatsoever without it. We can never be sure, for example, that every Christian in a church meeting is walking with God and is in touch with him. Personal factors may hinder Christians agreeing with the majority, especially family or friends of the offending member. Nevertheless, the decision of the majority is to be followed, since God gives his people corporate wisdom as they look to him.

3. Church discipline requires applying an appropriate punishment (verse 6).

The offending member at Corinth had been punished. He may have been put out of fellowship (cf. 1 Corinthians 5.2) or perhaps a privilege of church membership had been withdrawn from him, such as sharing in the Lord's Supper until he proved his repentance. If he held any office or responsibility in the church, that privilege would have been removed from him. The task of those exercising church discipline is to determine the most appropriate punishment.

4. The exercise of church discipline must have in view repentance and restoration so that forgiveness and comfort may ultimately be given to the offending believer (verse 7).

Paul was concerned that the punishment, or the spirit in which it was given, had been too severe. If so, the offender might have been 'overwhelmed with excessive sorrow' (verse 7). 'Overwhelmed' is the word used of Satan devouring people as a lion (1 Peter 5.8), or of the waters of the Red Sea causing the Egyptians to be drowned (Hebrews 11.29). Satan delights to make a person under discipline feel that neither God nor his people love him, and that there is no place for repentance and forgiveness (cf. 2 Corinthians 7.19).

Sorrow is a right response to our sin, and part of our repentance concerning it. Overwhelming sorrow, however, that means we despair of being forgiven, and of ever putting things right, is not what God wants, or what we should desire. Church discipline must be tempered with mercy. With the punishment the hope must be held out of repentance and restoration to fellowship.

There are two obvious dangers in church discipline: it may be too little or too much. If it is too little, it may not achieve the intended purpose. If it is too much, it may lead the offender to total despair.

5. Church discipline must have before it the hope of exercising Christian forgiveness - a forgiveness practised by all its members (verse 10).

It would appear that the Corinthians may have maintained their punishment for too long. In view of the person's repentance, now was the time to forgive and comfort him (verse 7). They needed to reaffirm their love to him (verse 8), the love that God puts in our hearts for one another as members of his family. When discipline is properly exercised and accepted in the right spirit, the reaffirming of love is imperative. When a church fellowship recognises that discipline has done its work, and then exercises forgiveness, the task of every member is to be part of that forgiveness. Paul assures the Corinthians that he identifies with them in their forgiveness. What others have forgiven, we must forgive.

6. In exercising church discipline we are to forgive as we have been forgiven, and as 'in the sight of Christ' (verse 10).

This is another way of saying that it is to be done in a way that honours the Lord Jesus and reflects the manner in which he has already graciously forgiven us. It is to be done with the recognition that he is always present with his church by his Spirit. He walks among his candlesticks, the local churches (Revelation 2.1). Paul wanted to live his whole life 'in the sight of Christ', for this is at the heart of godliness, for the individual as for the church. We are to forgive from our hearts, and to forgive as he has forgiven us. We may not be able to forget, but we must try to, and to act as if we have.

7. Church discipline must be exercised with care so that we do not give Satan an opportunity to outwit us (verse 11).

We are not to be 'unaware of his schemes' (v.11; cf. Ephesians 6.11, 1 Peter 5.8). This is a timely warning and caution. If church discipline is insufficient, Satan is delighted because sin is then minimised and perhaps even encouraged. If church discipline is too severe, however, it may lead the offending individual to desperation and perhaps apostasy.

Satan delights in causing us to go to excess. He wants what we may know to be the proper cure (church discipline) to be worse in its consequences than the disease we try to remedy (the sin committed). We are not to be ignorant of how he works.

This is an abridged chapter from Let's study 2 Corinthians by Derek Prime, recently published by The Banner of Truth Trust.

An extract from the book Let's Study 2 Corinthians on the seven principles of church discipline and forgiving sinners

Too severe?

Seven principles

2. Church discipline demands a majority judgment and decision (v. 6).

3. Church discipline requires applying an appropriate punishment (verse 6).

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