Galatians 6:1: Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are\nspiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself,\nlest thou also be tempted. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are many areas of a\nchurch where conflict can develop requiring disciplined attention. However,\nmost of them tend to fall under one of three categories: 1<\/strong>) conflict due to blatant sin among believers, 2<\/strong>) conflict with leadership, 3<\/strong>) conflict between believers. Admittedly,\nmany issues can cross over and actually involve two or more of these\ncategories. How are these to be handled? Who has the right to address? What is the goal? To discover the Biblical answer, we turn to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Excommunication\nis the formal removal of an individual from church membership rolls and the\ninformal separation of company from that individual. Matthew 18:15-20 gives the\nprocedure and authority for a church to do this. It instructs us that one\nindividual (usually the offended party) is to go to the offending individual.\nIf he\/she does not repent, then two or three go to confirm the situation and\nthe refusal to repent. If there is still no repentance, it is taken before the\nchurch. This process is never “desirable,” just as a parent never\ndelights in having to discipline his\/her children. Often, though, it is\nnecessary. The purpose is not to be mean-spirited or to display a “holier\nthan thou” attitude. Rather, it is to be done in love toward the\nindividual, in obedience and honor to God, and in godly fear for the sake of\nothers in the church. Galatians 6:1: Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. There are many areas of a church where conflict can develop requiring disciplined attention. However, most of them tend to fall under one […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[530],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n
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\nAt times believers might not be content with the direction or actions of church\nleaders. This was the case early in the history of the church (Acts 6:1-7).\nComplaints about the lack of care of a certain group in the church were taken\nup with the leaders. This was remedied, and the church grew (Acts 6:7). The\nearly church used a conflict to improve the ministry. However, when churches do\nnot have a clear process for dealing with such concerns, people tend to create\ntheir own platforms. Individuals may begin polling others in the church, get\ninvolved in gossip, or even develop a bloc of “concerned people.”\nLeadership can help avoid this by leading like selfless, loving shepherds that\nare examples of servants rather than ones that lord over others (1 Peter\n5:1-3). Those who are frustrated should respect the leaders (Hebrews 13:7, 17),\nbe slow to accuse them (1 Timothy 5:19), and speak the truth lovingly to them,\nnot to others about them (Ephesians 4:15). On those occasions when it appears\nthe leader is not responding to the concern, an individual should follow the\npattern set down in Matthew 18:15-17 to ensure that there is no confusion as to\nwhere each stands.
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\nThe Bible warns that people in church may have difficulties with conflict. Some\nconflict is due to pride and selfishness (James 4:1-10). Some conflicts come\nabout because of offenses that have not been forgiven (Matthew 18:15-35). God\nhas told us to press toward peace (Romans 12:18; Colossians 3:12-15). It is the\nresponsibility of each believer to seek to resolve a conflict. Some basic steps\ntoward resolution include the following:
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\n1. Develop the proper heart attitude – Meek (Galatians 6:1); Humble (James\n4:10); Forgiving (Ephesians 4:31,32); Patient (James 1:19,20).
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\n2. Evaluate your part in the conflict – Matthew 7:1-5 (removing the log from\nyour own eye first is necessary before helping others).
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\n3. Go to the individual (not to others) to voice your concern – Matthew 18:15.\nThis is best done in love (Ephesians 4:15) and not to just get something off\nyour chest. Accusing the person tends to encourage a defensiveness. Therefore,\nattack the problem rather than the person. This gives the person a better\nopportunity to clarify the situation or to seek forgiveness for the offense.
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\n4. If the first attempt does not accomplish the needed results, continue with\nanother person or persons that can help with mediation (Matthew 18:16). Remember\nthat your goal is not to win an argument; it is to win your fellow believer to\nreconciliation. Therefore, choose people who can help you resolve the conflict.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
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\nThe Bible gives an example of the necessity of excommunication in a local\nchurch, the church at the city of Corinth\n(1 Corinthians 5:1-13). In this passage, the apostle Paul also gives some\npurposes behind the biblical use of excommunication. One reason (not directly\nfound in the passage) is for the sake of the testimony of Christ Jesus (and His\nchurch) before the unbelievers. When David had sinned with Bathsheba, one of\nthe consequences of his sin that God mentions is that the name of the one true\nGod will be blasphemed by God’s enemies (2 Samuel 12:14). A second reason is\nthat sin is like a cancer; if allowed to exist, it spreads to those nearby just\nas a little yeast leavens a whole loaf of bread (1 Corinthians 5:6-7). Also,\nPaul explains that Jesus saved us so that we might be set apart from sin, that\nwe might be “unleavened” or free from that which decays spiritually\n(1 Corinthians 5:7-8). Christ’s desire for His bride, the Church, is that she\nmight be pure and undefiled (Ephesians 5:25-27). Excommunication is also for\nthe long-term welfare of the one being disciplined by the church. Paul, in 1\nCorinthians 5:5, states that excommunication is a way of delivering “such\na one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved\nin the day of the Lord Jesus.” This means that excommunication can somehow\ninvolve God using Satan (or one of his demons) as a disciplinary tool to work\nin the sinner’s life physically to bring about true repentance in his\/her\nheart.
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\nSometimes the disciplinary action of the church is successful in bringing about\ngodly sorrow and true repentance. When this occurs, the individual is able to\nbe restored to fellowship. The individual involved in the 1 Corinthians 5\npassage repented, and Paul encouraged the church to restore him to fellowship\nwith the church (2 Corinthians 2:5-8). Unfortunately, the disciplinary action,\neven when done in love and in the correct manner, is not always successful in\nbringing about such restoration, but is still needed to accomplish the other\ngood purposes mentioned above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n