Do You Think It's Not Real?

In the middle '80s I found myself involved in a great and terrible regret. I want to warn you of something that very few Churches do today and that is "Church Discipline". I was zealous for the Lord and knew nothing of what was about to shake my world and leave me with a deep regret that I will never forget. 

A man and his wife had been married for several years. They had a ministry called "The Joy Ministry", but our Church was their home. One day he went to the Pastor and confessed that he had been having an affair with another woman for the last two years. Our Pastor was a very godly man and after much prayer decided to exercise Church Discipline on him because he was going to divorce his wife for the other woman. The Pastor pleaded with him not to do that, but he was determined to have his way. 

It took place on a Wednesday evening and only eight people showed up, including me. The couple sitting in front of me warned that my judgment could come back on my own head. I ignored the warning. The man refused to repent. The Pastor then asked for a vote from among us as to remove him from the Body or not. I was one of three who stood up and voted yes. 

Here is the warning: My motive for voting yes was done out of a self-righteous Judgement.  I would learn this a long time later. My vote was also done out of ignorance about Church Discipline. It was not even a year later when my vote did come back on my own head. If you ever encounter this in your Church make sure that you have been educated about this thing or else you will face a regret that will haunt you for the rest of your life.

The purpose of church discipline is the spiritual restoration of fallen members and the consequent strengthening of the church and glorifying of the Lord. When a sinning believer is rebuked and he turns from his sin and is forgiven, he is won back to fellowship with the body and with its head, Jesus Christ.