Discipline in the Church: procedure

Sermon on Matthew 18:15-22 - Read from Belgic Confession Articles 29,32 - Lords Day June 1st, 2025 - Trinity Reformed Church

Private Discipline
Matthew 18:15 - 1st go to your brother between you and him alone. This is to be quiet and private not public. If wrong is done to you don't be bitter. Don't gossip. Don't slander. In person is best. Letters, email, texts can be misinterpreted. Galatians 6:1

Bring Witnesses - one or two more. Very small. Privacy is still in mind here. God does not want this to spread. Jesus is quoting the law Deut 17:6

The marks by which the true Church is known are these: If the pure doctrine of the gospel is preached therein; if it maintains the pure administration of the sacraments as instituted by Christ; if church discipline is exercised in punishing of sin; in short, if all things are managed according to the pure Word of God, all things contrary thereto rejected, and Jesus Christ acknowledged as the only Head of the Church. Hereby the true Church may certainly be known, from which no man has a right to separate himself.

““Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector. “Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭18‬:‭15‬-‭22‬ ‭NKJV‬‬