judge according to righteous judgment

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Judgment and Discipline – Part 4

Part 1 of series here.
Part 2 of series here.
Part 3 of series here.

In light of certain ministers signing The Manhattan Declaration, there are several questions that arise. Is discipline necessary in such a case? How does discipline play a vital part in the integrity of the local church? How do we maintain our roles as pastors in a world that accepts just about everything simply because the name evangelical has been slapped on as a label? How do we instruct our people in the matter of discipline while recognizing that such discipline is for the purpose of restoration? And finally, does discipline really matter when the majority of evangelical believers will either deliberately ignore the matter of discipline or they will fall for the lies of the evil one who was the first to question, “Has God REALLY said such and such?”

It is not my intention to rehash the first three parts of this series, but I want to reiterate one point. The bottom line is this in regards to judgment – NO JUDGMENT = NO HOLINESS. NO HOLINESS = NO PURITY. NO PURITY = NO CHURCH. NO CHURCH = NO LIFE. NO LIFE = NO CHRIST!

When it comes to discipline in the local church, we must remember that the Bible teaches that each local assembly is to be autonomous. They are to govern themselves. There is no Scriptural mandates for a denominational hierarchy that is to set the standards for the church and then ensure those are obeyed otherwise discipline against the pastor and church will be enacted. Simply put, I do not believe there is any Scriptural command that permits one local church to discipline a member of another local church. Therefore, for those who believe that ministers like Al Mohler and Ligon Duncan should be disciplined, I would urge caution because this would be a matter for his own local church to enact against their pastor if they believe that he has crossed the line of doctrinal integrity.

However, I am convinced that the Bible not only teaches independence and self-governance, I am as strongly convinced that the New Testament makes it clear that the early churches were inter-dependent. They made their own decisions, but did not have the liberty to enact decisions which would reflect on a sister church or the testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ. With that in mind, how does one local church respond to a sister church that is descending a slippery slope into heresy, false teaching, or even going down the road towards an all-embracing gospel? How do 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15 and 2 Corinthians 6:14-17 play a part in the way we deal with others?

We who are true believers are required to follow the commands of Scripture such as found in 2 Cor. 6:14-17, “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people. Therefore, come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.”

The admonition is clear. We are not, cannot, must not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. In the matter of TMD, regardless of what Mohler, Duncan and others say, this was drafted to be a theological document. Thus, in signing their names to this, they have broken the commands to be unequally yoked with unbelievers. We are called to be separate in every aspect of our lives. We are in the world, but not to be of it. Thus, the remaining problem is how do we respond when evangelicals we respect choose to break the commands of Scripture.

2 Thess. 3:14-15, “And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.“

This post is not intended to question whether Mohler or Duncan are true believers. The issue is how to respond in a biblical fashion to those who are brothers, yet failing to follow the “word in this epistle.” The Scriptures are clear that we cannot be yoked with those who are of the world, and it is just as clear that we have a responsibility not to keep company with those brethren who would act and teach contrary to the commands of God’s Word.

Therefore, in the matter of church discipline which is local church specific, the commands in 2 Thessalonians 3 show that we still have a responsibility to perform. It is with the purpose in mind of restoration at all times, not with ostracizing a brother or trying to throw him under the bus. My prayer is that Mohler, Duncan and others will repent of their desire to link up with the enemy and repent of such. My prayer is that they will seek forgiveness from those they are leading astray as men called to shepherd their flocks. If they do not and continue on their current path, then other evangelical leaders/pastors/believers have a responsibility to disassociate with them until they do.

The problem with evangelicalism is that we do not take biblical separation seriously. We will condemn those who cross certain lines, but it is only verbal. Rarely is further action involved. Evangelicals talk a good talk, but that is where it seems to stop. They will continue to endorse one another’s books, invite each other to conferences, share pulpits, and do everything that was done before the offending brother crossed the line. If we are going to be serious about our positions, we are going to have to show to the world that refusing to keep company with a brother is vital to the integrity of each local church. If we are going to seek purity in our churches, we cannot continue to endorse IN ANY WAY those who fail to heed the commands of Scripture. Pastors are called to a high office and to be servants of the Most High God. It is for the sake of the gospel that we stand firm, no matter what the cost to us or our ministry for in the end we will give account before God, NOT to each other.

I challenge my fellow pastors that if we are going to verbally call into question men like Driscoll for his vulgarity, like Piper for his saying that Wilson and Wright do not preach a false gospel, like Mohler and Duncan for signing The Manhattan Declaration, etc., then we must back up what we say publicly. We must refuse to endorse their materials, must admonish our people when they blindly follow these men, must stop inviting them to conferences and sharing pulpits with them, and MUST ABOVE ALL continue to seek full restoration with each other as part of the Body of Christ for whom Christ died. If we do not, then we are being hypocrites. If they are wrong, then they are wrong and pacifying the masses may be good for future book sales or endorsements, but it does not bode well for the future of true evangelical Christianity.

What we underhandedly endorse today will only become the new standards for tomorrow, and the false teachings and ecumenicalism of tomorrow will become the stepping stones towards a greater liberalism than we see today! May God give us strength to stand firm in the face of ALL opposition. May He grant us mercy and keep our feet strong so that we do not waver from the faith once delivered to the saints!

For the sake of the Gospel,

The Desert Pastor

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Judgment and Discipline – Part 3

You can read Part 1 of this series here.
You can read Part 2 of this series here.

Again, let’s sum up the first post. While the ultimate judgment comes from God, the Lord Jesus makes it clear that judging another is not only permissible, but is commanded to be fulfilled. However, this judgment is only to be based on issues of the heart. It is not to be done with harshness, but in a way that shows humility as well as a true desire to follow the dictates of Scripture. If Scripture is NOT the basis for judging another, then it is wrong.

And to summarize the second post. Judgment was expected both from the church corporately as well as by individuals who noted another who chose to remain in their sin…It is our responsibility to judge one who remains in their sin. When a person rejects the admonitions of a caring, loving, and humble believer who desires their restoration, that person is to be shunned and treated as an unbeliever. We are not to invite them into our home for fellowship all the while hoping that things will change in their lives. In other words, we do NOT continue to treat them as we would a brother or sister who is striving for a life of holiness.

The bottom line is this in regards to judgment – NO JUDGMENT = NO HOLINESS. NO HOLINESS = NO PURITY. NO PURITY = NO CHURCH. NO CHURCH = NO LIFE. NO LIFE = NO CHRIST!

Now that we have established the responsibility of the church in regards to judgment, how does discipline play its part in a New Testament church? There are not just problems with churches refusing to exercise judgment within local church settings, but very few actually practice any form of discipline. This is probably due to three main reasons. 1) Pastors have failed to teach the entire counsel of God which includes the necessity of discipline. 2) Churches prefer to be nice cozy social clubs where the world can come and look like everybody else who has already preceded them into the building. 3) If the church demands a life of discipline, they understand that their numbers will not necessarily be large and the offerings will get smaller.

The Scriptures teach us there are five (5) steps of discipline. However, before we cover these, it is important to understand what discipline is NOT. Discipline is NOT the means whereby we get rid of those we don’t like in the church! Discipline is NOT a catch-all for those situations where we are too cowardly to provide effective, biblical counsel to those in our congregations. While we will break down the necessary steps for each level of discipline, it is vital that we remember our churches do not belong to us. We are not seeking to establish our little kingdoms. Because the church is that which Christ paid for, we must abide by His commands and seek to establish purity no matter what the cost.

So, what is discipline? It is for the sole purpose of RESTORATION!

Galatians 6:1, “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual RESTORE such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.” The word RESTORE means, “to complete thoroughly (i.e. repair literally or figuratively), mend, make perfect, join together, prepare, restore. No person in their right mind would desire to cut off their arm or foot. No more have we any right to simply cut off those who have sinned. If they are a true believer and respond to discipline, we have restored a brother.

2 Tim. 2:25-26, “In humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.” Again, we are commanded to provide correction or discipline to those who are in opposition to the teaching of the Scriptures.

James 5:19-20, “Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.” The truth spoken about is the Word of God. When a person is turned from their error, we as believers have helped them to be turned from sin which might entrap them further. If discipline is not practiced though, it is an easier path for the sinner to tread when he or she is not held accountable.

Lord willing, in our next section, we will cover the five (5) steps of discipline and see how each apply to the life of the believer as well as the integrity and purity of the local church.

(…to be continued…)

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Judgment and Discipline – Part 2

You can read Part 1 of this series here.

Again, let’s sum up the first post. While the ultimate judgment comes from God, the Lord Jesus makes it clear that judging another is not only permissible, but is commanded to be fulfilled. However, this judgment is only to be based on issues of the heart. It is not to be done with harshness, but in a way that shows humility as well as a true desire to follow the dictates of Scripture. If Scripture is NOT the basis for judging another, then it is wrong.

We come now to the second part of Judgment. How is the matter of judgment addressed by the early New Testament church and in particular by the apostles as they addressed the believers in each local assembly? Were the antics, false teachings, and sin found even in the early New Testament swept under the rug so-to-speak? Do we find the apostles “judging” the lives of those who claimed the name of Christ? Let’s look at a few examples that run contrary to the modern mindset that we are “not to judge.”

1. Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 are a good place to start. They sinned against God and lied to the apostles about a financial matter. Surely, that couldn’t be a really serious matter. After all, I’m sure everybody was doing it to some degree. WRONG ANSWER! God killed them. Judgment fell and it was handled by the church leaders in a way that made it clear to the condemned couple as well as to those in and outside of the church that sin is to be judged.

2. To the Romans, Paul wrote in Romans 16:17, “Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them.”

3. We move to the environs of Corinth and find a situation where a man was involved in sexual relations with his father’s wife (step-mom). Paul wrote to the believers and encouraged them to embrace this man and just love him back to Jesus. WRONG ANSWER! He soundly rebuked this church for allowing the sin to continue and informed them in harsh terms that if they did not deal with the problem, then he was going to when he arrived. Paul clearly is addressing believers, even those who are deliberately choosing to enjoy the fruits of sin for a season.

1 Cor. 5:9-12, “I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner–not even to eat with such a person. For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside?“

4. Gal. 6:1-2, “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” This verse will feature significantly in regards to the matter of discipline, but is worth mentioning here as well. For there to be restoration, there must be a time of judgment where the sin of the individual is brought to account.

5. Paul then writes to the believers in Thessalonica and gives three words of admonition and exhortation in regards to judging. In each instance, he is referring to those who claim the name of Christ. He does not say one word about “just accepting them as they are.” In the strongest of language, Paul reiterates the position the early New Testament church was to hold against a brother who does not obey the words taught from Scripture by the apostle. DO NOT KEEP COMPANY WITH THEM! Why? So, they will be ashamed and turn from their sin. No other way to describe this term, but that it is judgment against another believer.

A) 1 Thess. 5:14, “Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all.”
B) 2 Thess. 3:6, “But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us.”
C) 2 Thess. 3:14-15, “And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.”

6. When writing to the young elder, Timothy, Paul says in 2 Tim. 2:25-26, “In humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will. Again, this judgment is AGAINST those who are believers. They are opposing some aspect of the truth and yet Paul clearly commands a young elder, who was NOT an apostle, to judge those individuals.

7. Finally, Paul wrote to Titus, who was sent to minister to the Cretans. This group of people were notorious for being lazy gluttons. In Titus 3:10-11, he lets Titus know that he is commanded to “Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned.”

Let’s summarize – the early New Testament church looked much different than today’s church. Today’s church is self-seeking and refuses to condemn sin. They want to take one phrase of the Lord Jesus Christ to the exclusion of the remainder of His teachings as well as ignoring the teachings of the apostles. The early New Testament church grew tremendously because people FEARED the Lord. Sinners were afraid to be caught in their sin for it meant being excluded from the protection of the local assembly. Judgment was expected both from the church corporately as well as by individuals who noted another who chose to remain in their sin.

It is our responsibility to judge one who remains in their sin. When a person rejects the admonitions of a caring, loving, and humble believer who desires their restoration, that person is to be shunned and treated as an unbeliever. We are not to invite them into our home for fellowship all the while hoping that things will change in their lives. In other words, we do NOT continue to treat them as we would a brother or sister who is striving for a life of holiness.

The bottom line is this in regards to judgment – NO JUDGMENT = NO HOLINESS. NO HOLINESS = NO PURITY. NO PURITY = NO CHURCH. NO CHURCH = NO LIFE. NO LIFE = NO CHRIST!

(…to be continued…)

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Judgment and Discipline – Part 1

Does Matthew 7:1 preclude one true believer from finding a fault or dealing with a matter of sin against another? Was Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount informing His listeners that they were essentially to ignore on-going sin or the slighting of the name or character of the Most Holy One of Israel?

Within much of professing Christianity, there appears to be a perverse pleasure that comes with misquoting Scripture or taking it out of context. This is normally done for one of two reasons. First, it suits the purposes of the individual seeking to defend their position (whether that be poor doctrine or sin). Second, this is used as a tactic for defending the position of another (like a minister) while making sure that nobody is allowed to hold that person accountable.

The problem is compounded when the favorite verse of many evangelicals is trotted out of the stables, “Judge not so you be not judged!” The parading of this verse is expected to answer all those who would dare to hold another “Christian” accountable for their words or actions. Judgment is thus fortunately averted and all is at peace within evangelicalism with the exception of those “nasty” legalistic types who think that Scriptures are to be taken and obeyed literally.

Many have come to DefCon who fit into the categories already listed above. They hear us taking a stand against charlatans, wolves in sheep’s clothing, false prophets, heretics, mockers of the Lord Jesus Christ, etc. and want us to back off their favorite personages. They do not want their hero to be held accountable to the Word of God or even to local churches. If one DARES to speak up, their favorite verse is brought out as some kind of token “proof” that those individuals are allowed to relish in their sins and that those who condone them are right in doing so.

Putting aside personal feelings (which are bound to get hurt) and pet peeves (which do no justice to the entire Word of God), let’s see what the Scriptures have to say about both judgment and discipline. This blog may come in more than one part as we seek to understand what God has to say about these two vital teachings found throughout the New Testament. Let’s begin with Judgment.

1. Judgment ultimately falls under the remit of God for it is He Who puts up one and puts down another. God alone has the power to bring the final judgment which will befall all who reject Christ as Saviour. He alone does what He will and there is none who can stay His hand or even say to Him, “What do you think you are doing?”

2. Judgment fell directly from God in both Old and New Testament settings. However, there are many recorded instances where God chose to use human instrumentality. This is evident in the warnings given, in the admonition against sins committed, and even at times in the administering of that judgment.

3. In Matthew 7:1, Jesus is actually dealing with the actions of the Pharisees and scribes who would condemn a person based on personal, private opinion of another. More times than not, the Pharisees were exceptionally good at studying the Bible and making their own conclusions about the most trivial of matters while leaving important doctrine undone. The Jewish listeners would have understood this very clearly and it was one more reason why the Pharisees hated Jesus. He was stepping on their turf. They wanted to be able to judge, condemn, and castigate their fellow Jews for the minutest of details. This is clearly pointed out when the Lord Jesus Christ addresses the heart issues of His hearers. “You say adultery, I say simply looking with lust is the same. You say murder, but I say that hating another is the same.”

4. Jesus knew the REAL issue surrounding Him during His earthly ministry had nothing to do with the white-washed sepulchers walking around on two feet. The REAL issue was what was in the heart of man. He knew that if the people covered their sins by making a pretense at religion, they would feel they had pacified the wrath of God. This is what the apostle Paul addresses in Romans 2:1-2, “Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things.” Paul knew that the issue was the heart of man. He knew that many were only seeking to judge others based on what they were already doing but in their heart. They were saying one thing and secretly practicing another.

5. In John 7:24, Jesus continues dealing with the religiosity. He says, “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” In other words, any judgment that must be done is to be conducted with no partiality and not based on tradition or mere man-made rules. All judgment must be performed and it must be performed based on the principles that are found in the Word of God.

So, let’s sum up this first post. While the ultimate judgment comes from God, the Lord Jesus makes it clear that judging another is not only permissible, but is commanded to be fulfilled. However, this judgment is only to be based on issues of the heart. It is not to be done with harshness, but in a way that shows humility as well as a true desire to follow the dictates of Scripture. If Scripture is NOT the basis for judging another, then it is wrong.

Does this fit in line with what we at DefCon are seeking to do? The answer must be YES. To date, all that we seek to post here is not for the purpose of nit-picking at others over what many would deem inconsequential matters. Our desire is and always has been that the Lord Jesus Christ be exalted and glorified in all things. When things are being done in what passes for Christianity (particularly in America) that fly in the face of clear Scripture, WE MUST JUDGE. We MUST take a stand against those things which bring harm to the testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ. We MUST rise up against those who would pervert the things of Christ. To do otherwise is to deny the commands of our Saviour.

(…to be continued…)