WCF 30: Of Church Censures

“For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant” (Heb. 12:11). We don’t like discipline—in our personal lives, in the family, or at church—because it hurts. No balanced person enjoys giving or receiving corrective instruction. Correction wounds our pride and threatens our imagined autonomy. It can occasion resentment against authorities. Our natural instinct is to resist discipline.

But to dodge discipline is unwise. The writer goes on. “But later [discipline] yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” Like many good things discipline proves its value over time.  And only a fool trades away long-term benefits for short-term pleasure. Discipline is for our good. So it shouldn’t surprise us that a loving God requires church censures.

What is the Premise for Church Censures?

Every organization has procedures for keeping order. For a soccer match or an election to mean anything there must be standards of conduct and penalties for misbehavior. So rules are an essential part of government, business, centers of learning, social clubs, and even families. Those who fault the church for censuring sin show their bias against religion. There is a commonplace argument for church discipline.

But more importantly Jesus requires the church to discipline sin. Jesus is both the Lord of creation and the “King and Head of his church” (see Eph. 5:23). According to his sovereign power Jesus has “appointed a government, in the hand of church officers.” Christ first called the apostles to rule, though not as the power-hungry gentiles, but through humble service (Matt. 20:25–28). The original apostles “appointed elders … in every church” (Acts 14:23), who were to appoint other elders to enforce the “apostles’ teaching,” down through the ages (Titus 1:5; Acts 2:42).

Jesus’ overseers rule through what Scripture calls the keys of the kingdom (Matt. 16:19). The image of the keys makes an important point: divinely appointed church leaders have no original or independent authority. They are simply stewards who execute Christ’s revealed will (Titus 1:7). Part of how church leaders watch over the souls of their members (Heb. 13:17) is by keeping discipline in the church. Through preaching and formal censures church leaders unlock the kingdom to the penitent and lock it against the impenitent. Here is one example. The apostles opened the kingdom to a man named Simon when he “believed.” But when it was clear that he was “in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity” Peter rightly insisted that Simon had “neither part nor lot” in the church’s business (see Acts 8:9–25); he closed the kingdom to him (cf. 1 Cor. 5:2; 2 Thess. 3:6).

The church must have spiritual doors with divinely appointed custodians manning the locks. Discipline is a necessary part of every organization. It is also commanded by Jesus and modeled by the biblical church.

What Is the Procedure for Church Censures?

A sound process for church discipline can be developed from Matthew 18:15–20.

Admonition

The first step of discipline is gentle, not harsh. When a fellow church members sins you must “not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother” (2 Thess. 3:15). Paul admonished the Corinthians as his “beloved children” (1 Cor. 4:14). Believers ought to informally “instruct one another” when necessary (Rom. 15:14). When elders become aware of sin in the church they must offer official admonition. The hope is that words alone will be enough to gain the repentance of a brother who refuses to follow his own heart but trusts in the wisdom of God’s people (Matt. 18:15). Paul once opposed Peter to his face for acting hypocritically among the Gentiles. And Peter humbled himself and reformed his conduct (Gal. 2:11–14). The church needs members like these today.

Suspension

If admonition does not prove effective church elders must use stronger measures. “Suspension from the Lord’s Supper for a season” is meant to wake-up a stubborn sinner. By suspending a member the elders are telling him that his unrepentance makes him unfit to come to the Supper; he isn’t properly judging himself or discerning Christ’s body. But the hope is that the suspension will be as brief as possible. 

Excommunication

Even sincere admonitions and suspension from the Lord’s Supper will not phase hardened sinners. So God gives church leaders an extreme measure called excommunication. Here is the logic of excommunication: as repentance is a plain marker of kingdom citizenship (Mark 1:14, 15), impenitence is evidence of a different spirit. Excommunication is the church’s official ruling rule that an impenitent person is not a Christian and should have no present hope of salvation (1 Cor. 5:5).

Reconciliation

The hope of church discipline is the “reclaiming and gaining of offending brethren.” Church officers must grant “absolution from censures” to anyone who truly submits to King Jesus even after a great sin (2 Cor. 2:5–11).

            This procedure is unpopular today. But if we chafe against King Jesus’ plan for discipline perhaps we need to recall why discipline is so important.

What Is the Purpose of Church Censures?

Discipline Rescues Offending Brethren

A person who is sinning and not repenting is in great danger and needs to be rescued. Church censures imitate the actions of the Good Shepherd who goes after wandering sheep. When erring Christians humble themselves under God’s discipline there is great joy in heaven and in the church (Luke 15:1–7).

Discipline Deters Sinners

Old Testament apostates were publicly stoned to death so that “all Israel shall hear and fear and never again do any such wickedness as this among you” (Deut. 13:11; cf. 1 Cor. 10:12). Paul uses the same logic: “As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear” (1 Tim. 5:20).

Discipline Protects against the Spread of Sin 

Sin is contagious; it “will spread like gangrene” (2 Tim. 2:17). A little yeast or leaven affects the whole lump of dough. So, drawing on the Passover, Paul says, “Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump” (1 Cor. 5:7). Sin must be either cured by repentance, or cut off through excommunication.

Discipline Vindicates Christ’s Honor

The church is the body of Christ. Christians bear the name of Christ. Believers are “predestined to be conformed to the image” of Christ. The church must be Christ’s “holy nation” (1 Peter 2:9). So to tolerate unrepentant sin in the church does great dishonor to Christ’s reputation. Discipline is one way we must hallow God’s name.

Discipline Prevents the Wrath of God

“God is terribly angry” with our sin and will judge it with equity, even in the church.[i] Because of their sins against the Lord’s Supper the Corinthian church suffered. Some even died (1 Cor. 11:30). But if we judge ourselves we can escape God’s judgment (31).

Every true Christian agrees with the goals of God’s plan for discipline. We believe in rescuing sinners, protecting the congregation, maintaining a holy communion, preserving the honor of Christ, and preventing the wrath of God. We believe in church discipline. God wants us to believe in it so fervently that we would insist on being members in churches where discipline is affirmed and practiced. My brothers and sisters need it. But so do I.