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Question: Unfaithful Member Moving Their Membership Introduction:
We have a question dealing with “church discipline” to look at tonight.
Common questions: what are our responsibilities? What should we do? I)
Problems of discerning what the Bible teaches vs. what we want to do? A)
Some questions were asked to justify one’s self, Luke 16.14-15. 1.
These are questions where we look for the answer we want and not the right
answer. 2.
There is a heart problem if that is our attitude. B)
Some questions asked to understand and comprehend, Mark 12.28, 34 1.
We may not like the answer but recognize its truthfulness. 2.
Some may not do the right thing but they recognize the right thing. II)
People Seek to Get Around the Law of God A)
Making the law of God void, Matthew 15.1-6 1.
Do so by human traditions 2.
Or never seeing a situation in which we have to do what the Bible says. 3.
Examples: Marriage and divorce; withdrawing fellowship B)
Not doing what the Bible teaches makes us wrong. III)
The Question: I would love to have your concise thoughts regarding one aspect of
withdrawal, namely the church’s responsibility when a member moves to an
unfaithful congregation of the Lord’s church.
Someone leaving the non-institutional for an institutional (church) and
practices the social gospel. A)
An unfaithful congregation is one not acting by authority, Matthew 7.21ff, 1
Corinthians 4.6; 2 John 9 1.
Some congregations are unfaithful because of the social gospel. 2.
Some are unfaithful because of what they are not doing. B)
A person attending an unfaithful congregation is themselves being unfaithful. 1.
We will be judged as individuals and not on a congregational basis. 2.
But if we are involved in unscriptural worship, unscriptural work, them we will
be condemned for what we have done and our fellowship with those not abiding in
the doctrine of Christ, 2 John 9-11. IV)
Principles Involved A)
In our love for God we are to love each other 1.
Matthew 22.37-40 the greatest commandment contains the second commandment. 2.
Keep God’s law on baptism, worship, etc. 3.
Keep God’s law on fulfilling our responsibilities toward each other. 1 John 4.20-21 B)
What responsibilities do we have toward each other in fulfilling the Greatest
Commandment? 1.
Pray for each other 2.
Encourage one another 3.
Warn each other, Galatians 6.1ff; Matthew
18.15ff; Romans 16.17ff, 1 Corinthians 5. C)
A person needs to work out their problems (sins) with the ones involved 1.
Confess your faults to one another, James
5.16; Matthew 5. 22-24 2.
This applies to an individual but also to the congregation if I have sinned
against the members of that congregation. 3.
A congregation has the right and obligation to know who they are fellowshipping,
Acts 9.26. V)
Situations Dealing With a Member Moving their Membership to Another Congregation * Each congregation
is independent, autonomous. What
another congregation does or does not do; does not dictate what we are to do. A)
A faithful member moving to another faithful congregation. No problem B)
An unfaithful member moving to a faithful congregation. 1.
The first congregation still has the responsibility to warn the wayward person. 2.
The other congregation should find out the situation and instruct the person to
go back to where they came from and first work out any problems. C)
A faithful member moving to an unfaithful congregation 1.
We still have a responsibility to God, the soul of the member, and the members
of this congregation. 2.
A faithful member needs to be warned and probably will catch on pretty quickly. D)
An unfaithful member to an unfaithful congregation 1.
We still have the same responsibility to God, the soul of the member, and the
members of this congregation. 2.
1 Corinthians 5 is not negated by a member moving their membership. E)
Substitute the word “denomination” for “unfaithful congregation” or even
“idolatry”. Conclusion:
We recognize the autonomy of each congregation and some congregations will not
do what God says. Our
responsibilities is to our members and to God.
We desire everyone to go to heaven and will do whatever we can to
encourage, warn, and discipline our members. |