Last week we considered what church discipline is. This week I want to answer “Why do we do it?” The truth is, our motives in discipline matter! If the Session is motivated by a desire to wield power, to get retribution for perceived personal offenses, or to punish behavior, then their motives are not godly motives. There are several proper motives, however, that when combined with a godly and loving approach, are the means by which God often reclaims unrepentant sinners.

First, the Session must be motivated by genuine love for the sinner! If the Session does not pursue someone and call him to repentance because they love him, then little else will matter. We believe, with absolute conviction, that unrepented sin in the life of any person leads not to life but to death. Sin that a Christian does not grieve and hate, and therefore does not repent of, will work in the life of the Christian to divide him from Christ and his benefits. How can the Session, called under-shepherds in Scripture, see a brother or sister in Christ, a sheep of God's own flock, ensnared in sin which kills and destroys and not warn that person? Love compels them to pursue the sinner and call the sinner to repentance. Our own knowledge that we, too, are sinners in need of God’s grace makes the Session all the more eager to go about this work. We want everyone to be claimed by Christ and when they wander, reclaimed by him. Church discipline is how God ordinarily does this.

Next week, we will consider two more proper motives for church discipline.

Your fellow servant of Christ,
Pastor Matt