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Church Discipline

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · Apr 1, 1909

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 86, No. 13.

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Church Discipline

By R. A. UNDERWOOD

THE following questions have been presented to me, for a reply:—
I. “What do you consider valid ground for the disfellowshipping of a member by a church?”
I would consider apostasy or the manifestation of continual opposition to the efforts of the church in its work of proclaiming the gospel, just and reasonable grounds for disfellowshipping a member.
About twenty years ago Mrs. E. G. White wrote an article entitled, “Treatment of the Erring,” which ably sets forth our duty to do all in our power to reclaim and to assist the erring. This article is most excellent. I will quote the following extracts:—
“‘But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.’ The little ones here referred to, who believe in Christ, are not those who are young in years, but little children in Christ.”
“Weak and trembling souls, those who have many defects and objectionable traits of character, are the special charge of the angels of God. ‘Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.’”
“‘If those who, by being merciless and unforgiving, place themselves on Satan’s side, would only listen and hear the reproof of the Saviour, ‘He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone,’ would any hand be lifted? would not every mouth be stopped? These words of Jesus to the Pharisees brought their own sins to their remembrance. Self-condemned, they went out one by one.”
“‘Brethren and sisters, if you are workers together with God, there is no excuse for your not working to help, not only those whom you fancy, but those who most need your help to correct their errors.”
“‘Jesus thus illustrates the work that devolves upon those who claim to believe on his name: ‘How think ye? if a man have a hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? . . . Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.’”
“‘Christ has laid down rules to prevent unhappy divisions, but how many in our churches have followed his directions? ‘If thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and [tell it to every one you meet?] tell him his fault between thee and him alone. If he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican.’”
“‘When any one comes to a minister or to men in positions of trust, with complaints about a brother or sister, let them ask the reporter, ‘Have you complied with the rules our Saviour has given?’ and if he has failed to carry out any particular of this instruction, do not listen to a word of his complaint. Refuse to take up a report against your brother or sister in the faith. If members of the church go entirely contrary to these rules, they make themselves subjects of church discipline, and should be put under the censure of the church.”
“‘Jesus adds to the lesson these words: ‘Verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.’ This assurance, that after the rules of Christ have been followed to the letter, the decisions of the church will be ratified in heaven, gives a solemn significance to the action of the church. No hasty steps should be taken to cut off names from the church books, or to place a member under censure until the case has been investigated, and the Bible rule fully obeyed. The word of Christ shows how necessary it is for church officers to be free from prejudice and selfish motives. Human minds and hearts, unless wholly sanctified, purified, and refined from partiality and prejudice, are liable to commit grave errors, to misjudge, and deal unkindly and unjustly with souls that are the purchase of the blood of Christ. But the decision of an unjust judge will be of no account in the court of heaven. It will not make an innocent man guilty, nor change his character in the least before God.”
“‘He shall have judgment without mercy, that hath showed no mercy.’ God grants no pardon to him whose penitence produces no humility, and whose faith does not work by love to purify the soul.’”
In every case where it is necessary to disfellowship a member, before taking this step, the instruction of our Saviour should be carried out. No person will amputate a limb from the body until after he has done all he can to restore or heal the affected part. So it is in the church of Christ. A diseased member should be treated with the same effort and care that we would bestow upon a member of our own body. When this is done, but few will have to be separated from the body—the church.
2. “Does the printed expression in the church letter used in transferring a member from one church to another, ‘in good and regular standing,’ impose some responsibility upon the church issuing the letter?”
I understand that the church that gives a letter to a sister church takes some responsibility upon itself in recommending a brother or sister “in good and regular standing.” We would understand that such a member was walking “in the light, as he [Christ] is in the light;” that such a person, if situated so he could, would be a regular attendant at the church and Sabbath-school; that he would be in full sympathy with all our missionary efforts; that he would not only believe the truth in a general way, but would be an active member in seeking to disseminate the light to others; that he would pay his tithe, and, according to his ability, make offerings to the church.
Difficulty sometimes arises when a brother has been absent from a church for months, and in the meantime has failed to make regular quarterly reports to the church. After a time, it may be years, this brother writes requesting a letter. In such a case, what can the church do? The only consistent way for a church to do in such a case is simply to give a letter with an explanation that when the brother removed to a distant place, he was in good standing (if that was so then), but that since removing, he has failed to report, and the church can not vouch for his present standing. Only to this extent can a letter be granted if he has failed to report, which is not to his credit, to say the least. Then if a church receives such a person, it does not do it entirely upon the responsibility of the church that has sent the letter, but largely upon its own acquaintance with the member.
R. A. UNDERWOOD.