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Discipline Well
Sun 4/6
By: Matthew Kruse
The list of overt, intentional sinfulness in the life of Timothy’s church could have filled an episode of Access Hollywood. Pastors and parishioners alike, while confessing the name of Christ, were caught up in a cycle of sin that threatened to shipwreck their faith and the witness of their church. And no one was doing anything about it. In steps Paul, challenging Pastor Timothy to discipline the church back toward holiness, even if it means excommunicating some of its members. Intentional and unrepentant sin in the lives of baptized Christians must be addressed with clarity and courage for the sake of their souls and the sake of the Gospel. And yet to see church discipline as inherently negative is to miss the point. Taking sin seriously, having mechanisms in place for loving discipline, and engendering a culture of transparency and confession is fireproofing that will lead a church to maturity and joy.
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