Text: 1 Corinthians 5

Topic: Why church discipline is vital

Introduction:

• • Love and discipline go .

Illustration: York tells of a man who "abused me daily" when he was 14. That turned out for York's good, however; the man was his wrestling coach.

Illustration: York reads a card from his son, a message of love and respect. He says, "Can you believe a son whom I have spanked would write me a card like that? I want you to see these two things [discipline and love] are connected."

Discipline, rightly handled, is good for the church family.

• • It draws our hearts closer to God's.
  • It can also be mishandled at one of two extremes:

People say it's a "private" matter, so there's no discipline.

People forget it's redemptive, and are too harsh with it.

• • Jesus and Paul both prescribed for us how to do it right.

1. Identify sin's impact on the world.

• • Sins that are publicly known (1 Cor. 5:1).
  • Sins that are "grossly immoral."
  • Sins that involve doctrinal heresy (Romans 16).

Illustration: A man in York's church was teaching universalism, that all go to heaven, despite York's confrontation and call to stop. York removed him from the church.

• • Sins that cause division and contention (Titus 3).

2. Identify sin's impact in the church.

• • The Corinthians were proud of their tolerance (1 Cor. 5:2).
  • Ignoring sin causes us to believe it's not serious and gives no incentive to repent.

3. Identify the church's impact on sin.

• • Follow the process of Matthew 18:1517.

Illustration: York tells of his father, a pastor, confronting a widow who was living with a man. She moved out, and "God wonderfully restored her."

• • A church that's serious about this is supernaturally protected from Satan.
  • Always treat sin like sin treats you: ruthlessly.
  • Unrepented sin infects the entire church.

Illustration: York tells of when his church had to discipline a man who left his wife and children to move in with his homosexual lover.

• • If we treat sin lightly, we treat Christ's atonement lightly.

4. Identify the church's ministry of biblical separation.

• • Don't separate from the world's sinners; do separate unrepentant brothers.
  • Don't judge sin outside of the church, but only inside of it.

Illustration: York tells of a former deacon's wife whose husband was having an affair. York called the other woman's house and asked for the deacon.

• • Care enough and love enough to confront.