Church Discipline That Honors Christ

A Biblical Guide for Restoration and Holiness

Pastor of Grizzly Flats Community Church

William J. Brown

Church discipline. It isn’t a popular topic in the modern church. When they hear the phrase, many people imagine the Grand Inquisition or people being burned at the stake. They think of harm and harassment conjured up by judgmental people.

Is this an accurate way to approach the topic of church discipline? Is this something we should even talk about in our “enlightened” modern era? Is church discipline simply an outdated mode that should be replaced by something more modern?

Let me answer these questions with one of my own. If we want to pick and choose what we believe from the Bible, why believe and practice any of it? The clear answer is that the Bible must remain the firm foundation on which our faith rests.

This naturally leads us to ask something else. Does the Bible say anything about church discipline? If so, what does it say?

Let’s find out.

Why It Matters

Church discipline isn’t a relic of the past or a harsh relic of legalism. It’s a biblical command rooted in love. When rightly practiced, it protects the purity of the church, preserves its witness to the world, and seeks the restoration of the sinner. Discipline is not about shame. It’s about shepherding that leads to restoration

In a culture that prizes tolerance over truth, the church must recover a vision of discipline that reflects Christ’s heart: holy, gracious, and redemptive.

Biblical Foundations

Matthew 18:15–17 — Jesus’ Steps
Jesus lays out a clear, relational process in Matthew 18:

“If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. 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. 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.” (Matthew 18:15–17, NASB 95)

Let’s break this down:

Go privately to the one who has sinned – This one-on-one meeting drags the problem into the light without embarrassment or undue attention. The assumed outcome of this conversation is the full restoration of the relationship affected. The hope is that he “listens.”
If needed, bring one or two witnesses – If the first step doesn’t lead to restoration, Jesus adds yet another. Every fact finds confirmation through impartial witnesses who weigh the evidence and determine that each party has an accurate view of the situation. Once again, Jesus goes out of His way to explain that the end product is restoration.
If still unrepentant, tell it to the church – This is where the church gets involved. This would include leadership at the beginning and other members later. Notice there has been no hint of formal church discipline. That’s because church discipline is a last-ditch action. Restoration, even at this late date, is the main focus.
If they refuse to listen, treat them as an outsider – This is where a church separates from an unrepentant member. Like a human body, the body of Christ will grow sick if disease isn’t taken care of. A diseased body part must sometimes be amputated. In this case, a spiritually sick member must not have their bad behavior reinforced in the restful shadow of the church. Yet, restoration is still assumed, even as amputation takes place.

This isn’t a formula for punishment. It’s a pathway for restoration, both for the church and a spiritually diseased member.

1 Corinthians 5 — Paul’s Rebuke
Another scenario of church discipline presents itself in 1 Corinthians 5. Paul confronts the Corinthian Church because it tolerates blatant sin. His instruction is sobering:

“It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father’s wife. You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst.” (1 Corinthians 5:1–2, NASB 95)

This is only part of a much greater conversation. We don’t have the room in this discussion to look at the whole passage, so let’s simply hit the highlights:

Remove the unrepentant to protect the church – Paul states that this person has not only harmed himself with his sin but is also harming Christ and His church. This unrepentant church member is giving Christ a black eye, so to speak. For these reasons, Paul instructs the church to rid themselves of this rebellious man and repeats that sentiment in verse 13.
Let the seriousness of separation awaken the sinner – Paul describes the result in the language of hope. Although Paul explains that what he would do is “deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh” (v.5), he follows that with his reason: “so that his spirit may be saved.”
The goal is salvation, not exclusion – This clearly shows God’s heart is still gracious and merciful to the sinner. Paul doesn’t make this about punishment. He makes it about restoration.

Other Key Texts

There are other texts that broach this subject as well with several case examples. We don’t have the room to study everyone in depth, but they certainly deserve a shoutout in our discussion:

2 Thessalonians 3: Admonish the idle, don’t ignore them
Galatians 6:1: Restore gently, watching yourself
Titus 3:10: Warn the divisive, then separate if necessary

These passages remind us of one important fact. Discipline is always for the good of the body and the soul of the individual as well as for the health of the body of Christ.

So What?

Churches often avoid discipline until crisis hits. But biblical discipline is proactive, not reactive. How do we cultivate a healthy church through church discipline? Here are a few suggestions:

Teach discipline before it’s needed — Normalize it as part of discipleship. Proper biblical education leads to godly application.
Follow Matthew 18 carefully — Don’t skip steps or rush the process. It’s the difference between obedience and disobedience.
Involve church leadership for wisdom and clarity — Leadership must be unified and prayerful.
Communicate with grace and truth — Clarity honors everyone involved.
Follow through with restoration in view — Discipline is incomplete without a pathway back.

Conclusion

Church discipline isn’t punishment. It’s cultivation, cultivation of the church. It’s how we love one another well, protect the gospel, and reflect Christ’s heart. When done biblically, it doesn’t fracture the church. It strengthens it. It doesn’t shame the sinner, but instead it invites them home.

Let’s find common ground on this very important, biblical issue and honor Christ not just in our worship, but in our willingness to pursue holiness together—even when it’s hard.

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