Scriptural
Reference:
"Cursed is anyone who does not uphold the words of this law
by carrying them out."
Deuteronomy 27:26
“‘But anyone who
sins defiantly, whether native-born or foreigner, blasphemes the Lord
and must be cut off from the people of Israel. 31 Because they have
despised the Lord’s word and broken his commands, they must surely be
cut off; their guilt remains on them.’”
Numbers 15:30-31
“If your brother
or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of
you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16 But if they will
not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may
be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17 If they
still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to
listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax
collector."
Matthew 18:15-17
"I urge you,
brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and
put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have
learned. Keep away from them."
Romans 16:17
"If anyone
has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all
of you to some extent—not to put it too severely. 6 The punishment inflicted
on him by the majority is sufficient. 7 Now instead, you ought to forgive
and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.
8 I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. 9 Another reason
I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in
everything. 10 Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven—if
there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ
for your sake, 11 in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are
not unaware of his schemes."
2 Corinthians 2:5-11
Reflection:
The act of excommunicating someone is a step that should never be taken
lightly. It's a serious action that carries significant weight and consequences.
That can have a devastating effect on more than just the individual
who is being sanctioned. To fully understand how the act works; we really
need to understand that godly discipline is an essential element in
how the Church operates, and this is clearly highlighted in Article
XIX. If we take a closer look at the first part of the excommunication,
we see that it stresses this idea of 'godly discipline' as practised
in the early Church. Back then, individuals who were guilty of public
and obvious sins faced open punishment. This kind of discipline served
a dual purpose: it not only protected the community from potentially
harmful influences but also played a critical role in guiding the sinner
away from what could be an unending cycle of doom. By facing public
consequences for their actions, those individuals were encouraged to
recognise their wrongdoing and change their ways, and in turn, this
served as a stark warning for others to avoid similar paths.
The introduction
of the Excommunication calls for a revival of this type of discipline,
underscoring that until we can reinstate such measures, there is a necessity
for the Excommunication to publicly declare God's wrath and judgement
on those who fall into sin. Our Article assumes that genuine discipline
is re-established within the Church community. So, when someone is caught
in clear acts of sin, they are to be removed from our fellowship, a
process we refer to as excommunication. It's crucial for Christians
to regard these individuals as sinners, which means maintaining a certain
distance. This involves no close relationships, no making excuses for
their actions, and certainly no pretending that their sins don't matter.
The aim of this approach is to let them feel the painful implications
of being cut off from their community, which ideally will encourage
them to reconsider their choices and seek a return to the fold. This
is not a revolving door but an acceptance that even someone whom has
gone outside and beyond the acceptable expectations of the Church community
may be accepted back if they have a contrite heart and repentant attitude.
Essentially church
discipline, fundamentally, is always geared toward reconciliation; it
seeks to bring the sinner back home and restore them to right standing
within the community. It's all about mending the hurts that are caused
within Christ's body and aligning with Scriptural teachings. Jesus emphasises
this principle in Matthew 18:17, where He outlines how we should handle
matters of sin within the community. Similarly, the Apostle Paul discusses
it in several places, including Romans 16:17 and 1 Corinthians 5:11
and 13, making it clear that addressing sinful behaviour is necessary
for a healthy church. John also addresses this in 2 John 10, reinforcing
that sin is a serious matter. As we know, it's sin that separates us
from God and Jesus the Christ whose act of atonement on the cross has
made a way for us to be reconciled with God our Father.
Tragically the
reality is that sin is deeply rooted in our human nature-this is why
a pure and just God rightly judges us all. We cannot simply ignore sin
or pretend it doesn't exist; we must confront it courageously. It's
important to note that this discipline does not extend to those who
genuinely repent, admit their faults, and seek forgiveness. Rather,
it is aimed at those who stubbornly cling to their sins without any
intent to change. To do so is to rebel against God and to deny the importance
and significance of the death and resurrection of Jesus the Christ:
For the redemption of our sins.
Another crucial
point to consider when discussing this article is that a church should
not welcome those who have been disciplined by another congregation
until the reasons for their excommunication have been proven to be unfounded
or until they take responsibility for their actions and demonstrate
real change. When congregations overlook this principle, they risk harming
the unity of the Church as a whole. Fundamentally it's all about preserving
the integrity and oneness that ought to characterise the body of Christ.
Churches that follow the 39 Article of Religion will recognise this
important principle and adhere to it accordingly.
Lord, I pray that
I will follow you closely,
Never straying from your holy ways,
Never veering from your holy teachings,
Never accepting false and misleading doctrine.
In you alone I
will trust and stay loyal,
For you are my Lord and Saviour,
My true redeemer and healer of my soul.
May your name be
worshiped,
Every day of my life.
Amen