The Ohio Independent Baptist, December 1970

• • • lSCl ine by Dr. Earle G. Griffith Emplo)·ment of 1nea ure of Chri - tian di cip1ine i no\v pa e. There are not e\'en fo il remain of the due primative order and go, 1 ernment in n1an\ churche . When a pa tor mu - ., ter enough courage to venture the ugge tion that certain member of the flock have leaped over all the bound of propriety and have become a boulder in the highway of progre , ent1ment. not en e or Scripture ta1ce the throne and recommend fur– ther leniency. Thus family tie and friend hip become a barrier instead of a help to ound church adrnini tra- , tion. o truthful per on will deny that at the bottom of church divi ions lie either indifference or re istance to di c1p1ine. \Vhat is di cip1ine? A a noun the ,vord means " ubmi ion to order, or rule. habi t of obedience." A a verb, it sign if 1e "to correct, to cha ten or cha t1se." 01 c1pl1ne 1s one of the ine capable, ingrained demand of God 's univer e in its ent1ret). It i gro~ th , health and fruitfulne c; in any realm ble ed \\ ith the$e poss1b1lit1e . To plow the oil preparatory to planting t~e eed i to di cipl1ne it. To prune and pray the trees in the hope of a larger and higher qualit} fruit are mea ure of di ci pli ne. The pti bJic choo1 c; 1· tern exi t to produce citizens and is suc– ce ful in proportion to the extent that it corrects. trains, chastises. or d1 c1- plines the n1inds and bodies entru~ted to it. '"I'he mi ion of the ~urgeon i to re tore oundness to a disordered body I,} 111 ean of d i c i p J i r1 e. hat is, 1J1e ren10,,al of so1ne area or part of the t,oc.i)' 1J1at occasions trouble. It v.1ill b ccr1 that one \\'ho resents dis– c1p]ine ct l1i111 cl1 again t a strong J)r111c11.,Je run11i1lg tl1rougl1 ever)' inter- '" t 1 11 e. D1 c1,::>l111e i cli,,i,1e. Jt i nol J1ar )1 , int1u111an a11d J<. eless. J t t Jc" <.)Lii r 11 the I(, 111g l1ea11 a1d intinitc "r do111 f , d. ·· J r "llL 111 tile I rLI Jo,etl1 J c 11 t d1 c1 1>lin ); i':)\e11 a fa1J1 1 tf1 11 in ,, l101r, H de- 11 g I t et h ' I r , c r I> : J 2) . h tJ e - 11 Id \\ttl1 ut 11 ·11011 1 a c nte1 11 t I a n a r 11 ) ur 11 ea, 11 l 1t1cr \I\JU 11d n 11 tJ 11 tat 11 J:1 I 11 u J Id tJt f l\hat I a I aid gr \I\ ' que tion : Ha the local con1pany of Chri tian any j uri diction over the in– dividual unit who form tha t com– pany? According to the Scripture. a church not only ha certain right , but it i po itivel y enjoined to exerci e authority on matter of belief and conduct. However loud a church ma)· hout about it orthodoxy, or funda– mentali m it i lending heart to , and a isting moderni m ju t in so far a it ttffer the pre ence, in it fello'w– ship of worldly or ob tinate member . To the Scripture: The Church at Cor– inth had a member who e connection vva an infection. \Vhat j P aul' reme– dy? "In the nan1e of our Lord Je u hri t, when ye are gathered together .. . with the po~'er of our Lord J e tl Chri t, to deliver uch a one unto Satan for the de truct1on of the fle h, that the pirit may be aved . . . A little leaven leaveneth the whole lun1p . . . Purge out therefore the old leaven.' ' ( I Cor. 5:4-7). The offend– ing per on wa to be dealt with rig– idly. The profe ing believer who cau e trife i to be di cipJined. ' ' l ark. the1n \\: hich cau e di vi ion and of– f en e contrary to the doctrine ~ hich ye have learned and a,,oid them." (Roman 16: 17). "Thein that in re– buke before all that o th er - al o n1ay fear.' ' ( I Tim. 5:20). ·· O\\ ~e con1- n1and you brethren, in the nan1e of our Lord Jesu'> ( ' hr1~t that } ot1 \\ ithdra\\ }Oltr elf fron1 every brother that,, alk.– cth d1sorderl}." ( II Thes 3:6). Onl) the e,ded mincl and carna l ~·tll can ol1Ject to a cht1rch·\ tJ\C of \\: holc~on1e 111ean\ of re~trai 11 t 1n \ IC\\ ot ~tic h 1Jla1n J31l)lc teaching\ A church \\ it J1ou t c.h~c11111 nc 1, t11- ~·a) s sickly anc.l 1r1effectual in 1t, 111u~– i tr)' . "' Ollo\\rng •~ ,in C:\Cer1)t: " ll~ at resoJ,,ccJ that n<.) 111e111l1~1 l)f tl1i:s 13 ,ll)- , i~t hurch shall l1e entitlctl l{) ,c>t~ l)f' • • sJ)Cak in a c l1L1r h l1us111t:~~ n1el.:t1ng ,, ho is guilt) c)f a11) of tl1e irrcgttlari– ti s J1~rei11 listt::(I: I. 1 L":ecllc: s al1 nee f l'lllll rc:gul ·1r ·hurch r, ic f ,)r tl1rc 111 l )I) I }1 ~. 2. c <. II c: s fa I I ur to ,J n t r t l) t II c t ) tl1 f1nan 1al llJ)llOJ l ,lt tl1 l1u1 ·h ll I i 111 11th . jlJ J)clgall 11 111 lll) S IIJ)lltral d ti Ill • AVAILABLE FOR ••• Pulpit Supply and / or Sermons in Song REV. GEORGE P. ZINN Route 3, Huber Road Norwalk, Ohio - 44857 Tel. (419) 662-9794 4. Promotion of tr1fe an1ong the '""' n1en1ber .·· In 01ne churche perhaps the ~pe– cific often e to he Ii ted ho11ld be of a s]ightl)' different character and per– chance greater in nun1ber. but e\er~ church hott1d name certain bot1nda– rie be) ond \\ h1ch no men1ber houlcl be permitted to go. RegardJes of the extent to \\ 1 liich it 1nay rt1n cro sgra1n \\ ith our per onal ta te , \\ e hou]d honor the Lord htp of Je u Chri t in ot1r churche . "\\' h, • cal l ye me Lord. Lord and do not the thing which I a)?" The off1c1ar\ ot a go pel cht1rch hot1ld heartil~ co– operate \\ ith the pa tor in lifting the level of pir1tt1alit 1 . The \\'ord of God. the , ,ery reputation of Chr1 t, the ,al– vation of sinner . the carr) 1ng to a ucce f ul 1 ue of ot1r dppo1nted 1111")– ion. are all in\Olved in thi\ qu~ t1on of rhri t1an dt c1pl1ne. Ai<& 1ftJU etJ1te&1<1t&t> .? A~t r!lmeuUU. 'iteed /M, 64,ee,ulu that really DO • Point Men To GOD p 6 DEC MBER 1970 s