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The Company You Keep
Withdrawing Fellowship & Church Discipline

 

The concepts of withdrawing fellowship from a habitually disobedient brother or sister in Christ as well as church discipline are thorny issues yet vitally important to the success of the body of Christ. To ignore the sinful acts of a child of God indicates that he/she is not loved. No sincere parents would allow themselves to become silent witnesses to their child’s physical, mental or spiritual self-destruction. The mother, father or both would hurriedly intervene to save their child from destruction. The same must be true for the spiritual children of God. Unlike the statement of Cain we are our brothers keeper (Genesis 4:9).

 

Purpose: To investigate, illustrate and explain the following three things

 

·        Withdrawing fellowship because of a Christian's habitually offensive walk in Christ.

·        Withdrawing fellowship because of the preaching/teaching of false doctrine.

·        Christ withdrawing from five of the seven churches in Asia Minor.

 

Withdrawing From The Habitually Offensive In Christ

 

The concept of withdrawing fellowship from a practicing disobedient child of God is a command instituted and practiced by God. Aside from the type of separation between Adam, Eve and God in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:24) we find that God withdrew himself from Cain after he murdered his brother Abel (Genesis 4:8). Due to the stance (Genesis 4:9) and behavior of Cain (Genesis 4:8) God marked him for safety, made him socially unattractive and dismissed him to a life and land of wandering (Nod) (Genesis 4:12-16). God does not tolerate willful disobedience in His presence. God does not tolerate habitual sin and requires that His children do the same considering they were created in His image and likeness (Genesis 1:26).

 

Matthew 18:15-20 provides Christian's with the instructions of Christ in how to deal with a brother who is in sin. The main premise of withdrawing fellowship or exacting church discipline is to help the erring Christian repent before it is everlasting too late. Christians must clearly understand that withdrawing fellowship from a wayward spiritual family member has nothing to do with a Christian rendering punishment to a disobedient brother or sister as payment for their sin(s). God said "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord" (Romans 12:19).

 

In the scriptural example, Matthew 18:15-20, a three step process is manifested with a fourth step that nobody would ever want to be a part of. The first step is to go to that person alone. This means that the issue should not be addressed with anyone other than the accused. If he/she fails to repent one or two more Christians can be informed of the matter for the purpose of trying to gain back the erring Christian. If that does not result in repentance the members in the local congregation are to be informed. If he/she continues to walk disorderly they become like Cain, a wanderer, dis-fellowshipped from the local church and the brotherhood.

 

Verse (17) instructs the church to treat the Christian who refuses to repent as a heathen and publican. These are both individuals that no one truthfully fellowships with. Christian's are commanded in 2 Corinthians 6:14-17 not to have fellowship and to separate from heathens. In this day and age the publican would be the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and every taxpayer knows that if a law was passed today stating, "Do not acknowledge the IRS" the law would probably never be broken.

 

In 1 Corinthians 5 Paul addressed a type of fornication going on in the church at Corinth. In verse (5) Paul said he was going "To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus." This was the same language Paul used to refer to Hymanaeus and Alexander: "Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme" (1 Timothy 1:20). The exact doing of Paul is not clear but it is more than evident that the actions of the fornicator, Hymenaeus and Alexander were not tolerated or fellowshipped.

 

The Christians at Corinth had no regard for the sin of their brother and failed to realize that it was contaminating the entire congregation (1 Corinthians 5:6-7). Paul's final divine judgment on this matter was that no Christian was to fellowship with any brother or sister who is a illegally sexually active, dominated by materialism, places things before God, abusive, an active alcoholic or a thief (1 Corinthians 5:11). Paul also states in verse (11) that Christians should not even eat with disobedient Christians. These commands apply to church members today as well.

 

In a second letter to the Christians at Corinth Paul responded to their sorrow from the first letter. To withdraw fellowship, engage in church discipline or even rebuke a fellow Christian is difficult and heart wrenching. Nevertheless, if the Christian truly cares about the soul of their dear brother or sister they will muster the courage, faith and strength needed to address the matter and even withdraw from them if necessary. A child of God would rather lose the admiration and fellowship of a disobedient Christian for a season if it brings them to earthly repentance rather than entertain the relationship of a sinful brother or sister simply to have it severed at judgment by eternal hell fire.

 

The stern words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 5 resulted in inner despair but that did not deter Paul because he spoke the truth to save souls from damnation. Paul said:

 

             “For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did

             repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though

             it were but for a  season. Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry,

             but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly

             manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.  For godly sorrow

             worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the

             world worketh death” (2 Corinthians 7:8-10).

 

The response of Paul speaks to the absolute necessity of church discipline and the great burden and pain that Christian's bear when they admonish, rebuke, mark or withdraw fellowship from a disobedient child of God. 

 

To further clarify the necessity and criticalness of withdrawing fellowship from the disobedient 2 Thessalonians 3:6-7,10-15 can be investigated:

 

             "Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that

             ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not

             after the tradition which he received of us. For yourselves know how ye ought

             to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you" (Verses 6-7).

 

             "For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would

             not work, neither should he eat. For we hear that there are some which walk among

             you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. Now them that are such we

             command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and

             eat their own bread. But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing. And if any

             man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with

             him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as

             a brother" (Verses 10-15).

 

In this example the reason for the marking and avoiding is stipulated (14). When a person realizes they no longer have the fellowship of their spiritual family it should result in them feeling ashamed. Under that feeling a person would normally want to repent of their wrong and rejoin their spiritual and even physical family as did the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32). In the process of church discipline it must always be understood that the disobedient Christian is still a child of God and not an enemy.

 

Another reason for marking, rebuking, admonishing and withdrawing fellowship from the disobedient Christian is to bring fear to other members so they are aware that they cannot get away with sinful activity. If the entire congregation is not of the same mind in regards to church discipline it will be rendered ineffective. If some withdraw and others do not there will be no real press for the disobedient child of God to repent. In essence that would be making a mockery of God’s divine discipline system. In relation to disobedient elders Paul told Timothy "Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear" (1 Timothy 5:20). In Acts 5:1-11 Ananias and Sapphira were put to death (The ultimate withdrawal from God) because of their disobedience, to incite Godly fear and provide an example of consequence to the church.

 

Although the act of church discipline is tough to render it must be done for the sake and love of the believer and the church. "Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us" (1 Corinthians 5:6-7).

 

 

Withdrawing From Those Who Teach False Doctrine

 

There are those who are disobedient in Christ such as stated in 1 Corinthians 5:11and there are those who teach false doctrine. Both groups, if they fail to repent, are not to be received or kept company with. Those who preach and teach false doctrine in and out of the church can confuse minds with their venomous speech (1 John 4:1).

 

After Paul commends his fellow laborers to the Christians in the church at Rome (Romans 16:1-16) he follows with two stern commands in verses (17-18):

 

             Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences

             contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they

             that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by

             good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple. Men and

             women who teach doctrines of devils (1 Timothy 4:1)

 

False teachers are to be avoided because they have the potential of contaminating babes in Christ and those weak in the faith. Paul indicates that if a person teaches or preaches a gospel different than the message of the apostles that person is to be accursed (Galatians 1:7-9).

 

When Paul and Barnabas saw that the Jews were not willing to receive the Word because of their racist outlook they withdrew from them and delivered the gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 13:44-46). In 2 John 1:9-11 the following was stated:

 

             “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath

             not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father

             and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive

             him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him

             God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.”

 

Those who teach false doctrine should not be fellowshipped with and if one decides to entreat them as a brother they are partaking in their evil and also become guilty.

 

The concepts of withdrawing fellowship and church discipline are serious. If they are performed correctly church growth and purpose are the results. It is emotionally painful for parents to discipline their children just as it is emotionally and spiritually taxing  for a brother or sister in Christ to withdraw fellowship from a wayward child of God. Jesus Christ found fault with five of the seven local congregations in Asia Minor and his command was repent or be rejected.

 

Christ And Disobedient Congregations

 

Strict obedience to God is a must for the children in His Kingdom. God does not make compromises with the weak in the faith or the willfully disobedient. There were seven congregations in Asia Minor and Christ had a problem with five of them. They had a choice to either repent or be dismissed from God's presence. Congregations unwilling to practice church discipline may well think they are in fellowship with God but might symbolically be wandering in the land of Nod as did Cain. 

 

The body of believers at Ephesus (Revelation 2:5) were to repent or have their candlestick removed. The church at Pergamos (Revelation 2:14-16) was to repent of their false doctrine or face a fight with Christ.  The body of believers at Thyatira (Revelation  2:20-23) who were guilty of following Jezebel were to repent or face great tribulation and possible death. The church at Sardis (Revelation 3:1-3) was to repent from their dead faith or face Christ coming upon them as a thief in the night. The church at Laodicea (Revelation 3:15-16) was to repent of their hypocriticalness or be spit from the mouth of Christ.

 

When the concept of church discipline is discussed repentance must always be near. The whole point of church discipline is to help the errant Christian see their need for repentance. Church discipline is a part of God's divine plan. Christians keep each other and should strive to prevent all spiritual family members from falling into the hands of God. "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Hebrews 10:13). Christians are better off disciplining each other as opposed to falling headlong into the mighty hands of God.

 

Watch the company you keep and do not be caught harboring the sins of others.

 

"Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven" (Matthew 18:21).

 

 

 

Presented by Ammar Saheli