The Biblical Basis for Church Discipline

1 Corinthians 5:1-2, It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping with his father’s wife. And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have gone into mourning and have put out of your fellowship the man who has been doing this? NIV

Imagine the adult film industry hearing about the sexual practices of those in our church and being disgusted by it. Imagine dipping below their standard of morality. That’s what was happening at the church in Corinth. And instead of being ashamed, they were proud. Paul will address the sin of sexual immorality more in chapter 6:9-20, but here he addresses the Corinthians attitude towards sin in the church. Paul is clear that they should kick the man out! Now this sounds harsh but in Matthew 18:15-17 we learn of a very grace filled approach we're to take before kicking anyone out of the church.

• Matthew 18:15 gives us step one, “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over.” That is, sit down with the person and lovingly tell them “What you are doing is wrong and I don’t think you’re going to like how things turn out if you don’t stop”. Your goal in meeting is to get the person to see the error of their way and repent. Hopefully they will listen and cut off the affair. 
• But if they don’t listen, step two is found in Matthew 18:16, “But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’” In step two you involve a couple other people who also try to get the person to repent. 
• But if that fails, step three is found in Matthew 18:17, “If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.” The only reason the whole church should ever find out what’s going on is if the person won’t listen during steps one and two. But if the person still won’t listen you tell the whole church so that everyone in the church can try to get the person to repent. 

The goal for all three steps is the same: That the person will repent! But if after steps 1-3 are followed, and someone that claims to be a Christian still won’t repent and stop whatever it is they are doing - Paul says to kick them out. 

• 1 Corinthians 5:2, “...you should remove this man from your fellowship.” 
• 1 Corinthians 5:5, “...you must throw this man out...” 
• 1 Corinthians 5:13, “...You must remove the evil person from among you.”