Church discipline

 

I Surrender – Hillsong Worship

 

Not sure I like the words “church discipline” as I probably would prefer surrendering to Jesus first before putting my life in the hands of the church. The apostle Paul spends some time on this, in particular, with the church in Corinth as they required it.

Actually, there is an important relationship between the ministries of discipline and evangelism. It would seem they occupy the flip sides of a coin.

“Evangelism ministers to those outside the church who are in bondage to sin. Congregational discipline ministers to those within the church who are in bondage to sin” – Laney

It would also appear that discipline sides with discipleship.

I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people—  not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world.  But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. – 1 Corinthians 5:9-11  ESV

My thoughts would rest on this word that would require the most discipline – PRIDE.

For the sin of their mouths, the words of their lips,
    let them be trapped in their pride.
For the cursing and lies that they utter – Psalms 59:12  ESV

 

 

 

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Competitive spirit

 

That whole relationship with King Saul and David was definitely out of sorts. So I tried to apply it today and I think of have found a connection. First, did we not see this in the disciples? One or two try to be the greater, the most favourite the most liked/loved? Today, maybe I should say in ministry, we see competition, jealousy and self-assertion. Why is all of this messy? Because David was Saul’s most faithful servant and yet Saul is threatened by his competence and his success.  Why? If God has given each of us a spiritual gift or gifts, to enable us to excel in a certain area of ministry, can we not joy in the strength that God gives others?  We can either seek to benefit or we can resist them with a competitive spirit. It does make me wonder how much of this competitive spirit has created ministries all because their doctrine is rooted in jealousy and envy when it should be in faithfulness to God and His Word.

Faithfulness to God is an indispensable virtue. May I find it in myself as I grow as a disciple.

I am reminding myself one more time that a disciple is not only a Christ follower who grows in Christ-likeness but also produces Christ-like disciples. A spiritual parent, like the apostle Paul, and maybe someone I could be, is one who is intentional about living out the mission of raising disciples who can make disciples.

I do not write these things to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For though you have countless[b] guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. I urge you, then, be imitators of me. That is why I sent[c] you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ,[d] as I teach them everywhere in every church. – I Corinthians 4:14-17  ESV

I think more easily in calling myself a guide, but Paul is passionate about his role as a spiritual father who has a very special relationship with the church.

His imagery of a parent, both the mother and the father, are used to describe his earlier role as a discipler within the early church. I believe it best illustrates that discipleship is my life and that my spiritual DNA is to reproduce into the life of another.

 

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Doing what we do

 

I have found this truth to be very real in my life – in my diligent performance of present duties I am engaged with, opens the door down the road for further usefulness and honour. David and Gideon are two examples from the Old Testament that come to mind and Levi and the fishermen (James, John and Peter) were the others from the New Testament.

Coming then into a relationship with others, I have to respect Paul’s teaching methods.

But I, brothers,[a] could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ.  I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready. – 1 Corinthians 3:1-2  ESV

Discipling others is definitely a face-to-face experience yet I do come into instances where there is a group setting. I had best get to know the group setting first.

The value of what I put into those I disciple matter too.

 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward.  If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. – 1 Corinthians 3:14-15  ESV

The last part of this is a little bit harder to understand. I believe it is saying that I can mess up my work in discipling others but if my foundation is sure in Jesus, and is built up in faith and holiness, then all my work may be lost but I will not.  I found this quote from Dr. Macknight. I am not sure it clears things up, but it attempts in a lengthy fashion to enlighten me a bit.

“Other foundation of God’s temple, no teacher, if he teaches faithfully, can lay, except what is laid by me, which is Jesus, the Christ, promised in the Scriptures. Now if any teacher build on the foundation, Christ, sincere disciples, represented in this similitude by gold, silver, valuable stones; or if he buildeth hypocrites, represented by wood, hay, stubble, every teacher’s disciples shall be made manifest in their true characters; for the day of persecution, which is coming on them, will make every one’s character plain, because it is of such a nature as to be revealed by the fire of persecution: and so that fire, falling on the temple of God, will try every teacher’s disciples, of what sort they are. If the disciples, which any teacher has introduced into the church, endure persecution for the gospel without apostatizing, such a teacher shall receive the reward promised to them who turn others to righteousness, Daniel 12:3. If the disciples of any teacher shall, in time of persecution, fall away, through the want of proper instruction, he will lose his reward; he himself, however, having in general acted sincerely, shall be saved; yet, with such difficulty, as one is saved who runs through a fire.”

What I do know is that the power of God is with me to fill me and make me capable of so much more than I could ever imagine.

And those who know your name put their trust in you,
    for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you. – Psalm 9:10  ESV

So my takeaway is this as I do what I do – one of the defining trait of a disciple is faith. Faith in God will give me the power to become a disciple, and to make more disciples by leading others to faith.

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Prayer over evil

 

Kirk Franklin “Pray For Me”

 

I believe that most of you know what  I mean when I say the Prayer of Jabez. But I read it again and I believe we have missed something terribly important.

Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm[c] so that it might not bring me pain!” And God granted what he asked. – 1 Chronicles 4:10  ESV

What grabs me is the second part which I can say is nowhere near as popular as the first part. There is a prayer here of victory over evil.

The word evil does not appear itself in his prayer at first sight but you notice the little “c” after the word “harm.” That is where the alternative word is written – “evil.” There seems to be an understanding between the difference between evil and pain.

Evil itself might be defined as suffering, calamity, occasional adversity, and disappointment but it is definitely recognized as the absolute lot of all of us here. It is undeniable. May I say that there are immense differences within the range and the limits of what is called evil. I think this is what Jabez might have been saying. He does not pray to be kept from evil but rather from the touch of evil itself. Evil is in the tyrannous rule, its merciless hold, its mocking treatment of those who put their trust in it and if consumed without borders, its destructive results. So he prays to be kept from the evil that would harm and pain the soul.

I think this is the same meaning of the Lord’s Prayer.

And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.[d]  –  Matthew 6:13  ESV

How much evil there is that we might pass through. But the deep water does not swamp us. When the disappointed hope and sorrow visit our lives and they will visit the very best of us, they help us become what we are – right, excellent, devout – making the best of today a better tomorrow. It is the evil and the good from God’s hands that disciplines, purifies and elevates us.  Yes, there is another ending should we choose – a sorrow that results in death. It is the one with the hardened heart, soiled consciences, cradled remorse and unavailing regret. It is this evil that we pray will not be ours.

May the Lord give us wisdom to understand.

The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. – 1 Corinthians 2:14  ESV

The world sees this as foolishness and why not. We live through One who died, we are blessed by One who was made a curse and we are justified by the One who Himself was condemned. Have you ever seen a wise person plant a church or evangelize with the spreading of the gospel? Fishermen did, they were commissioned to disciple the nations, chosen to be vessels to carry this treasure of saving knowledge to the world. The foolishness of God is wiser than us.

 

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Responsibility has no ending

 

At the end of Samuel’s reign as judge over Israel, he gives me a tangible expression of reminder – my responsibility does not end at just stating truth – instead he goes further. He offers to pray, to disciple and to walk alongside them.

 Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you, and I will instruct you in the good and the right way.  – 1 Samuel 12:23  ESV

So now I am interested.  Go back to the beginning of chapter twelve and find some more things that I may not have caught before.

He looks at himself as a disciple. He invites everyone to examine him, he reminds everyone that his family members live among them and that he has served them and the Lord since he was a young boy.

Then the later half of the chapter he has those other discipling statements that he makes. Do things God’s way, fear and obey as well as worship, not to turn away from God but instead worship with all your heart and lastly the promise that God will not abandon you.

It is a responsible position to be in when I come alongside someone else. Reminds a bit of why the issue in 1 Corinthians happened. The argument of whose disciple I am.

Paul had to come out very strong. He had to remind them that salvation only came through the crucified Christ who poured His blood as an atonement for us. His disciple only can you be for it is He who has bought us with His blood. Same as baptism. He was clear that he had founded no religion, had no authority on his own, he preached only Jesus crucified for the sin of the world. Paul’s task was simple enough – call on people everywhere to believe on Him.

My responsibility is to keep staying involved and to keep pointing others to Jesus.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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