Finding Jesus in the Bible…So We Can Follow Him in Life
Bible Reading Plans
- Plan One: New Testament Only
- Plan Two: New Testament + Psalms
- Plan Three: New Testament + History
- Plan Four: The Entire Bible – Year 1 of 3, Year 2 of 3, Year 3 of 3
Don’t know which plan? Go to A Christ-Centered Bible Reading Plan: Quick Start.
Extras
Verse of the Day, Audio Capsule, and Video Minute
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(Today’s Book Installment)
The One True Church
Chapter 42 – Mark 6 of 10: Discipline
As the apostles followed Jesus’ lead when it came to the unity of the church, so they also practiced the discipline He desired.
In the following statement, Jesus gave authority over the church to the apostles.
Matthew 18:18 “Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.
And in the following verses, Jesus explained the fundamental process for how the apostles could keep sin out of the church.
Matthew 18:15 “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.
Matthew 18:16 “But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY FACT MAY BE CONFIRMED.
Matthew 18:17 “If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.
Below is an demonstration of this discipline that I’ve previously shown you.
1 Corinthians 5:9 I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people;
1 Corinthians 5:10 I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world.
1 Corinthians 5:11 But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one.
And below are various examples of how the apostles taught church discipline to the congregations. Note that sin was not to be tolerated in the church. It had to be removed…one way or the other.
1 Thessalonians 5:14 We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.
2 Thessalonians 3:6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us.
2 Thessalonians 3:14 If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of that person and do not associate with him, so that he will be put to shame.
2 Thessalonians 3:15 Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
Titus 3:10 Reject a factious man after a first and second warning,
Titus 3:11 knowing that such a man is perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned.
2 John 1:9 Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son.
2 John 1:10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting;
2 John 1:11 for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.
There is a balance to maintain between unity and discipline. Unity is about keeping the righteous together, discipline is about keeping the righteous righteous. To focus too much on one, distracts from the other. Jesus and His apostles kept the two goals well-balanced in the 1st-century church – His church.
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