Church Discipline

INTRO

Matthew 5:17 has been the theme verse for all of Revive School: “Don’t assume that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.” Jesus is in every part of the Law and the Prophets. We can see Him throughout the Bible. As both letters to the Thessalonians have dealt with the Lord’s return, they have fulfilled the prophecies of Daniel 9 by pointing to Jesus. Our phrase for 2 Thessalonians is Faithful Lord.

TEACHING

2 Thessalonians 3:1-2: At the conclusion of his second letter to the Thessalonians, Paul asked for the church’s prayers for his ministry. Paul specifically asked the church to pray that the Lord’s message would spread to new places in the same way that it did among the Thessalonians. Paul asked for prayer along similar lines in 1 Timothy 2:1-2: “First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.” Paul did not want to become content with the work he had already done. Instead, he wanted to see the Gospel continue to spread to new places.

Paul also asked for the church to pray “that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men” (v. 2). Constable proposed that these were likely the unbelieving Jews that Paul encountered in Corinth.¹

2 Thessalonians 3:3-5: Regardless of your views on the rapture, the Lord will be faithful to strengthen and guard you while you await His return. Paul encouraged the Thessalonians to focus on Jesus, specifically that they would be drawn towards “God’s love and Christ’s endurance” (v. 5).

2 Thessalonians 3:6-13: Paul prayed that the church would walk in holiness. To demonstrate how serious this admonition was, Paul invoked the name of Jesus to warn the church to stay away from anyone who would get in the way of their pursuit of Jesus. Paul encouraged the church to imitate him and his companions, specifically in how they worked to support themselves. Constable linked this admonition to an unidentified false teaching that infiltrated the church, which possibly led some of the Thessalonians to quit their jobs and live off the charity of the church.² Paul also encouraged the Philippian church to imitate him: “Join in imitating me, brothers, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us” (Philippians 3:17). This was not arrogance on Paul’s behalf, but confidence in his pursuit of Christ. Truly being prepared for Christ’s return did not mean sitting back idly and just waiting. Instead, it meant actively pursuing Christ, working, and advancing the Gospel every day. Ultimately, Paul could charge others to imitate him because of 1 Corinthians 11:1: “Imitate me, as I also imitate Christ.”

Paul and his companions worked while he was in Thessalonica, even though he had a right to be supported by the church. They gave up their right to the church’s support to set an example of work for the believers to follow. In fact, part of their message while in Thessalonica was that those who did not work should not eat. Paul exhorted these people to resume their work and to “not grow weary in doing good” (v. 13) as they awaited Christ’s return.

2 Thessalonians 3:14-15: If any of the offending brothers refused to listen to Paul’s exhortations in his letter, Paul encouraged the church to shun him in order to bring shame and hopefully repentance. Constable noted that, in this instance, social pressure is put to good use when it leads to a brother’s repentance.³ It is important to note that the person Paul taught the church to shun would have been in sin because of a false teaching. This was not simply because another believer did something the others didn’t like. Paul did not want this process to be mean-spirited. He encouraged the church to not “treat him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother” (v. 15).

2 Thessalonians 3:16-18: Paul concluded his letter with a prayer for God to give the church peace and a wish for the church to continue to experience the grace of Christ.

CLOSING

Nelson’s Commentary outlines a four-step process for practicing church discipline, or “denying fellowship with a believer who is in known and open sin”⁴:

1. Meet with them one-on-one. Confront the fellow believer about his/her sin privately.
2. Take another church member. If they are unrepentant, take others with you.
3. Announce it to the church. If they are still unrepentant, inform the church of the person’s unrepentant attitude.
4. Ask the person to leave the church. If the person still remains unrepentant, it is at this point permissible to ask them to leave the church.

The goal of this process is to see the person come to repentance: “Brothers, if someone is caught in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual should restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so you also won’t be tempted” (Galatians 6:1). Church discipline should be exercised in order to prepare the body for the return of Christ.