Excommunication: Recipients and Goals

Introduction: The Necessity of Focusing on Church Discipline

0:03 Those of you who are visitors with us, particularly those who may be visiting for the first time, I'm sure, will excuse us if the whole thrust of our concern is almost exclusively that of the family of God gathered here in this place. This is not generally so. Conscious of the goodness of God in bringing many visitors amongst us, we seek to show our gratitude to God in our worship and exposition of the word by taking due consideration of your presence. But because there are exceptional concerns upon us as a congregation, it demands abnormal focus in our consideration of the word of God.

0:50 Later on this evening as a congregation, as we have the sober responsibility of formally disciplining one of the members of our own assembly, it was the judgment of the elders, both teaching and ruling elders, that the day should be given over to the exposition of those relevant portions in the word of God, which most explicitly and most comprehensively treat the subject of biblical excommunication from the visible family of Christ. And I read in your hearing this morning, Matthew 18, verses 15 and following, 2 Thessalonians chapter 3, verses 6 through 14, and 1 Corinthians chapter 5. I will not weary you by re-reading those passages. If you are not with us this morning, I urge you to get a tape of the sermon so that your mind may be carried along with the wholeness of the teaching that I have sought to give this day. The obvious doctrine, taught in these three passages, is that members of the visible body of Christ, who are guilty of sins inconsistent with saving religion, should not be tolerated within the body, but rather be put away by a formal act of severance. And this putting away has commonly been designated as excommunication, a non-biblical term,

Review of Morning Sermon: Nature and Administration of Excommunication

2:18 but a very convenient term to describe a very biblical act. This morning we dealt with two aspects of the biblical doctrine of excommunication. First of all, we considered the nature of excommunication, or what the act is. And I gave you a formal definition, and then sought to demonstrate the scripturalness of that definition, showing the ground of excommunication being the authority of Christ, the essence of it, it is a gracious punishment, and the specific ingredients, and the expedience of it, both privative and positive, a cutting off from the peculiar privileges of the people of God, and a giving over to the kingdom of Satan. And then I sought to lay before you some practical questions, and the answer of the word of God to those questions, relative to the conduct of God's people towards the member who has thus been cut off from them. And then we dealt with the second main division, the division of thought, the administration of excommunication, or who should administer this act. And we saw that the scriptures were very clear that it is the gathered people of God of which the guilty party is a part.

3:39 No council has this right. No consistory has this right. No board of elders has this right. No presbytery has this right.

3:49 It is the people of God gathered as the church. The very church in which the sinning man has been found as a confessed disciple. They did not send the sinning man at Corinth to be disciplined at Philippi. They did not ship him off to a council at Jerusalem.

4:09 The apostle says, When ye are gathered together by my spirit and in the authority of Christ to cut this man off to deliver him unto Satan. But we emphasized in closing that the administrator of excommunication is not merely the gathered people of God, but the gathered people of God acting in a threefold manner, in clear obedience to the word of Christ, in evident demonstration of the spirit of Christ, and in vivid awareness of the day of Christ. And because my concern is primarily with our own membership, I am going to end the review without any further exposition except to say there is not one of the assertions that I have made in this review that was not based upon solid and careful exegesis of many portions of the word of God, and I would urge upon you a careful consideration of that exegesis and the implications derived therefrom. Now tonight we move to the third and the fourth areas of division of thought, with reference to this subject. Having considered the nature of excommunication or what the act is, the administration of excommunication or who should administer the act,

Recipients of Excommunication: Who Should Be Disciplined?

5:33 we come now to consider the recipients of excommunication or who should be the object of this act, and then finally the goals of excommunication or what is the intention of God in commanding this act. Thirdly, then, the recipients of excommunication or who should be the objects of this act. And as I did this morning, I shall give a summary statement and then break it down into specifics. A summary statement as an answer would be this.

6:07 The proper subjects of excommunication are those members of the visible church who become visibly wicked. The proper subjects of excommunication are those members of the visible church who become visibly wicked. The church is a society of the saints, imperfect, varying degrees of sanctity, stages of growth, but they are always described as the saints and believing community. When therefore anyone becomes a living contradiction of what that association declares, he is to be severed from that association.

6:50 he is to be severed from that association. Therefore the apostle says in 1 Corinthians 5, and this again will be the major focus of our concern tonight, in verse 13 of the latter part of the verse, put away the wicked man from among yourselves. Why? Because the church at Corinth is addressed in chapter 1 in verse 1 as the church of God which is at Corinth, even them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called saints with all that call upon the name of the Lord Jesus in every place.

7:23 even them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called saints with all that call upon the name of the Lord Jesus in every place. So that when the society of the saints begins to have in its midst a visibly wicked man, there is a contradiction, and this contradiction must be ended, and the visibly wicked must be put out from the society of the visible saints. Now that's the general principle that undergirds the whole answer to the question, who are the proper recipients of excommunication? I give it to you again.

Three Categories of Recipients: Gross Sin, False Doctrine, Persistent Sin

8:00 The proper subjects of excommunication are those members of the visible church who become visibly wicked. Now this breaks down specifically into three categories. First of all, those guilty of gross and scanty, scandalous sin, sin committed and persisted in. There are certain sins, the practice of which are declared or is declared to be totally inconsistent with being in a state of grace.

8:35 Now we've come to believe there's no difference in sin. Sin is sin. Well there's an aspect of that which is true, but there's another element of that statement which is wholly untrue. God does make a distinction in sins.

8:49 He did this throughout the Old Testament. Certain sins were to be visited with lesser punishments. Some sins were to be visited with death, other sins with death plus burning, because God is making a distinction in the degree of culpability involved in those sins. But turning to the next chapter in the very portion that we've been studying, 1 Corinthians 6 verses 9 to 11 clearly declares that there are certain sins the practice of which as a pattern are inconsistent with membership in the kingdom of Christ.

9:27 Verse 9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with men, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. Paul is saying make no mistake about it. If there are any of you at Carmel who are marked by these sins, gross and scandalous sins, you are not to regard yourself as a believer entangled.

10:08 As a Christian beset with a crippling sin, you are to face the fact that you have no biblical grounds to say you are a member of the kingdom of Christ. And so he goes on to say in verse 11 And such were some of you, but ye were washed, ye were sanctified, ye were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. And so when there is gross, scandalous sin committed and to some degree persisted in, there must be excommunication because God says those sins are inconsistent with membership in the kingdom of God. Secondly, when there is false doctrine inconsistent with saving religion, false doctrine embraced and continued in, there must be excommunication. For remember, the saints are a community. The people of God are not only a community of the holy ones but of the believing ones.

11:17 And that which they believe is the body of saving truth. When therefore a person departs from that body of saving truth, we have no grounds to believe he is still a Christian. Therefore we have the clear teaching of such passages as are found in Revelation 2, 2, 6, 14, 15 and 20 in which the Lord Jesus condemns the churches for retaining in their ranks those who teach false doctrine. He commands them to put away the false teachers.

11:51 And then you have the clear example of the apostle Paul himself in 1 Timothy chapter 1 and verses 19 and 20. He charges Timothy to hold to the faith and to a good conscience. You see, the body of truth and a godly walk, which some having thrust from them, from a good conscience they've gone to a defiled conscience, from holding the body of truth, from holding the body of truth to embracing error. Paul says they've made shipwreck concerning the faith of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered unto Satan, that they may be taught not to blaspheme me.

12:31 And then there is the charge of Paul to Titus in Titus chapter 3 and in verse 10. Titus chapter 3 and in verse 10. A heretical man after a first and second admonition will refuse, knowing that such a one is perverted and sinneth being self-condemned. And the word factious is not the best translation.

12:58 It is speaking of those who embrace false teaching as the context will indicate if you'll read back into verses 8 and 9. So then, the second category of those who are the proper recipients of the act of excommunication is that category describing those who persist in the belief of false doctrine, doctrine inconsistent with saving experience. And then thirdly, and may God help us to hear as I expound this aspect of the truth, any visible discovered sin willfully and continually indulged in after clear and repeated admonitions is ground for excommunication. Not only gross sin committed and in some measure indulged in, but any visible and discovered sin on the part of a visible member of the body of Christ willfully and continually indulged after clear and repeated admonitions is grounds for excommunication. Turn please to 2 Thessalonians chapter 3. 2 Thessalonians chapter 3.

The Principle of Persistent Sin and Application to the Church

14:23 The Apostle Paul is concerned that the church at Thessalonica feel the weight of his instruction and so he says in verse 6 of chapter 3 of 2 Thessalonians, Now we command you, brethren, this is no mere exhortation or entreaty, it is an authoritative command, given consciously under the canopy of apostolic authority in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly and not after the tradition which they received of us. Two clear words. Walketh disorderly. Walketh has to do with a pattern of conduct.

15:20 Whenever the word walk is used in Scripture it is not speaking of any given specific act in isolation. David fell into the heinous sin of adultery and murder. He did not walk in adultery and he did not walk in murder. Walketh, and then the second word, disorderly.

15:41 And disorderly in the context here has to do with the sin of failure to be diligent in one's work. Look at the context. For yourselves know how ye ought to imitate us for we behave not ourselves disorderly among you. In what sense, Paul?

16:03 Neither did we eat bread for naught but with labor and travail, work night and day. He is zeroing in on a specific sin. Not a gross and scandalous sin. Here are some people so spiritual that they are going to wait for the Lord to come and they are not going to go out and work their six days to earn what is necessary to provide for their daily bread.

16:25 We are going to, quote, trust the Lord for our food. And Paul says they are walking disorderly and coupled with that, verse 11, for we hear some of them that walk among you disorderly they then begin to use their time not to pray and meditate but to talk. Hyper-spiritual people running off at the mouth. Able to give an assessment of the problems of the church and the weaknesses of the pastors and the inconsistencies of the elders and the downfalls of the deacons.

16:52 Very spiritual people, you see. Not gross, scandalous sin. Just a bit lazy and a bit too loose with their tongues. Now notice what Paul says in verse 14.

17:03 If any man obeyeth not our word by this epistle, note that man, that ye have no company with him. Parallel to the terminology of 1 Corinthians 5. Put that wicked man away from among yourselves. And the apostle here clearly teaches that the ground of the excommunication in this instance was not gross and scandalous sin indulged into some degree and unrepentant and unreformed.

17:33 But it's what we would call a lesser sin but it is persisted in after repeated admonition. And you find the same teaching in the words of our Lord in Matthew 18, 15. He doesn't say if thy brother sin a gross sin but if he does that which is visibly and unmistakably to be denoted as sin. Not petty little sins of the kind that we're to forget and forgive have fervent love among yourselves for love shall cover a multitude of sins.

18:07 But here is a breach of some moral precept of God. Not gross and scandalous but a breach of a moral precept. And you admonish the man and he won't repent. And you take the two or three witnesses and it's not dealt with.

18:20 Jesus said bring him before the church and if he will not deal with it let him be as heathen in public. And why? Because though the sin itself may not be gross and scandalous it is visible deception. It is discernible sin willfully and continually indulged in after clear and repeated admonitions and therefore the guilty one is to be excommunicated.

18:42 The same is true in Romans 16, 17. Paul obviously does not call upon the Corinthians to excommunicate those who are guilty of a party spirit in 1 Corinthians 1 and again in 1 Corinthians 3. But what happens if a person persists in a party spirit to the place where they're actually causing divisions and schism in the church? Romans 16, 17 tells us what we're to do.

19:08 Now I beseech you brethren mark them that are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling contrary to the doctrine which ye learned and turn away from them. Now we do not consider a divisive spirit gross and scandalous sin. But if it is persisted in and it is evident that the man or woman is guilty of it they are to be judged. Why? Why?

19:41 Now follow closely. Because just as surely as the Bible teaches that any degree of continuance in gross sin is inconsistent with the state of grace so it also declares that perpetual continuance in any sin without repentance and reformation and mortification is inconsistent with the state of grace. You hear it? Listen again.

20:09 Just as surely as the Bible teaches that any degree of continuance in gross sin is inconsistent with the state of grace so it also declares that perpetual continuance in any sin of whatever sort without repentance, reformation and mortification is inconsistent with the state of grace for he that is born of God doth not make a practice of sin. As Jonathan Edwards says contumacy, that is obstinance and impenitence in any real and manifest sin whatsoever deserve excommunication. Notice the terms manifest sin. The church cannot judge the hearts of men but it must judge the lives of its members. But you say that will mean some people guilty of sins of thought and heart and attitude far worse than a sin of the flesh will go undetected.

21:17 Yes, they will until the day of judgment and they will also go without the benefit of the therapeutic influence of excommunication. Their excommunication will come as a judgment not as a means of grace. And if they are so foolish as to think they can fool God as they fool men then they deserve to be damned for their folly. Now by application let me say that if this be the clear teaching of the word of God then oh what tragic sins of disobedience have been tolerated by the visible church.

Tragic Disobedience and Low Standards in the Visible Church

21:52 Dear ones, you don't need to be a Greek scholar to understand the passages I've expounded tonight that there are three legitimate recipients of the act of excommunication those guilty of gross and scandalous sin those guilty of error inconsistent with saving faith and any visible judgment discovered sin willfully and continually indulged in after clear and repeated admonitions what shall we say then when the community of people who profess subjection to Christ will tolerate gross and scandalous sin under the guise of well he that is without sin let him cast the first stone. We're all sinners. As I pointed out this morning that Corinthian church was in a mess. But their internal mess did not warrant exemption from obedience to the command to excommunicate the man guilty of gross sin.

22:58 And Paul didn't say wait to do this until you get all your own problems resolved. You add sin to sin by delay. Read the castigations and I don't know another word strong enough of the Lord Jesus to various churches recorded in Revelation 2 and 3. He says thou sufferest that prophetess Jezebel to teach my servants false doctrine and she teaches them to commit fornication and he castigates them.

23:31 He says that you tolerate evil teachers and evil doers. Is it no wonder that the Lord Jesus is not pouring out copious measures of the spirit upon the visible church and I mean the evangelical and reformed church where there is such gross disobedience to his clear revelation. I say secondly by way of application what a low standard of holiness and visible sainthood is tolerated amongst us. What a low standard.

24:06 What a low standard. What a tragically low standard. Is it no wonder that the world does not fear? Is it no wonder that we can go month in and month out and never have the ungodly ask a reason of the hope that is in us?

24:22 There's just not that much different about us. Ah, but someone objects. Won't there always be hypocrites in the church? Yes.

24:32 Assisted hypocrites should be tolerated in the church. And he's tolerated because we don't know he is a hypocrite. God judged the hearts of men. And as I showed this morning historically whenever the church has tried to intrude upon the area of the hearts of men and then to intrude upon the external circumstances of men in its discipline it has erred grievously from the scriptures.

25:01 But as Paul says in this very passage God judges those that are without he says you are to judge them that are within. And don't let anyone fling Matthew 7 under my nose and say Jesus said not to be not judged. Yes he did say that but what did he mean? Well whatever he meant he did not mean to cancel this clear word judge those that are within.

Goals of Excommunication: For the Sinner, the Church, and God

25:28 Put away the wicked man from among you. Having then examined the nature of excommunication the administrator of excommunication the recipients now consider in the fourth place the goals of excommunication or what does God design in this act. And again the answer lies in three directions. And I'm not seeking to be clever by doing this.

25:54 It's just that I believe the Biblical materials naturally fall into these threefold divisions. This is no time to play at cleverness dear ones. First of all the goals of excommunication are seen with reference to the sinning person. Secondly with respect to the people of God and thirdly with respect to God himself.

26:17 First then what are the goals of excommunication with respect to the sinning person? Two words answer the question. His salvation. His salvation.

26:32 Look at the text 1 Corinthians chapter 5. God has spoken this word so clearly that only willful ignorance or blatant high-handed disobedience could miss it. Verses 4 and 5 In the name of the Lord Jesus ye being gathered together by my spirit with the power of the Lord Jesus to deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh that and it's one of those Hena clauses of purpose that all you Greek students learn about about the second month in your Greek class when you find that Hena it has to do with the overall intent and goal of a given statement or action and so the apostle says that having gathered together and exercised this awesome responsibility of cutting off the sinning man delivering him over to the visible kingdom of Satan this is to be your goal because it is God's goal in order that the spirit may be saved. Thank God in this one clear instance in the New Testament where we have an actual record of an actual proceeding and the subsequent issue that this is precisely what the act of communication did on behalf of this sinning man

27:59 so that we have 2 Corinthians chapter 2 and 2 Corinthians chapter 7 telling us that the man did repent he cut off his vile and wicked relationship with that woman his own mother-in-law living in this incestuous relationship against not only the light of scripture but even the light of nature for he says the sin that even the Gentiles who don't know God will not commit and he broke off the relationship and there was repentance and reformation and when he dealt with his sin the apostle says now show the proof of your love receive him back into your midst and as you receive him back not only is he a restored man but you are a restored people for he says what zeal, what mourning what clearing of yourselves the whole act of discipline has effected. So we see that the goal for the sinning person is his return to holiness by repentance and reformation and then his reincorporation into the visible community of the saints of God. Therefore as we said this morning excommunication is an act of compassion upon a sinning man or woman. Oh do you hear that?

29:21 It's an act of compassion and as I was thinking about the nature of it the radical nature of it it's likened to that which must happen when an arm has become full of gangrene and the act of compassion in the surgeon is to sever it to spare the life but thank God another element enters in where the human illustration breaks down. When once a member of the body becomes so infected as to jeopardize the life of the body and must be severed it is severed for good! But God says the severance of a member of the visible body of Christ is that it might be returned to spiritual health and be re-grafted in to that body again. And oh beloved brothers and sisters in Christ I plead with you from the depths of my heart and I say these words on behalf of your elders knowing something of the solicitous and tender concern of their hearts believe us that the action we recommend to you in the congregational meeting to follow is an act of genuine compassion. Secondly what is the goal of excommunication with respect to the people of God? For it has reference not only to the sinning person

30:48 his salvation but with respect to the people of God two things their purity and secondly their warning. Their purity look at the text again 1 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 6 Your glorying is not good know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out the old leaven now notice the next words that ye you as a congregation may be a new lump even as ye are unleavened. See what he is doing?

31:26 Having touched on the analogy of leaven Paul's Jewish mind then draws to itself all of these references from Old Testament realities. You remember in preparation for the Passover feast every bit of leaven was to be scoured from the house a mother was to track down every trace of it and be sure that no leaven could be found for if they ate the Passover the celebration of redemptive deliverance out of Egypt with any trace of leaven it was an abomination to God. Now Paul says your gathering together is God's people to worship Him to praise Him to remember Him at His table to submit to the ordinance of preaching and public prayer this is like one great and constant Passover feast the congregational activity of the church of God but he says since it is one continual remembrance of redemptive deliverance it demands continual purging unlike the Israelite who could have leaven in his house throughout the year come Passover time it must be dealt with he says, ah listen our Passover lamb has been slain once and for all we are living in a perpetual Passover feast wherefore, verse 8, let us keep the feast that is, let us carry on our corporate life and celebration of redemptive deliverance

32:52 in our praises in our psalms in our hymns in our worship in our prayers in our coming to the table of the Lord how? not with any leaven in the house neither with the leaven of malice or wickedness but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth do you catch the thrust of what the apostle is saying? with respect to the people of God the goal of excommunication is the purity of God's people that their worship may be acceptable unto God and dear people in this congregation if we refuse to excommunicate any who are the rightful recipients of excommunication whether for gross and scandalous sin whether for heretical doctrine or whether for the perpetual continuance in any sin after due and repeated admonitions listen you're saying I don't care if God ever receives my praises when I gather on Sunday anymore I don't care if God hears my prayers on Wednesday my friends, listen if you as a congregation refuse to administer proper discipline almighty God refuses to receive your worship but that's a choice you must make we as elders cannot make it for you our activity is not to excommunicate

34:18 only to recommend where we feel there is proper groundless but our hands are open our hands are clean in any instance where the facts after due examination are clear that excommunication is warranted if you through human sympathy through carnal attitudes or for any other reason refuse to obey the clear mandate of God almighty God no longer receives your worship who shall ascend into the hill of God who shall stand in his holy place he that hath clean hands and a pure heart and hath not lifted up his soul unto them holiness becometh thy house and so then the goal of excommunication with reference to the people of God is their purity their purity to ensure acceptable worship their purity secondly to ensure a wholesome influence upon one another remember the words of the writer to the Hebrews in Hebrews 12, 25, 12, 15 he says beware lest there be a root of bitterness springing up and thereby the many be defiled be not deceived Paul said evil companionships corrupt good morals beloved listen

35:41 we are contagious in our moral influence upon people every person with whom you have any kind of dealings is either stirred up to be a more holy man or woman after being with you or is made less concerned about a holy life you have no neutral moral influence upon any human being and Paul recognizing this says oh people at Corinth purge out that leaven because leaven is never inactive it leavens the whole rump it works its way through and pervades the entire whole if we are reluctant to excommunicate where such is warranted we are saying that we are welcoming the baneful influence of leaven to extend itself through the entire congregation but the second goal with reference to the people of God is not only their purity purity to acceptable worship purity to wholesome influence upon one another but it's for their warning as well and how do we know this well turn to 2 Corinthians chapter 7 when Paul refers back to this incident

37:07 the sharpness of his rebukes leading to their effecting of this act of discipline he says in verse 11 for behold this selfsame thing that ye were made sorry after a godly sort what earnest care it wrought in you yea what clearing of yourselves yea what indignation yea what fear yea what longing yea what zeal yea what avenging in everything ye approved yourselves ye reign amiss ne'er flight yea what living it in you eri proem said the Lamb of God said the Lamb of God word, in the oversight and care of our elders, in the competent leadership of our deacons, if one could fall so grievously as to warrant this, Lord, who can stand? Is it I? The history

38:33 of the sin of Israel, God says, should have this salutary effect, wherefore let him that standeth take heed lest he fall. 1 Corinthians 10 and verse 12, having mentioned the record of the sin of those who went after strange flesh and God dealt with them, he says, wherefore, here's the whole intent, having seen in the pages of Old Testament history the fall of those who had such privilege, baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all drank of that rock that followed them, all had equal privilege, but three thousand died in a distinct judgment of God. He says, let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. And, oh, the warning that comes to us in the occasion of an act of discipline of this nature. And then, thirdly, the goal of discipline is found with respect to God himself. And

39:39 what is the respect it has to God? The vindication of his character. When sin which demands excommunication is tolerated, the triune God is grieved, dishonored, and provoked to displeasure. Think of it. Think of the dishonor. Think of the dishonor. Think of the dishonor. Think of the dishonor. Think of the dishonor. Think of the dishonor. Think of the dishonor. Think of the dishonor. Think of the dishonor. Think of the dishonor. Think of the dishonor. Think of the dishonor. Think of the dishonor. Think of the dishonor. Think of the dishonor. Think of the dishonor. Think of the dishonor. Think of the dishonor. Think of the dishonor. Think of the dishonor. Think of the dishonor. Think of the dishonor. Think of the dishonor. Think of the dishonor. Think of the dishonor. Think of the dishonor. Think of the dishonor. Think of the dishonor. Think of the dishonor. Think of the dishonor. Think of the dishonor. Think of the dishonor. Think of the dishonor. Think of the dishonor. Think of the dishonor. Think of the dishonor. Think of ones, having given his son to death and sent the spirit and the virtue of the death and resurrection of Christ, for what end that Christ might be the firstborn among many brethren, whom he did foreknow he predestined to be conformed to the image of his son? And nothing delights him more than to see that image more and more perfected in his people. But when gross and scandalous sin is committed, and there is not immediate and evident repentance and reformation and mortification, yet that sin is tolerated, the father looks down in

40:46 his grief, because instead of the likeness of his pure and holy sin, he sees the likeness of the Gentiles who know not God. And he says the things they do, it's a shame even to speak of them, let alone to tolerate. The son is dishonored by the affront to his authority, and by a denial of the very goal of his death. The Lord Jesus is given the act of excommunication as a means of grace to be administered according to the scriptures. And when the congregation refuses so to do, there is affront to his authority and to the very goal of his death, which is the perfection of his people in holiness. The spirit said, The spirit said, The spirit said, The spirit said, The spirit said, is dishonored by the toleration of that which is offensive to his essential being. He is the Holy Spirit, and we're told, grieve not the Holy Spirit. And so, to state it positively, the goal of excommunication with respect to God is the vindication of his honor, the delight of his heart, and the satisfaction of his design for his people.

41:59 Beloved, those are high issues. The honor of the triune God, the delight of his heart, and the satisfaction of his design for his people.

Practical Observations and Urgent Call to Obedience

42:12 Therefore, if we have any concern for a sinning brother or sister,

42:18 for the purity and well-being of the church, for the honor of the triune God, we must as a congregation engage in this act whenever and wherever we are directed so to do by the word of God. In conclusion, let me make several very practical observations,

42:44 many of them biographical, as they've been wrung out of the agony of my own heart and the hearts of your elders in the past days. The first thing I would say is this, that any congregation that delights in or is quick to effect an act of excommunication is unworthy of the name of Christ. Any congregation that is quick to or delights in effecting an act of excommunication is walking contrary to the Spirit of Christ. This most radical means of grace is never to be employed with haste or with delight, but always with holy caution and with deep spiritual pain. Without claiming infallibility, but conscious of some measure of the Spirit's grace and assistance, I do believe that caution, patience, and pain have marked the posture of your elders in coming to the recommendation that will be laid before you tonight.

44:03 The second thing I would say is this, that we must not be swayed by the thought patterns of the world or by the natural dispositions of our corrupt nature in anything having to do with an act of excommunication. May I repeat that? We are not to be swayed by the thought patterns of the world, or by the natural dispositions of our own corrupt nature in anything pertaining to an act of excommunication. Romans 12.2 says, Let not the world squeeze you into its mold. That which God in His Word calls gross and scandalous sin, the world now says is not only evil behavior, but into the world's mold. And they are pitied, or they ought to be rebuking. Beloved, may God deliver us from that spirit. God calls drunkenness gross

45:22 and scandalous sin, and no drunkard shall enter the kingdom of heaven. Ah, but Pastor Martin, don't you understand? There are psychological pressures, and there are physiological tendencies, and there are, yes, but the word of the Lord, and abide it, no drunkard shall enter the kingdom of heaven. Do you not deceive neither fornicators?

45:54 Those engaging in illicit sexual acts, men with men, men with women, women with men, or women with women, shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. No, I don't. Those who make a god of their cars, of their boats, of their weekend cottages, of their faces, of their bodies, of their TVs, and the keen edge of biblical mentality with respect to what is gross and scandalous sin. And I say this in my view of our disciplines, because we have been lost in the visible church in our generation. And that is why there is so little discipline. Not only must we beware of the tendency to be squeezed into the world's mold with reference to what we call gross and scandalous sin, but, dear ones, we must not follow the dictates of our own corrupt nature in the administration of discipline. The things we are charged with in the light of this morning's study are painful for you as a congregation. In any instance, don't blame yourselves. There is nothing in our

47:11 Any instance to begin to regard a man or a woman in a totally different light, that's difficult and kind. I feel that there's something cruel. God says I am to cut off all normal social intercourse. I am to exempt myself from anything other than those common acts of decency, which are the due lot of all men as men.

47:36 And my only other dealings are to be on my knees in prayer and on my feet in loving but firm admonition and rebuke. That's contrary to me. So be it!

47:49 Is it not contrary for you oft times to pray?

47:53 Your remaining corruption rebels against the thought of having close dealings with God. But if you're a Christian who's growing at all, you know what you do with that indisposition of your flesh.

48:05 You walk over it to the place of prayer. And while every step you walk over it, it cries out, Spare me! Indulge me! You say, I shall not, for men ought always to pray and not to faint.

48:20 And since it is my duty to seek the face of God, I shall seek Him regardless of what I feel like.

48:28 Oh, my dear people, I plead with you. Don't you allow the perspectives of the world or the dictates of your own corrupt nature to shape and mold your attitudes and actions with respect to this frightening responsibility. Amen. This has been one of the most painful days in my pastoral experience of twelve years.

49:00 But there's a mystery, dear ones, in the midst of the pain.

49:04 There's been the sense of the approbation of my own conscience that I have faithfully given you the word of God.

49:13 Now the responsibility is yours.

49:16 Will you obey the word of God?

49:21 May God grant that you shall.

49:26 I'm conscious that there may be amongst us not only visitors, but sons and daughters, husbands and wives, oh, the Lord, some of you who do not know Him.

49:38 This is serious business. We're talking tonight just about the sin in the heart and life of a believer, a confessed believer, who can no longer be regarded as such because of sin. God takes it so seriously. As I said this morning, so I repeat tonight, where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?

49:58 If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and sinner appear? My friend, it's time. It's time you stop fooling around with sin. Because sin has one goal in mind with reference to you, to destroy you.

50:15 Sin, when it is finished, bringeth for death. And no matter how modest, no matter how veiled, no matter how polite, no matter how tactful, no matter how apparently gracious are the overtures of sin. Oh, it's bloody dying for the moment. Plunge it into my own heart.

50:43 And that's what it's out to do. There's but one place of safety and refuge, and that's in the blessed Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, flee to him. Flee to him who bared his breast to that dagger.

51:01 Not because sin deceived him, but because he willingly gave himself up to it and became sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in him. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found. Call ye upon him while he is near. After I lead us in prayer, I'm going to ask that we sit in quietness.

51:36 Those of you who are not members, we would ask you then quickly and quietly to leave if you have relatives here, loved ones or friends. Just slip downstairs if you will, please, and then we will move immediately into our congregational meeting. Let us pray.