************ Sermon on Heidelberg Catechism Q & A 85 ************
By: Rev. Adrian Dieleman
This sermon was preached on April 20, 2008
Q & A 85
Matthew 18:7-20
"The Key of Discipline"
Introduction
The Catechism's theme, if you remember, is comfort. The Catechism's first question and answer tells us that belonging to Christ is our only comfort in life and in death. The second question and answer tells us three things we must know to live and die in the joy of this comfort: our sin, our salvation, and our service. These three things we must know are, in turn, the headings of the three parts of the Catechism: Misery, Deliverance, Gratitude.
This morning we continue our study of the Keys of the Kingdom by looking at the Key of Discipline. Discussion of this Key concludes what the Catechism has to say about Deliverance. This tells us something very important about the Key of Discipline – its purpose is not punishment but repentance, its purpose is not judgment but salvation.
One of the books in my office likes to use the word "disciple" or "discipling" instead of the word "discipline." In today's world and culture "discipline" sounds so negative and judgmental. "Discipling," on the other hand, sounds so positive and upbeat.
As we learned last week, there are two keys of the kingdom: "the preaching of the holy gospel and Christian discipline toward repentance" (A 83). "Both preaching and discipline open the kingdom of heaven to believers and close it to unbelievers" (A 83).
But note, they work in different ways. Preaching opens and closes the kingdom. Discipline or discipling, closes and opens the kingdom. By its very nature, the preaching of the Gospel first of all opens the kingdom. By its very nature, Christian discipline first of all closes the kingdom.
I The Three Levels of Discipline
A Our Bible passage from Matthew 18 tells us that there are three levels of discipline. The first and most important level is self-discipline. Did you catch what Jesus said?
(Mt 18:8-9) If your hand or your foot causes you to sin cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. (9) And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.
Jesus reminds us that we must exercise self-control lest we fall into sin. We must keep ourselves – our mind, our appetites, our desires – under control. We must fight whatever is sinful within us to the utmost of our ability. We must exercise self-discipline.
B Self-discipline must be followed and sustained by another level of discipline: mutual discipline. This is the discipline the Catechism calls "repeated and loving counsel." Jesus explains this mutual discipline in Matthew 18 when He says,
(Mt 18:15-16) "If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. (16) But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.'
Jesus reminds us here of our mutual responsibility towards one another. When a church member fails to repent of sin, it isn't only the elders' and the pastor's business; it is every Christian's business! For, we are each other's brother, and sister, and guardian, and friend. We are tied together as members of Christ's body. We are tied together in the same way as an ear is bound to an eye or as a hand is to a foot (cf 1 Cor 12:12-21). This means that if one part of the body suffers, all suffer. If one rebels, all feel it. If one is in trouble, we must all help him or her along. We must bear each other's burdens – including the burden of sin. We must help each other in our struggle with evil.
How easily and how quickly we forget our mutual responsibility to discipline each other. What usually happens when a believer falls into unrepentant sin? For some reason we are often hesitant to practice mutual discipline with each other. Some try to protect or cover-up or offer excuses for an offending person, others freely gossip and talk about a brother's fall into sin, and still others put up a protective wall of silence in which they say and do nothing. There are also those who try to short-cut the process by bringing a sin to the attention of the pastor or elders without first bringing it up with the offending brother or sister. All of this, of course, runs contrary to the will of God. God's will is that His people practice mutual discipline with each other. Don't forget, the goal is not punishment but repentance.
C The third and final level of discipline is that done by church officials. Jesus speaks of this level in verses 17-20. When a sinner refuses to listen and repent after the exercise of mutual discipline then, says Jesus,
(Mt 18:17-20) ... tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector. (18) "I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. (19) "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. (20) For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."
It is this last form or level of discipline that is one of THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM. It is church discipline which closes or opens the kingdom of heaven. It is church discipline rightly applied and correctly done which makes statements on earth that are recognized in God's judgment hall in heaven.
Most Reformed churches have developed this third stage of discipline into five separate steps. Let me preface my remarks by saying every single step is bathed in prayer. When they disciple, the elders pray and keep on praying and never stop praying. Prayer is something we do unceasingly. So, within the context of prayer, the first official step of discipline is "repeated and loving counsel." We visit, we pray, we encourage, we admonish – all towards the goal of repentance. If repentance does not happen, we move on to "silent censure." "Silent" means we don't broadcast this – the elders keep this to themselves and the person being disciplined. "Censure" means they lose the rights and privileges of membership. If repentance still does not happen, we make a first announcement to the congregation: we mention no names, we do mention the sin, and we ask the congregation to pray for repentance. If repentance still does not happen, we make a second announcement to the congregation: this time we mention the name and the sin and again ask the congregation to pray for repentance. If repentance still does not happen, we make a third announcement to the congregation: again we mention the name and the sin and ask for prayers and a date for excommunication if repentance does not happen. The fifth and final step, if repentance does not happen, is excommunication. Notice, again, the goal is not punishment but repentance.
II The Occasion for Discipline
A On whom or for whom is the church to exercise the KEY OF DISCIPLINE? The KEY OF PREACHING is meant for all sinners, whether they are inside or outside the church. But this second key, the KEY OF DISCIPLINE, is meant only for those sinners who are church members. It is only for those sinners who claim to be believers, who, says the Catechism, call themselves "Christian."
Furthermore, the KEY OF DISCIPLINE is not just for any sinner. This discipline is only for stubborn sinners who refuse to confess and repent. Again, the goal is not punishment but repentance.
B The Catechism specifies two kinds of stubborn sinners on whom the KEY OF DISCIPLINE is to be exercised. The first kind are those who "profess unchristian teachings." An unchristian teaching, of course, is one that is unbiblical. The question that always arises here is who determines what is or is not unbiblical? Reformed churches have always said that unchristian, unbiblical teachings are ones that are clearly contrary to the express teaching of our Creeds and Confessions. On those doctrines where our Creeds and Confessions are silent a wide latitude of interpretation and understanding is allowed. But on those biblical doctrines that the Creeds and Confessions do speak, members are expected to toe the line, so to speak.
In Trinity we have a strong emphasis on right and correct doctrine. That's why, for instance, we use our church school program to teach our children and youth more and better and longer than most other churches. And, when our members profess their faith, baptize their children, or enter church office, we ask them if they accept the doctrine contained in our Creeds and Confessions as being fully biblical. In most churches, discipline unto repentance for unchristian teaching just does not happen so church members teach and believe all sorts of wrong things.
C The second kind of stubborn sinner on whom the church is to exercise the KEY OF DISCIPLINE are those who "live an unchristian life." In Galatians 5 the Apostle Paul specifies the acts of an "unchristian life." His list:
(Gal 5:19b-21a) sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; (20) idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions (21) and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.
In most churches, discipline unto repentance for an unchristian life just does not happen. Yes, everyone in the pew and behind the pulpit is a sinner. But, they need to be repentant sinners – not sinners who refuse to abandon their wickedness.
D Today, as you may realize, the church through her elders, works with a totally different kind of sinner than the ones visualized by the Catechism. Yes, there are those who profess unchristian teachings or live unchristian lives. But the biggest problem today is apathy, indifference, and neglect. You can't say that any of these are worst sinners than all others. It is not that they have rejected Jesus or His body. It is, rather, that they have neglected Jesus. They simply can't be bothered with faith and religion. They neglect worship and prayer and Bible reading and fellowship with other believers. Even though they know better and have been brought up better, they ignore Christ and religion. Do you know what the Bible says about treating Jesus this way: with apathy, neglect, and indifference? In the book of Hebrews we read, "how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?" (Heb 2:3). There is no escape from the judgment of sin, there is no salvation, for those who ignore or neglect Jesus.
E The Christian community "according to the command of Christ" is to exercise the KEY OF DISCIPLINE against all unrepentant, stubborn, sinful, church members. This must be done irrespective of a person's position or status in life: whether they be rich or poor, whether they be in or out of church office.
Topic: Church
Subtopic: Discipline
Index: 750
Date: 9/2001.101
Title:
Theodosius the Great was emperor of Rome around the year A.D. 380. In a moment of anger he ordered the punishment of Thessalonica after a riot; 7000 inhabitants, most of them innocent, were put to death. Shortly after this Emperor Theodosius desired to attend a worship service in Milan. Bishop Ambrose, making proper use of the KEY OF DISCIPLINE, refused him entrance into the church and admonished him at the same time. Theodosius laid aside his royal dignity and before the congregation he confessed his sin and begged, with tears, for forgiveness.
We see, again, that the goal is not punishment but repentance.
III The Key of Discipline Opens and Closes the Kingdom
A The Catechism says that the unrepentant, stubborn, sinful, church member who does not practice self-discipline, who refuses to listen to mutual-discipline, and who fails to respond to church discipline is to be cut off. The officers of the church are to
... exclude from the Christian fellowship by withholding the sacraments from him, and God himself excludes him from the kingdom of Christ. (Q & A 85)
Jesus says to treat such people "as you would a pagan or a tax collector" (Mt 18:17).
What does this mean? It means nothing less than excommunication. The unrepentant, stubborn, sinful, church member is to be removed from the membership list and is no longer a member of Christ's body. When the church takes this necessary but painful step it recognizes that "God himself excludes him from the kingdom of Christ."
In doing this, do you know what the church is doing? She is closing the Kingdom of heaven! Don't forget, discipline is one of THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM by which the church closes and opens the doors of heaven; the KEY OF DISCIPLINE together with the KEY OF PREACHING is how the church makes statements on earth which hold true for God's judgment hall in heaven.
Is it the church who is to be blamed if this sad state is reached? Can the excommunicated person say to the church, "You shut the doors on me"? Can he blame the church when he appears before God's throne and is told God too has no place for him? No, no, no, a thousand times no! The unrepentant, stubborn, sinful, church member decides for him or herself to reject the Gospel and lead an impenitent life; it is their decision to leave the fellowship of the church. In her use of the KEY OF DISCIPLINE the church merely acknowledges what the person him or herself has already decided.
A quick survey of church statistics tells us that very few members are excommunicated as compared to times past; yet, we know that the number of unrepentant, stubborn, sinful, church members has not decreased over the years.
What's the problem? In the ancient world where there was only one church, a person who was cut off from the fellowship was convinced that he or she was without grace and handed over to Satan (1 Cor 5:5). But today many resign from the church, or transfer to another church, before the discipline is allowed to run its course. In fact, people today switch or quit rather easily, so discipline loses its desired effect.
B This is not all that we can say about the KEY OF DISCIPLINE. The Catechism says that an unrepentant, stubborn, sinful, church member
when he promises and demonstrates genuine reform, is received again as a member of Christ and of his church. (Q & A 85)
And, in Matthew 18 our Lord says, "If he listens to you, you have won your brother over" (vs 15b).
When this happens, when a brother responds to church discipline in repentance, then we see the KEY OF DISCIPLINE opening the Kingdom of heaven.
C This, of course, is the main and first goal of using the KEY OF DISCIPLINE: the restoration of the unrepentant, stubborn, sinful, church member into the Kingdom of heaven. Did you notice that in teaching us about the KEY OF DISCIPLINE, Jesus puts it within the context of finding the lost sheep (Mt 18:10-14). Through the KEY OF DISCIPLINE the church attempts to find the lost sheep and restore them to the fold. Did you hear that? The church searches out her lost sheep through the process of discipline. Have you ever heard it this way before? That to search out the lost sheep means the exercise of discipline? Do you remember what Paul can say to the church of Corinth in the name of the Lord about an unrepentant adulterer:
(1Cor 5:5) hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord.
Seen this way, "Christian discipline toward repentance" (cf Q&A 83) is a form of love. Take the example of parents and children. Studies have shown that undisciplined children feel unloved and unwanted. On the other hand, parents who love their children discipline them. In the same way, the Christian community shows love to unrepentant, stubborn, sinful, church members within her midst by disciplining them. Through the KEY OF DISCIPLINE the church declares that she loves them and is concerned about the fate of their soul. Discipline within the church, then, is one of the sure signs of Christian love. And, churches who don't exercise the KEY OF DISCIPLINE are saying that they either don't care that members end up in hell or they are saying they don't really believe in hell and eternal punishment for sin.
D It is clear, isn't it, that the church must be as faithful in using the KEY OF DISCIPLINE as she is in using the KEY OF PREACHING. Churches who don't tell wayward members to repent and turn to Jesus Christ alone for their salvation are no longer the church. So, in its treatment of the KEY OF DISCIPLINE the Catechism starts off by reminding us of "the command of Christ." Christ commands us to exercise the KEY OF DISCIPLINE.
Conclusion
The last couple of weeks we, as a congregation, have been doing lots of thinking and talking about the church. What kind of church are we? What kind of church do we want to be? Here is my answer: I hope and pray that we are a church that faithfully exercises both of THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM.
How I thank the Lord for elders who make sure sermons call sinners to repent and to believe in Jesus alone for their salvation. How I thank the Lord for elders who are willing to close and open the Kingdom of heaven through the KEY OF DISCIPLINE. It is a wonderful thing, dear people, to be part of a church that wants to properly use THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM.
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