Church Government.—No. 8.
By George Ide Butler
WHAT do the Scriptures say concerning the duty of the church to wrong-doers? Of private trespasses we read: “If thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and 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 an heathen man and a publican.” Matt. 18: 15–17. These are the words of the Son of God, the highest authority. Here a certain course is marked out to be taken, reasonable and consistent, which should be always pursued. After the individual has thus been properly warned of his wrong, and full opportunity given to make reparation, what then? Should the thing be left to drag along, create contention, give rise to false sympathy, and finally involve the whole church? Should the wrong-doer, who will not do right, still continue in the number? No. The loving Saviour says, “Let him be to thee as an heathen man and a publican.” Such are not to hold the fellowship of the church. That would lead them to think the wrong of small account; for, of course, if the church make no stir about it, they virtually say it is a matter of small moment. How are they then teaching the importance of morality and religion? They are really teaching the contrary. It is for the good of the individual himself that his wrong be made clear before him, and not overlooked, if it be really a matter of consequence. The decision of that church when acting in harmony with this instruction will be sanctioned in Heaven, and involve eternal consequences to the wrong-doer unless he changes his course, for the Saviour adds, “Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven.” The apostle Paul says, “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.” Rom. 16: 17. Again, “Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.” “And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.” 2 Thess. 3: 6 and 14, 15. Here we have the plain and emphatic command of Scripture to not hold in Christian fellowship those who will not obey the word of God. We are commanded to “mark” such, and avoid them. This is not a matter of indifference, but a solemn duty of the church. But perhaps there is no scripture where this duty is made plainer than in the fifth chapter of first Corinthians. Verse 1 declares there were those guilty of grievous sin in the church. Verse 2 informs us that the church did not feel humbled by this, but were puffed up, thinking themselves all right, just as many churches are to-day who have sins in their midst and yet mourn not over the fact, whereas they should feel that by it they are disgraced and the cause of God stained. The apostle proceeds, “For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him who hath so done this deed, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver such an one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. . . . I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators; yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner, with such an one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? Do ye not judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from yourselves that wicked person.” 1 Cor. 5: 3–13. The expressions, “deliver such an one to Satan,” “purge out the old leaven,” “not to keep company,” “with such an one no not to eat,” and “put away from yourselves that wicked person,” all refer substantially to the same thing, the withdrawing of fellowship from wrong-doers. These show the course Paul would pursue when persons walk disorderly. This scripture also plainly speaks of what classes should be made subject to such discipline, fornicators, covetous, idolaters, railers, drunkards, and extortioners. With such we are not to eat. He evidently means eat the Lord’s supper, which is a token of fellowship, for when we eat that with persons, we show that we regard them as worthy members of Christ’s body. Such cases we are to “deliver to Satan.” By this expression we understand the withdrawal of fellowship. When a person is in the church, sharing the watchcare of the church, holy angels watch over him. He is surrounded by influences which are calculated to preserve him from the influence of Satan. When he is guilty of wrongdoing, the church take cognizance of it, and he is expelled—he is left to the buffetings of Satan. The church show their abhorrence of his wicked course. God sanctions this course of the church when they move in harmony with his word. He binds what they bind in such cases, and the man125is left to come to himself. If he has any good principles in his heart, he will be apt to come to his senses. I have known of many cases who have been thus dealt with in love and faithfulness, who, after time for reflection, humbly confessed their sin, and were again received into the fellowship of the church. Such an experience in extreme cases may be very profitable to some. If they have any love for the cause of God left, and if they have been dealt with justly by the church, they will think soberly of their course after being disfellowshiped. The members should always act kindly toward such cases, after this step has been taken; especially if they manifest a reasonable disposition. Thus the fleshly principles of the heart may be brought under subjection. Paul’s reference to leaven here is very striking. “Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump.” Sinning members in the church are here compared to leaven, communicating from one to another the disorganizing elements of sin. If nothing is done to hold in check such principles, the whole lump will be corrupted. Such cases should be purged out. Nothing can be made plainer than the duty of the church in such cases. With certain classes we are not to keep company. And the apostle is very careful not to have us apply this to worldly associations, for then we “must needs go out of the world.” Such cases we cannot help meeting everywhere in this wicked world. But it is with those who are called brethren. With such we are not to walk in company or fellowship. We are to put away from ourselves such wicked persons. Here a solemn duty is made plain. The classes to be dealt with not only embrace “drunkards,” “fornicators,” and “idolaters,” but “railers,” “extortioners,” and “covetous” persons. Here we are forcibly reminded of the lax state of church discipline of the present day. If all extortioners or covetous persons were cast out, many churches would have a very large decrease of membership. The fact is, such sins are scarcely noticed in our age. As but few really believe the world is an enemy to grace, but think it the best friend they have, of course they make great efforts to get as much as possible of it. A “railer” is “one who uses abusive language.” That is contrary to religion; and with such we should not keep company as brethren. The covetous man is one who is “inordinately desirous to gain property.” Extortion is to “exact oppressively or unjustly” from another. The Christian church is full of those who do such things; so much so that these things are hardly thought to be sins worth noticing. But Paul teaches that such should be cast out from among them. Such wicked persons destroy the purity of the church, and must be cast out if the church retains its high character. We know very well that this doctrine is unpopular, and that to carry it out requires wisdom, decision, and much of the grace of God. We know it will stir up commotion and hatred with some, and that a false idea of love leads people to keep quiet, and permit all kinds of evil to accumulate in the church. We know it is easier to talk much about doing something than actually to do it. But we think, nevertheless, that faithful dealing in love is the only thing that will keep the church pure, and that the best good of the sinner demands that his wicked course should be exposed and he censured and disfellowshiped unless he will repent and do right. We have plainly shown that this is the Bible course. It requires such a course. In conclusion, we say that church government is a most important matter that is much neglected. We wish our people to consider the subject, and study to see what the Lord has said concerning it. If we do not drift into the same loose state of things as exists all around us, we must uphold the standard of righteousness in our churches. Our elders must be diligent. They must be men of God themselves. They must realize their responsibility before God for the flock over whom they are appointed overseers. The members must also feel that they have a responsibility for the welfare of those connected with them. Above all, the great principles of righteousness must be upheld or the church becomes worse than nothing, leading men to ruin.