While the world whirls around us in chaos and confusion, we need a safe, peaceful place. We, a people bought by the blood of Christ, have that place: the local church. It is a retreat from the world, and a community of individuals brought together to love and worship God.
The church is Christ’s “body” on earth. We are told in Romans 12:5, “So we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.” Members of the church are described in Scripture as living stones built on the cornerstone (Jesus), a temple of the Holy Spirit, and members of God’s household.
Cleanliness and Godliness
In Colossians 1:18, Paul says that He (Christ) is the head of the body, the church, and Christ will reconcile all things to Himself, on earth and in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross.
However, many churches have adopted an underlying cultural current that has demoted the church to a type of community event center, where people can pick and choose their activities and beliefs without abandoning their lifestyles. Anyone can join by saying the right words and striking a pose before the congregation. The phrase, “I think I’ll go to church today,” has become like, “I think I’ll go to the gym today.”
Lost is the understanding that the church is to be clean and pure. It is a holy temple where the Holy Spirit lives. It exists in Christ, for Christ, through Christ, and nothing unclean or impure can be allowed to stay in it. Washing by the Word of God is required. Reflecting Christ to each other and the world should be consistent and constant. Speaking the truth in love should dominate conversations. Rejoicing, weeping, and bearing each other’s burdens should steer relationships.
The Three “R’s”
1. Responsibility
Pastors, elders and deacons have great responsibility as they serve, lead, and protect God’s people. Titus and 1 Timothy list qualifications for elders. Among those are kindness, patience, gentleness, humility, self-control, holiness, discipline, knowledge of and ability to teach sound doctrine, and correct or rebuke those who contradict it.
The congregation has responsibilities to listen and examine the Word, serve others, bear burdens, be honest, forgiving, and repentant. Relationships should be founded on becoming more like Christ, and watching over others as we walk together.
2. Repentance
Leaving the world behind and becoming new in Christ can be hard work. As we see the beauty of forgiveness, we also see the sin’s putridness. Repentance is necessary — not only when our new life begins, but as we draw closer to God. Yes, we are forgiven and live with God eternally, but Satan will always strike at God’s holiness. We must guard ourselves and others from becoming victims. Living in this world requires daily repentance and surrender.
3. Restoration
Praying, Bible study, memorization, and talking with one another are ways we become more like Christ. Even so, sometimes we willingly walk into temptation. Sometimes we are simply careless. And many times we need someone to point out our sin. God brings His faithful to rescue His sheep.
Love
I am thankful to be in a church where Christ is first over all things, that faithfully preaches and teaches the Word, and guards the body against sin. As the Holy Spirit sanctifies us, we see how to truly love as God loves. The apostle John, writing by the Spirit, said God is the ultimate definition of love. So, let’s redefine love considering who He is.
In Proverbs 3:11–12, a father tells his son not to hate the Lord’s discipline or be disheartened by His reproof. Why? Because the Lord disciplines those He loves and restores them in faith. The writer of Hebrews reiterates this, and He chastises everyone He receives as His own.
God is holy, unchanging, patient, and loving. As He changes people who are now His body, He charges His church with responsibility to discipline and restore its members. He has given guidelines for doing this throughout the Bible.
Grace
God showed His grace in the Old Testament by giving the Law to Moses to rule Israel. The “shall nots” defined sin, and Israel was set apart from all nations. God expected them to act a certain way, instituted just punishments, and authorized men to administer the laws.
God’s grace and love have ballooned in the New Covenant. Christ emphasized love to His disciples, “If you love me, you will obey my commands.” Disobedience indicates a lack of love for Christ.
In Hebrews, God describes discipline as painful for now, but it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness when we are trained by it. God disciplines us for our good, so we can share His holiness.
Holiness
When sin disrupts the church, God calls us to address it. We risk being called unloving, and can meet with an angry “judge not that you be not judged,” or “take the log out of your own eye first.” Prayer, self-examination, patience, humility, and hopefulness are prerequisites for such times. If the person repents, it’s a win! The person and the body of Christ are freed from harm.
What if our brother won’t listen? God wants him to understand his futile thinking. We are to take a couple of trustworthy friends to talk it out again. Then what? What if we hit a brick wall?
It’s time for the rest of the church to get involved. Elders or pastors are at the forefront of protecting Christ’s church, like Moses and his elders protecting Israel. The body feels the direct assault of unrepentant sin by one of its own members and mourns. Approaching the person should be done prayerfully, patiently, and humbly. Hopefully, repentance and restoration will come.
Most of the time, things don’t go this far, but what if there is still unrepentance? The church is in pain, and healing needs to take place. We are required to remove the splinter before the whole body is sickened. If one we have called brother continues to deny Christ’s authority and live unrighteously by the world’s rules, the church is to release him to the world. He has chosen it and can no longer be part of the body of Christ. We pray he sees the vanity of his sin, and hopefully he will humble himself, repent, and be restored to the church.
Peace
Holiness, peace and love with God and one another, and joyful fellowship are the church’s goals. This doesn’t just happen. It is a work of God’s grace, and painful work among ourselves. God’s Word is filled with gracious help for righteous living. Consider it all. It’s all-important.
A friend set out these guidelines for addressing sin in another’s life:
1. Examine your motivation: Am I concerned for church unity, repentance, and restoration with Christ and the church?
2. Prayer: Am I seeking God’s wisdom in thankfulness? Have I interceded for Him? Am I praying for understanding, repentance and unity?
3. Humility: Encourage first, then correct using biblical understanding. Be patient.
4. Willingly bear the cost: Possibility of alienation or attack.
5. Confidence in God: Trust the Lord to do His work. We are powerless and trust in God’s sovereignty.
We are to take comfort that Christ suffered for the church. He died so that we could be reconciled by faith, restored by grace, and adopted for His glory. The world is watching as Christ’s church either honors and glorifies Him — or rejects God’s plan to be a light shining in the darkness.
— Sylvia Nettles Dickson is a freelance writer in Germantown, Tenn. Dickson holds a BA in communications and English from Southern Mississippi University and has worked as a newspaper editor, librarian, and radio producer. She has written Bible study guides with her brother, Tom Nettles, through Founder Ministries. She and her husband, Tom, have three children and eight grandchildren.