BCO (27-30)

Question 1

What is church discipline?

Answer 1

• “Discipline is the exercise of authority given the church by the Lord Jesus Christ to instruct and guide its members
and to promote its purity and welfare.
“The tern has two senses:
a. the one referring to the whole government, inspection, training, guardianship and control which the
church maintains over its members, its officers and its courts.
b. The other a restricted and technical sense, signifying judicial process. .’-BCO 27-1
• Chapell suggests that the church should follow a Family model of discipline more than a judicial model

Question 2

What is the goal of church discipline?

Answer 2

• The glory of God, the purity of his church, the keeping and reclaiming of disobedient sinners.
• “The exercise of discipline is highly important and necessary. In its proper usage discipline maintains:
a. the glory of God, b. The purity of his Church,
c. The keeping and reclaiming of disobedient sinners. Discipline is for the purpose of godliness (1 Timothy
4: 7); therefore, it demands a self-examination under Scripture.
Its ends, so far as it involves judicial action, are the rebuke of offenses, The removal of scandal, the
vindication of the honor of Christ, the promotion of The purity and general edification of the church, and The
spiritual good o offenders themselves. “-BCO 27-3

Question 3

What are its proper steps?

Answer 3

• Instruction in the Word. Individual responsibility to admonish. Calling of one or more witnesses. Action of the
church court.
• “Scriptural law is the basis of all discipline because it is the revelation of God’s Holy will.
Properly disciplinary principles are set forth in the Scriptures and must be followed. They are:
a. Instruction in the Word;
b. Individual’s responsibility to admonish one another (Matthew 18: 15, Galatians 6: 1);
c. If the admonition is rejected, then the calling of one or more witnesses (Matthew 18: 16);
d. If rejection persists, then the Church must act through her court unto admonition, suspension,
excommunication and deposition (See BCO 29 and 30 for further explanation).
Steps (a) through (d) must be followed in proper order for the exercise of discipline. “-BCO 27-5

Question 4

. Who is primarily responsible for disciplining non-communing members?

Answer 4

• Primarily their parents.
• The spiritual nurture, instruction and training of the children of the church are committed by God primarily to their
parents. They are responsible to the church for the faithful discharge of their obligations. It is a principal duty of the
Church to promote true religion in the home. True discipleship involves learning the Word of God under the
guidance of the Holy Spirit both at home and in the church. Without learning there is no growth and without growth
there is no discipline and without discipline there is sin and iniquity (1 Timothy 4: 7) “-BCO 28-1

Question 5

List and define church censures.

Answer 5

• Admonition: Formal reproof of an offender
• Suspension from sacraments: the temporary exclusion from those ordinances (indefinite).
• Suspension from office: exclusion of a church officer from his office (definite or indefinite duration).
• Excommunication: excision of an offender from the communion of the church.
• Deposition-degradation of an officer from office (with/without other censure)
“The censures which may be inflicted by church courts are admonition, suspension from the Sacraments,
excommunication, suspension from office. and deposition .from office. The censures of admonition or definite
suspension from office shall be administered to an accused who, upon conviction, satisfies the court as to his
repentance and makes such restitution as is appropriate. Such censure concludes the judicial process. The censure of
indefinite suspension or excommunication shall be administered to an accused who, upon conviction, remains
impenitent. “-BCO 30-1
• Admonition is the formal reproof of an offender by a church court, warning him of his guilt and danger, and
exhorting him to be more circumspect and watchful in the future. “-BCO 30-2
• Suspension from Sacraments is the temporary exclusion from those ordinances, and is indefinite as to its duration.
There is no definite suspension from the sacraments.
Suspension from office is the exclusion of a church officer from his office. This may be definite or
indefinite as to its duration. With respect to church offices, suspension from Sacraments shall always be
accompanied by suspension from office. But suspension from office is not always necessarily accompanied with
suspension from Sacraments.
Definite suspension from office is administered when credit of religion, the honor of Christ, and the good
of the delinquent demand it, even though the delinquent has given satisfaction to the court.
Indefinite suspension is administered to the impenitent offender until he exhibits signs of repentance, or
until by his conduct, the necessity of the greatest censure be made manifest. IN the case of indefinite suspension
from office imposed due to scandalous conduct, the procedure outlined in BCO 34-8 shall be followed. “-BCO 30-3
• “Excommunication is the excision of an offender from the communion of the church. This censure is to be inflicted
only on account of gross crime or heresy and when the offender shows himself incorrigible and contumacious. The
91
design of this censure is to operate on the offender as a means of reclaiming him, to deliver the church from the
scandal of his offense, and to inspire all with fear by the example of his discipline. “-BCO 30-4
• “Deposition is the degradation of an officer from his office, and may of may not be accompanied with the infliction
of other censure.” - BCO 30-5.