While the true and happy place for every saint is running the race set before each, looking unto Jesus, deriving from Him nourishment and counsel; while it is the labor of the Spirit directly, or through the ministry of the word, to sustain each in his course unblamably and unreprovably; still if any soul wanders, or is drawn aside, discipline in one form or another is to be resorted to, as the divine mode of dealing with, and eventually blessing such an one, if born of God. Food is the natural means by which support is afforded to the body, but when derangement supervenes, we resort to medicine or remedies of some kind, and not merely to food, in order to effect a cure. Discipline is the medicine or remedy for the awl, when the food has been hindered, or where there is no reception or appropriation of it.
When the derangement is great, or rather in proportion to its magnitude, there is neither appetite for food nor any result from it, even if apparently accepted. In such a case we must have recourse to discipline as the divinely-appointed means for restoring the soul. And it is well for us to understand the necessity and also the intent of it.
Discipline becomes necessary when the natural and normal condition of a Christian is openly departed from; and when the Spirit is so leavened by it that there is no ear for the word of the Lord which would detach him from the evil that is damaging; and when the heart has become so hardened through the deceitfulness of sin that the word has lost all power on the conscience, or must have lost it before the soul could have sunk into its present condition. The ministry of the word, while the conscience is awake, acts to preserve us from falling, and to separate us in the power and virtue of itself, from the defilement to which we are exposed and liable. But when there is no ear for the word, the proper office of which is through the power of the Holy Ghost to keep us in communion of heart and purpose with our Lord, then there is sure to be an exposure of the evil of our hearts; and when this exposure occurs, we must deal with it in discipline. How else can we? There is no ear to hear the word, and there is no vindication of holiness as becoming the house of God otherwise. If every one professing the name of Christ and taking his place as a member of His body down here, were to walk in reverence of His word, there would be no room for discipline; but when the word has been refused, and evil practice has been, as it must be, the consequence, the means appointed of God for restoring the soul, and at the same time maintaining the holiness which always becometh His house, is discipline.
Congregational discipline was first introduced when Israel, God's redeemed people, " sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play;" when they said, " up, make us gods which shall go before us." They made a calf in those days and offered sacrifice to an idol. They had openly and avowedly departed from the place of a people redeemed by God, and hence when Moses returned to the camp; he stood in the gate of the camp and said, " Who is on the Lord's side?" And his word to the Levites is, " Consecrate yourselves to-day to the Lord; even every man upon his son and upon his brother, that he may bestow on you a blessing this day." Here we get the first great principle of discipline, namely, the vindication of God's holiness in His redeemed people; and necessarily that must have been the leading principle until grace in a risen Christ came in. Under the law discipline was enforced according to the nature of the guilt of each; though in the case of leprosy which the law did not reach, there was an opportunity to present the course and principle on which grace would act. There was, we find, a great effort to restore the leper; and there we are first taught that while the holiness that becometh the house of God is maintained, the restoration of the one who had personally compromised it is earnestly aimed at, and he is, if possible, restored. The holiness is most rigidly maintained at the same time, and by the same act in which the health, and blessing of the leper are secured: and this is the principle of discipline under grace.
When the Church was first organized, the holiness of it as Christ's house was unequivocally maintained; for it was to be the expression of Him who is now absent. Two things were then co-existent: one, the moral sense of what became those who took the name of Christ here; and the other, the power of Christ to maintain them in keeping with this moral sense. The Spirit was not only with them for Christ, but maintained in them a true sense of what was due to Christ. Hence Ananias and Sapphira, (Acts 5) are at once, and in the most signal manner, removed from among them. The true -mom/ sense had at command the power of God to support and justify it. The thought of restoration in such a case is not expressed. But when the moral sense declined, as we find in 1 Cor. 5, then, though the power of Christ was for them, when in solemn assembly they owned their need of it; yet while it acts primarily with reference to the Church, the body of Christ, in excluding the wicked person, the benefit arising to him from the discipline is not overlooked; for, it is added, " that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord." And thus grace, as in the case of the leper under the law, considered for the transgressor while the holiness was stringently maintained; and the leaven, which would have leavened the whole lump, was wholly purged out. Here for the first time we are warned that evil in another, if in fellowship with us, as the assembly of God, imparts to us a like evil. We are infected by it through fellowship, though we may have no liking or tendency whatever to it of ourselves. Moral sense from the Spirit of God in us would doubtless have instinctively impressed us with this truth; and it is an evidence of the low moral tone to which the Corinthians had sunk when they required to be reminded of a fact so elementary in understanding what the Church is as Christ's body on earth.
We have now before us the principle and purpose of discipline, namely, to preserve the holiness of the house of God; and therefore taking into account every kind of evil which would leaven the members of Christ. For even " a little leaven leavens the whole lump." But, at the same time, it keeps in view the ultimate blessing of the disciplined and excommunicated one. We must unflinchingly keep before us the first of these principles; for it is the primary condition of our being as the body of Christ, while we must not forget the second.
If there had been true and spiritual sense there would have been no need for the apostle to supply a list of the evils which otherwise the Corinthians might not class under the head of leaven. He does not include the grosser evils, because there was still moral sense enough to know that if the lesser evils disqualified for membership with the Church of God on earth, how much more the greater! We learn from this scripture (1 Cor. 5) that the power of Christ acted with the assembly to consign to Satan the transgressor. I am of opinion that the apostle's words imply that if they had felt the evil as they ought it would have been " taken away" in some singular way. The feebleness of the Church gave, as I may say, a wider sphere to grace towards the transgressor, and yet a more distinct responsibility to the Church itself to act with reference thereto. While the Church continued to be the pillar and ground of truth there is no doubt but that the power of Christ was ever ready to act for the assembly when it waited on Him for it; for then it was not doctrinally leavened. But when the assembly, as we find in 2 Timothy, had suffered in its midst "profane and vain babblings;" the servant of the Lord is directed to purge out himself from it. Now this determines an important epoch in the Church's history. The Church was appointedly "the pillar and ground of truth;" but that great characteristic it had now surrendered, for it suffered to proceed babblings of such an order that the apostle pronounces the evil from them not only leaven, but still worse GANGRENE—mortal disease-for vitality was affected. In this state of things not only was the moral sense as to the assembly gone, but power was only given where there was spiritual sense, and therefore it was an individual action. Every one calling on the Lord out of a pure heart is directed and empowered to separate from the large body where vessels to honor and dishonor are found promiscuously. No doubt the purged ones according to their spiritual sense, received power to maintain themselves pure according to the unchanging principle that " holiness becometh thine house, O Lord, forever."
Any distinction forfeited is never restored. The Church has never recovered the high position of being what it once was, the pillar and ground of truth; and therefore the power which always acts with reference to the position, must not be looked for to act as it did at first. If the Church cannot assume to be the pillar and ground of truth; neither ought it to look for or expect the manifestation of power which acted in its midst while it maintained this position. But though the Church is not now the pillar and ground of truth, yet as the habitation of God through the Spirit, the first and great principle of His house can be in no wise slackened, but must be rigorously adhered to, according as there is faithfulness of heart towards Him. General declension and indifference only urge the true-hearted to more devotion to the Lord, and what becometh His name and honor in the earth. The manifestation of power is lost, because a certain high position has been forfeited; but the circle of God's interest in the earth, where Christ's heart is set, must ever engage the faithful, and there will ever be grace granted to maintain in it, though in feebleness, what is worthy of Him. Even as with Israel after the captivity, (Hag. 1;2,) the moment we accord with His mind and work in sympathy with His counsel, though visibly powerless as they were, (for the glory and the kingdom were never restored); we shall, like them, be blessed; He will be with us, though we may have but a " little strength." We now properly take the place of purged ones; the only true place for a saint when the house of God has suffered false doctrine to obtain a hearing in it. From that time, I am bold to say, that the only true or worthy place for a disciple of Christ is as a purged one; one who has purged himself out of the great house and is seeking to walk in company with his fellow purged ones; sedulously watching lest he should decline into that state of practical indifference, where false doctrine would find an utterance. The Church lost its high position because of its carelessness in suffering profane and vain babblings in its midst; the faithful are bound to purge themselves from the mass of the house; but the tendency natural to such, is to relapse into the evil of Christendom; and through indifference and carelessness again to allow erroneous doctrine to be uttered and listened to. Satan's greatest aim is to corrupt the truth of God. He would degrade us in practice; but how much more would be corrupt that which can alone maintain us in divine conduct I So much is this danger in the mind of the Spirit as to the latter clay, that discipline is alluded to chiefly with reference to false doctrine. The time would come when professing saints would not endure sound doctrine. And when the doctrine of Christ would be denied the faithful were then to be most exclusive, and to preserve the most rigid discipline. They are warned not only to refuse to receive such into their houses, but to decline all common salutations, for he that biddeth them farewell (χαιρειν) would be partaker of their evil deeds. The very feebleness of the faithful one should only urge him the more to preserve himself from all association with that which had been so fatal to the Church and so dishonoring to the Lord; and therefore it is to a woman that this very stringent rule is committed. (2 John.) The greater the moral declension, as we see in Jude, the more the faithful should be banded together, and watchful how they preserve themselves distinct from what would contaminate.
It is evident that the great principle of God's house must ever be maintained by the faithful, and that the true-heart d will abide by the circle of His interest to the last. The company of the purged ones will always command the power of Christ to keep themselves from practical defilement. There will be no open demonstration of power, but the Lord will support them in their action. If, however, false doctrine be suffered in any degree, there is no remedy then, as it appears to me, but to resort to the simple rule to purge out oneself from the defiled company; and here is the true and salutary discipline in that state of things. I stand apart where I cannot suppress; for I must not remain where the truth of God is willfully misrepresented and a false doctrine accepted. In such circumstances how can the word of God act or be used?
There is, however, another form of discipline which is exercised within the assembly. That which we have been considering requires that either the delinquent be removed from the assembly, or that the assembly has so forgot its own true dignity that the faithful are called to purge themselves from it. These two forms of discipline we have considered above. I desire now to offer a few remarks on that which is to be exercised within the assembly. This order is spoken of in 2 Thess. 3 " 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." This rule was given with reference to one who would not work with his own hands. It was a case which did not amount to immorality of conduct or unsoundness of doctrine; and yet it was sufficiently important to be brought under the notice of the assembly. The refractory and disobedient were not to be excommunicated, but they were to be excluded from social intercourse. The failure in this ease was of a milder order and therefore to be dealt with more leniently.
Another point to be noted is that the teachers of the law were not excommunicated though denounced in no measured terms. " I would," the apostle says, " they were even cut off which trouble you;" (Gal. 5:1-201Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. 2Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. 3For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. 4Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. 5For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. 6For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. 7Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? 8This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. 9A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. 10I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be. 11And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased. 12I would they were even cut off which trouble you. 13For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. 14For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. 15But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. 16This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 18But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 19Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, (Galatians 5:1‑20) and who would subvert the gospel of Christ; but they had some show of right. And until they became heretics, or persistent, in what was fundamentally wrong, we are not directed to reject them. If the Epistle to Titus be studied it will be seen that this is the course enjoined by the apostle. First, to exhort and convict the gainsayers whose mouths must be stopped; but if they will not be stopped, in strivings about the law which are unprofitable and vain; then they are heretics and must be rejected.
One word more concerning those who, because of weak consciences, observe days, or impose restrictions on themselves. It is not assumed that such practices are in accordance with the truth; but then there is nothing done or allowed detrimental to truth or morals. It is mere weakness of conscience; it is intended as self-denial, and it arises from ignorance and prejudice. It has to do with oneself individually, or points referring to oneself, and therefore the lenity and consideration to be observed toward such, would not be applicable to or could not be claimed by those who from ignorance or prejudice prescribe and adopt forms and rules for the Church of God. I am suffered because of a weak conscience to restrict and determine for myself when truth and morals are not involved; but I am at no liberty whatever, nor is it a case of weakness of conscience, when I assume to make and abide by rules which concern Christ and the government of His house. Such is not a weak conscience but a tyrannical one; one which assumes rights never in any way conferred on it.
The Lord lead us in His infinite grace to understand and maintain what concerns His honor and glory in the earth and the real blessing of His beloved ones, our fellows in the grace of life through Him.