The latest issue of the 9Marks Journal, available from here in various formats and here as a pdf, is devoted to the topic of ‘Church Discipline’.
In the Editor’s Note, Jonathan Leeman writes:
‘Just as it is a parent’s job to discipline his or her children, so it is your job, Christian, to participate in the discipline of your church. Did you know that? This is as basic to being a Christian and a church member as it is for a parent to discipline a child. It is part and parcel of following Jesus...
‘Why do we discipline? The Bible, that counter-intuitive and counter-cultural book of ours, contests that God disciplines us “for our benefit, so that we can share His holiness.”...
‘Discipline helps to draw the line between church and world. It clarifies the witness of the church and its power as a distinct society and counter culture.
‘The purpose of this Journal is to help you grab hold of this job responsibility of yours, whether you are a church leader or member. The practice can be abused. Move very slowly. Take every case on its own. Be sure to only act in love. Err toward grace. But move forward in obedience, knowing that all the ways of the Lord are righteous and good.’
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