The Scrolls is a weekly Bible study written by pastors and other leaders at Central Bible Church, based on that week’s sermon topic. Use The Scrolls as a personal Bible study tool, for family devotions, and for small group discussions. You can read part of it below. The downloadable PDF also includes discussion questions, more in-depth commentary, end notes, and a kids’ page designed for families to study the topic together. This lesson goes with the sermon "Dealing with Sinners in the Church."
We often think of “church” in local terms—each local congregation being a church, and all the congregations in a particular area being churches. Paul frequently uses the term in these two ways in the openings of his letters. For example, in 1 Thessalonians, he writes: “Paul, Silas and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you” (1:1; cf., 2Th 1:1), and in 1 Thessalonians, he also writes: “For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of God’s churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own people the same things those churches suffered from the Jews” (1:14; cf., 2Th 1:4). But we ought also to think of “church” in universal terms—all believers of this age being the church, the body of Christ. In Ephesians, Paul writes: “And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way” (1:22-23; cf., 4;4-6; Col 1:18).
Another prominent metaphor used in the New Testament to refer to the church is family. The church is a “body” (Col 1:24; 1Co 12:12-27; Eph 4:4-5, 11-16); it is also a “family.” Paul refers to “the family of believers” in Galatians 6:10. And in 1 Thessalonians 4:10 he refers to Thessalonian believers as part of “God’s family throughout Macedonia.” Peter also uses the same metaphor to refer Christians, calling them “the family of believers” (1Pe 2:17; 5:9). In the same way one might say that each individual church is a body within the larger body of Christ, one might also say that each individual church is a family within the larger family of God. And just as discipline is essential to any healthy family, it is also essential to any healthy church.
Allusions to the discipline of “those who are idle and disruptive” are found in Paul’s letters to the Thessalonians. In one place he writes: “And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive” (1Th 5:14), and a few weeks later in 2 Thessalonians, he writes: “Keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching you received from us”
(3:6), namely, “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat” (v. 10). And then regarding a persistent situation in the church, involving some who are reportedly “idle and disruptive,” and “are not busy” but are “busybodies” (v. 11), he writes: “If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother” (vv. 14-15).
Of course, not all corrective discipline is the same. Some is personal and private; some is communal and public. An example of the second type is found in 1 Corinthians 5. Apparently, a man in the church was “sleeping with his father’s wife” (v. 1), perhaps his stepmother. One commentator writes: “The problem for Paul is twofold: that a believer is living in an incestuous relationship that even pagans disallowed is bad enough; but far worse is the church’s relaxed attitude toward it—they were arrogant” (Gordon D. Fee, The First Epistle to the Corinthians, NICNT, 196). Drastic times call for drastic measures! So in this case disassociating from the one who claims to be a brother but is sexually immoral (v. 11) requires that the guilty party be excommunicated from the congregation. Paul commands the church to “Expel the wicked person from among you” (v. 12).
Perhaps an example of the first type is found in 1 Thessalonians 5:14 and 2 Thessalonians 3: 6, 14-15. For some reason, perhaps an eschatological misunderstanding, there is an “idle and disruptive” element in the church, who are unwilling to work in order to eat and anxious to exploit the generosity of others. Paul disrupts their codependency by commanding the generous ones, “Do not associate with them” (v. 14; cf. 1Co 5:11), the lazy ones. While many commentators see here an example of communal and public church discipline, to the contrary, one writes: “This seems to be what each faithful brother should do individually; no mention is made of public identification and discipline in the church (2 Thes. 3:14-15)” (Thomas L. Constable, The Bible Knowledge Commentary: New Testament, 724, italics added), which is more likely.
Central Message of the Text:
Church members should not continue to closely associate with flagrantly disobedient congregants, so that the disobedient might repent and be restored to fellowship.
Family Talk:
There’s an expression we say in my mom group that serves as a gentle reminder, “Good, smart kids do bad, dumb things.” Your kids, their kids, all kids. It’s easy to point the finger at another child’s behavior or mistake and tell your precious little one to stay away, especially as they launch into those tender tween years when kids lose their ever-loving mind. But let’s tap the breaks on that a bit because one thing I can absolutely guarantee is your good, smart kid will eventually do something bad and dumb. Our prayer is that the solid, faith-filled friends will stick around when it happens. In the meantime, we face a parenting tension. We want our kids to stay away from negative influences but also be the light in darkness. Our job is to teach our kids discernment. Let’s help our kids understand the difference between when to step in if a friend is headed the wrong direction, when to stand by and intercede for their friend in prayer, and when (and how) to step away from a friend that refuses to hear wisdom about returning to God. I don’t know too many adults that do this well, so you can bet this will be clunky and messy for our kids as they learn how to follow God and be a good friend. Have lots of conversation with your child and walk with them the whole way. Do your best to gently nudge them and guide them toward the best way to handle the situation. Remember, one day, your child will be on the opposite end of the conversation. Praying for grace for you!