What Are the Motives for Church Discipline?

Motive Matrix

  • Wrong Motives for Corrective Discipline
    • Control - If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?  The Lord is in His holy temple; the Lord's throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men (Psalm 11:4).
    • Anger - the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God (James 1:20).
    • Vengeance - Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written "vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord (Rom 12:19).
    • Self Promotion - though the Lord is exalted, yet He regards the lowly, but the haughty He knows from afar (Ps 138:6).
  • Right Motives for Corrective Discipline
    • Restoration - Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness (Gal 6:1).
    • Salvation - …so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus (1Cor 5:5).
    • Teaching - Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan so that they may be taught not to blaspheme (1Tim 5:20).