How We Discipline the Unrepentant, Part 1

John means here is a diopter fees is openly disregarding apostolic authority which is not a good idea when the apostles teaching is directing the church.

Apostles shows a Mrs. this is the way were supposed to live act and believe very very significant in life. If I decided in front of you to say no I really like that particular page and I just ripped it out of father.

What would you do, you would run right right and you should.

That's what diopter fees it effectively. None in God's Word gives us a command it's binding upon us, we must obey what we do when people who claim to be Christians and are members of a church openly disregard the Bible here on wisdom for the hard working our way through a series on the church today we come to one of the more difficult issues a church needs to deal with the issue of church discipline. What is church discipline.

When is it used.

How do we balance love for a person with biblical concern for that person's here. Stephen dating with a lesson called how we discipline on in one of his works.

I can't remember which one I remember Chuck send all writing about some children in his neighborhood had worked long and hard on their little cardboard hideout.

This was a place where they would meet together, play together, talk, solve the worlds problems and he decided he needed some rules for those who would join and they came up with three of them. The first one was nobody act big second was nobody act small.

The third everybody act medium good gravesite reminds me of what Paul wrote to the believers in Rome, where he said this. Do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Romans 1216 don't be wise in your own opinion is interesting that only two biblical writers use that phrase in all of the Bible. One is the apostle Paul and the other is King Solomon.

Solomon put it this way, you see a man who is wise in his own eyes.

There is more hope for a fool than in him. Proverbs 2612 and I would be because he is unaccountable in his self deceived state. He can be taught, because he will not be taught is beyond correction beyond review is beyond counselees, beyond discipling these really moving toward the discipline of God ever thought about the fact that the word discipline and the word discipling come from the same root word is there to activities really that lead us in and toward maturity. One activity discipling is a time of challenging and correcting a willing individual.

Discipline is a time of challenging and correcting and unwilling individual, both activities are commanded in Scripture. The differences really determined by who is willing who is not as we work through our promises that were making as an assembly we have a couple of Sundays left ear. Where will deal with this issue. One of the critically important promises is a heavy subject. It relates to the subject of this.

This is how the older team is warning this particular promise. It's it goes this way we promise put on the screen here to welcome accountability to elders and members of the assembly through biblical discipline and discipleship know what to do it in, and I don't want to spend one Sunday on the subject.

This could be several women to do it one and what that means is on you to go along okay. Just settling. Lunch is overrated.

Forget it. Just just joints amends or whatever you got your neighbors have a drop in on a number of passages and you can see some of the references attached to this particular promise and we sort loaded this one out because this may be new to people and they may need to do some study. Maybe not so new to you, to the church in Galatia. Paul records this interesting encounter where he confronts the apostle Peter the apostle Peter is acting inconsistently which means apostles are people and people consented. Peter was sitting. Paul writes this, but when Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face because he stood condemned house so well. Prior to the coming of certain men from James that is the church in Jerusalem. Peter used to eat with the Gentiles, the Gentile believers. But when they came those Jewish church leaders. He began to withdraw all and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision, that is, fearing his reputation with those Jewish leaders and even Barnabas was carried away by this hypocrisy. So here you have Paul saying I confronted Peter for his hypocrisy and interesting study elements of this Galatians 211, 21, so here is confronted to his face and Peter evidently straightened up and a greater division among the believers was averted. Paul also writes to the church in Corinth to literally dismiss an unrepentant man from the church.

He writes in chapter 5. It is actually reported among you that there is a morality that that someone has his father's wife and I were so many of the church, sexually involved with his stepmother. Paul writes, and you have become arrogant you meaning the church body. You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead in order that the one who had done this deed. Obviously, unrepentant might be removed from your midst prescriptions five. Paul also writes to Titus. This command, I think this would be given to the leadership the elders Titus is to appoint elders to be tells Titus through this project that is effectively excommunicate a divisive man. After a first and second warning letting get three to you. Warning he's dividing the body in some way and he got to stop born again and he doesn't stop and then you refuse him access to the flock. Why do you refuse of access to the blog as that's what he wants. He wants access to the flock so we can divide. This is quick. It is short in its treatment in the flock is ultimately spared to the Ephesian church. Paul wrote the subject that is be accountable to one another.

Ephesians 521.

There is a mutual accountability that takes place in the body. This is just for elders. This is for every member to hold one another accountable in Romans 15 verse 14 Paul adds that we are to admonish one another that time admonish gives us our work need that Inc. which is used for new pathetic counseling.

You might've heard it used in in that context. This is the word with the timing or new pathetic means that you warrant and instruct and encourage someone to change their conduct to the Philippian church. Paul started adds this spirits about which you do this, this attitude does this do nothing, do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than yourself. So the assembly is actually called the Council and encourage and correct one another, but it's with an attitude of love with truth. Truthfully, loving them challenging confronting an attitude that says you know this person that I am challenging is actually more important to the church that I am with that attitude. So much of it can be done correctly.

This, by the way is the very issue that's about to destroy the little tiny house church in the first century we don't know much about it but we do know is that there is a member of a prominent member who is no longer accountable no longer willing to be a disciple is above it. He and he views himself as more important than anyone else and is now in need of open confrontation. John the apostle writes a a letter to this church and he doesn't send it to the church at large. He sends it to a specific man by the name Gaius another leader in the church and I'll tell you why in a minute. Let's go to that little letter.

It's called third John the apostle John wrote several books, the gospel of John first John second John third John in the book of Revelation. This particular letter. Third, John is often overlooked, tiny letter if freighted with implications as a relates to confrontation what John did not come to set the stage here is the point his finger at this man. He was out of line and he's going to imply that, unless he straightens out that when he comes, there will be a confrontation, face-to-face like polar Peter problem is this man named diopter fees. Notice verse nine.

Let's jump there. I wrote something to the church but diopter fees who loves to be first among them does not accept what we say that's interesting on a number of layers. Verse nine effectively implies that another letter was written earlier which by the way, we don't have God in his preservation didn't choose to allow to be preserved, and it seems to be implied by John went missing and it seems to point back to diopter fees, who may very well have intercepted it and destroyed it warning you about some of these things and that letter was discarded some writing you again is basically what he's saying. Notice gets right to the problem of the names diopter fees and then writes. He loves to be first among compound word combines for loss or deep affection.

Protons first or priority nobody saying that that diopter fees has a deep affection for being first at the bedside. By the way, and he uses the present tense indicated that he's never let stop.

He never slacks off.

He's always all about that that matters more to him than anything and so his opinions are going to become engraved in stone and followed to the letter as I'll show you know anybody who dares to challenge him, is in deep trouble but the root of this John takes the basketball's pride. The question before we go any further. Is the obvious why is the church cowering cowering before this plan, why, why is anybody standing up to well again. Remember, this is a little church. How many of you came to call you from a little church where you knew everybody, yes. Now how intimidating our troubles and problems in that church compared to a large church like this, their lot bigger. You know everything you know everybody a lot of personality involved a lot of difficulty involved in confronting somebody in the church. Certainly, a prominent leader like diopter fees and I think that they were intimidated, he may very well and it seems I'll point out a couple clues.

He may very well have been intimidating. He may have been physically commandeering physically overbearing.

There's a word will show you in a moment that refers to physical violence.

He was obviously the kind of guy that would be missing your head before you knew to swallow it just that kinda guy. There's a really interesting clue in his name. The names diopter fees is a Greek name which means Zeus reared in other words, cared for and nurtured by Zeus New Testament scholars of the wonderful job in tracking on the fact that this name was primarily reserved for Greek nobility was used by noble, well-connected, wealthy families number of New Testament authors believe that he was more than likely a member of the Greek aristocracy and hear the gospel evidently professed faith. These now the church because of who he is because of France's wealth or maybe his personality, or charisma. Whatever might be his physical domineer and he is he just, you know, heads to the front and by the way that's the way he likes it at the front of the line. He loves this loves to be first. Now he adds this additional danger if you'll notice in verse 10, the middle part he is unjustly accusing us with wicked words only back up here. Look in the universe not I skipped ahead of the page on that best meets Linda to the end of her son. He does not accept what we say that it only this implies even to the point of discarding something John and said written earlier which means here's a diopter fees is openly disregarding apostolic authority which is not a good idea when the apostles teaching is directing the church. They're not necessarily turning to the book of first Corinthians are not necessarily turning to first John apostle shows up, or representative of the of the apostolic community uses. This is the way were supposed to live act and believe very very significant life if I decided in front of you to say no I really don't like debiting a page and I just ripped it out and so when you follow the what would you do, you would run right right right and you should. That's what diopter fees it effectively.I got a letter from the apostle John. I don't like it so we can get rid of it the church of the great danger for anyone who disregards Scripture and he is violating the apostolic authority is ears or closes mind is effectively unteachable when you get to this point.

Of course, now you know it's almost up a no win situation when you might you might win ultimately but a lot of casualties are going to occur because of what other Scripture says maybe her only of the faith and know this is true you seen it, perhaps, were Solomon put it this way if you rebuke a scoffer.

He will hate you. But if you rebuke a wise man. He will love you so diopter fees is Artie arrived at this moment he's obviously scoffing apostolic authority. So anybody who challenges and guess what you hate anybody who calls them shop short, despise them, and if I can turn this proverb around positively. It's interesting to me that it's telling us if you rebuke a scoffer who hate you if you rebuke a wise and loving the one of the marks of a wise individual is not that he knows more, but that he's being.

He is willing to be taught wisdom equals teachability even if the truth challenges who you are and what you do now is go to the southern danger I mentioned in verse 10 he is unjustly accusing us with wicked words and I was instantly one enough to ignore John's authority diopter fees is wickedly accusing John.

John is gracious. He says us is accusing us with that really means is he's accusing John and is attempting to assassinate John's character.

One commentator wrote at this point this is all too common a ploy for those who are seeking to gain prominence.

They unjustly accused us those in leadership.

Apparently the church members were too afraid or too intimidated to stand up to diopter fees even when he accused John of wicked things. John didn't tell us what they were loved to have heard one or two or three things right.

Then tell us just we can. Words by the way John uses that word wicked five times in his letters and they always relate to the activity of the devil and then trust me nobody in this little house church would have missed that connection if they had access to his other letters because of the Greek language. John is effectively telling the church that the ball is behind diopter fees.these might think he's working independently.

Are you working on his and Johnson's not the devils behind them, motivating him to divide and destroy notice. Further, in the middle part of verse 10 and not satisfied with this, he himself does not receive the brethren. What that means is a diopter fees is refusing to offer hospitality to missionaries and pastors apostolic community representatives, pastor teachers, evangelists Dr. fees would have seen these men as a threat to his stranglehold on this little house church. He doesn't want another leader evaluating doesn't want somebody from the outside to see what he's doing so they come into town and he basically says keep your backpack.

Do not stick around here is violating the rules of Christian hospitality is really denying them shelter and in food as well as hindering the progress of the word of God things personally inhospitable. This guy is a mess he needs to be confronted, but even that one enough, there's one more thing to point out about tries to rip this church partly versed in any forbids those who desire to do so. That is show hospitality to visitors and puts them out of the church. In other words anybody shows hospitality to another pastor or apostolic representative or evangelist diopter fees comes on court comes unglued to being a woman in the assembly offers a trailing missionary casserole. You know, or couple the get the memo in and says we have a spare room want to say when us in their trouble. Dr. fees finds out you did that. He's gonna kick you out of the church so get your mind around the irony of this this little letter what what what what is diopter fees is practicing church discipline on people doing the right thing. The people were doing the right thing being dismissed and the guy doing the wrong thing is why the state never seen that happen. Maybe in a church you came from work that unrepentant sinners and discipline and the people that really want to stay in the believing the people at all the leaves stay referring to you. Having stayed by the way your hair 11 seen that happen average. The casualties often become godly individuals who in the believing self I can put this in a sentence. Here's what's happening diopter fees has successfully hijacked this house church and John the apostle is sending a message that is timeless implications to us in the 21st century. There's going to be some excommunicating taking place, but it isn't going to be the couple that offer a casserole or their spare room. It's going to be this man who loves to be in front me this man's heart is proud his mind is unteachable whose mouth is saying disgraceful things whose spirit is inhospitable in his leadership. At this point is utterly un-biblical John pledges in verse 10 that since the deeds of diopter fees are public knowledge is basically going to have a public exposure for the assembly.

Give me a call. Obviously we know from other passages and he would be consistent with the other apostles is to be a call for repentance and in the heavy conversation and exhortation time and effort blood sweat and tears.

If he refuses, when John arrives. Dr. fees is going to be removed now. I would love to have 1/4 epistle of John to find out what happened.

We don't have one. Just have three God is preserved for us but I can't help but think of how many churches today are hijacked in a similar fashion church at large refuses to deal with unrepentant sinners, and they become intimidated and fearful and they cower instead. So I received a few days ago.

Just another email from another elder in another church in another state who writes we have a prominent man in our church who has been involved in immorality and he won't step down from leadership and he's taking the church's little church through the agony in demanding people take sides side with him and that were paralyzed by moral indecision and what I do. Some would say that it is unloving to privately or certainly publicly expose anybody well John, just expose to get that Republic.

The opposite is actually true.

It's actually unloving to put your blinders on and let somebody self-destruct specially another brother sister in the assembly amuses illustration informative.

You walk pastor neighbors house is still got the money you can sleep your walking a dog and you see flames licking up his living room curtains and you know there's a big fire, there's trouble you got a choice when the unit is Unicode bang on the door and yell and jump up and down combine online and maybe break a window. Whatever you gotta do to wake them up. Yes it can be uncomfortable for them to stand in the street in their pajamas is going to be tough to hear the bad news that your house is on fire not to be comfortable going to be awkward to be difficult and sidelights going to change.

But you know that's the right thing to do.

Paul wrote to the Galatians brethren, if a man is ensnared. If a man is caught in any trespass, you are spiritual, restore the confronting of the rebuking the correcting and ultimately restoring the reconciling Galatians chapter 6, verse one. You are spiritual do that he needed say you don't like the guy go after or you like to stick your nose in other people's business. This is a job for you know you are spiritually minded do this. Others say that the exposure of unrepentant sinners causes church problem and I say briefly does it really and the smaller the church, the more trouble it brings more than we need to learn about this topic. Church discipline organist stop here for today and will pick this back up on tomorrow's broadcast. This is wisdom for the heart with Stephen Devi Stevens working through a series on the church called upon this rock.

Today's lesson was part one of a message called how we discipline the unrepentant if the topic of church discipline is something that you'd like to know more about Stephen wrote a book called in pursuit of prodigal's in that book he goes into far more detail. So I encourage you to pick up a copy. It's an important resource for how to wisely and lovingly restore those who are caught up and said you'll find in pursuit of prodigal's on our website which is wisdom online.org if you prefer we can help you over the phone.

Call us at 86 648 Bible 866-482-4253 and please join us tomorrow for more wisdom for the