“Wait… what?”
That’s the reaction many people have when church discipline is mentioned. It sounds harsh, outdated, or even scary. After all, isn’t church supposed to be about grace, love, and second chances? Absolutely! But real love means setting boundaries, protecting the flock, and calling one another to live in a way that honors Christ.
Too often, people avoid this topic because of two common complaints about the church:
- Churches are full of hypocrites.
- Churches are judgmental and unloving.
Sadly, these concerns are often justified. Attempts to correct one problem can sometimes drive the other. Yet Scripture calls the church to a higher standard. Church leaders are entrusted with the solemn responsibility of overseeing the souls of God’s people (Hebrews 13:17), and part of that stewardship is expecting believers to pursue holiness.
Church discipline, when practiced biblically, helps remedy hypocrisy and judgmentalism by holding everyone, not just outsiders, accountable to the same standard of faith and conduct. Rather than excusing sin or pretending all is well, it confronts unrepentant behavior with humility and the goal of restoration, which undercuts hypocrisy and replaces smug judgment with self-examination. Far from being unloving, discipline defines love as truth-telling that seeks spiritual health, protects the vulnerable, and visibly lives out the gospel pattern of conviction, repentance, forgiveness, and restoration. Done rightly, church discipline doesn’t make churches harsher, it makes them honest and genuinely loving.
Nobody’s Perfect!
That is absolutely right! Every Christian struggles, and church discipline isn’t about perfection. Rather, it’s about loving correction, repentance, and restoration. It’s a way to help believers turn from sin, honor Christ, and grow in holiness, reminding us that grace and truth always go hand in hand and that every failure is an opportunity for God’s mercy and transformation.
Scripture teaches that every sin offends a holy God (Romans 3:23; James 2:10) and therefore no sin should be treated lightly. Yet formal church discipline is reserved for a narrower category of sin, namely, public, outward, and unrepentant sin that threatens the integrity of the church and the spiritual well-being of its members. This includes:
- Persistent, unrepentant sin – Matthew 18:15–17, more on this in a moment
- Sexual Immorality (porneia): This covers a range of illicit sexual behaviors, as seen in the clear command to remove an unrepentant man from the congregation in 1 Corinthians 5:1-13.
- Divisiveness and False Teaching: Those who cause dissension and hindrances contrary to the doctrine taught (Romans 16:17-18) and those who are divisive after a first and second warning (Titus 3:10-11).
- Idolatry, Covetousness, being a swindler, reviler or Drunkard: Paul instructs the Corinthians not even to associate with someone who claims to be a believer but is immoral, greedy, an idolater, a reviler, a drunkard, or a swindler (1 Corinthians 5:11).
- Disorderly/Lazy: Those who are idle/disorderly and refuse to work (2 Thessalonians 3:6, 14-15).
- Public scandal or bringing reproach – 1 Timothy 5:19–20, especially among church leaders. They are held to even higher standards, reflecting their responsibility to guard and to be examples to Christ’s flock (James 3:1 ).
The Graceful Process of Restoration
Church discipline, when done correctly, is a step-by-step, loving process aimed at restoration, not punishment:
- Private confrontation – Speak in love to the believer about their sin (Matthew 18:15).
- Witnesses involved – If there’s no repentance, one or two others confirm the matter and call for faithfulness (v.16).
- Corporate appeal – The church collectively urges repentance if the sin continues (v.17a).
- Separation as last resort – Only after all else fails is the person treated as an outsider—always with a goal of restoration, never hatred (v.17b; 1 Corinthians 5:5; Galatians 6:1).
“Delivered to Satan”?
We see these principles in action in 1 Corinthians 5. A member of the Church at Corinth was involved in a serious sexual sin, having an affair with his stepmother! In prescribing the proper disciplinary steps to the church leaders, Paul uses some very shocking language:
The phrase “deliver such a one to Satan” (1 Corinthians 5:5) can sound alarming. But it does not mean cursing someone or invoking demonic power. It symbolizes removing a person from the covenant protection of the church, placing them back into the world to awaken repentance. The idea is that if a person wants to serve the devil, they can get a first hand taste of the misery that life will ultimately lead to. Yet it must always be stressed; The goal is always salvation, not destruction:
“…that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.”
We see later that the disciplinary action had the desired result. In 2 Corinthians 2:6–8, Paul instructs the Corinthians to show the repentant man grace and mercy:
For such a one, this punishment by the majority is enough, so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him. (ESV)
Why Church Discipline Matters
Church discipline matters because it is a biblical practice designed to protect the integrity of the church, encourage spiritual growth, and reflect God’s holiness and love. This includes:
- Restoration of the sinner – Galatians 6:1
- Purity of the church – 1 Corinthians 5:6–7
- Honor of Christ’s name – Romans 2:24
- Warning to others – 1 Timothy 5:20
A Caveat
Yet, discipline can be misused. When driven by pride, control, or favoritism, it becomes abuse rather than obedience. This was tragically illustrated in a high-profile case involving respected pastor and Bible teacher John MacArthur and his congregation publicly disciplining Eileen Gray for leaving her husband, whom the church initially treated as a repentant believer. It later emerged that her husband had a long history of serious domestic abuse, sparking widespread backlash that accused the church of mishandling abuse and prioritizing authority over victim protection. The church later acknowledged serious failures in how the case was handled. The situation is explored further in the following video:
A Christ-Centered Invitation
Church discipline is not about shame, punishment, or control. Rather, it is a reflection of Christ’s love and holiness. God’s people are called to walk alongside one another in truth and grace, encouraging repentance, restoration, and growth in holiness.
If you are struggling in sin, God’s Church is here not to condemn, but to lovingly call you back to Him. And if you are part of the body of Christ, embrace the responsibility to restore others in love, reflecting Jesus’ mercy while upholding His truth.
Let us honor Jesus above all. Let us pursue holiness, guard the purity of His Church, and celebrate the joy of restoration that glorifies His name. The gospel is strongest when it calls us to both love and truth, so let’s follow Christ faithfully, together.
Keep It Real,
James
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