Disfellowshipping because of Sin: When, if ever?

SDG · #1 02-26-2008, 12:48 PM

Hypothetical scenario:

A pastor tells his congregation, one Sunday morning, that his son has impregnated a young lady of the church, who is not his fiance; and will be removed from all ministries w/ in the Church and will be disfellowshipped from the congregation citing scriptures like 1 Cor. 5 as precedent for doing so. His board has asked that he reconsider his position on the matter allowing for a time of discipline and perhaps allow for future restoration .... feeling that this stance is too harsh.

1 Corinthians 5 reads:

9 I wrote to you in my letter(N) not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10(O) not at all meaning(P) the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters,(Q) since then you would need to go out of the world. 11But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone(R) who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. 12For what have I to do with judging(S) outsiders?(T) Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? 13God judges[b] those outside.(U) "Purge the evil person from among you."

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When do we purge or expel a member from our local congregation .... or the Body? When is enough, enough?

Does the nature of the offense determine this decision to disfellowship? For example, is there a difference between heterosexual fornication and homosexuality?

Is there a difference between stealing church funds and pedophilia?

Your opinions on how this hypothetical pastor has handled this situation?

What say ye?

SDG · #2 02-26-2008, 01:06 PM

Another scripture for this discussion:

2 Timothy 3:

1But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5having a form of godliness but denying its power.
Have nothing to do with them.

6They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, 7always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth.

SDG · #3 02-26-2008, 01:08 PM

Another scripture:

2 Thessalonians 3

13But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.

14And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.

15 Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

MissBrattified · #4 02-26-2008, 01:19 PM

Galatians 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

SDG · #5 02-26-2008, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MissBrattified

Galatians 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

Thank you Miss B ... important verse to the discussion.

MissBrattified · #6 02-26-2008, 01:20 PM

In the hypothetical, it sounds like the pastor is being more harsh with his own son than he would be with an unrelated member of the congregation or staff.

SDG · #7 02-26-2008, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MissBrattified

In the hypothetical, it sounds like the pastor is being more harsh with his own son than he would be with an unrelated member of the congregation or staff.

What if this has been his modus operandi for years with all his members sometimes for what we would consider "small fries" ?

MissBrattified · #8 02-26-2008, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daniel Alicea

What if this has been his modus operandi for years?

Then the pastor may feel he has to make sure he treats his son with the same harsh discipline he has treated others, else he would be deemed unfair or as playing favorites--which would be true.

I wonder if the son is repentant or defiant? That would make a difference in how it was handled--at least, I'd hope so.

...I would hope that no church would put out a repentant saint.

DividedThigh · #9 02-26-2008, 01:26 PM

ihave personally believed and taught for years that the biblical mandate for discipline is restoration, but in the extremes this isnt possible , but the key is in the extremes, lack of repentance, lack or remorse, and of course rehabilitation, imho, dt

SDG · #10 02-26-2008, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DividedThigh

ihave personally believed and taught for years that the biblical mandate for discipline is restoration, but in the extremes this isnt possible , but the key is in the extremes, lack of repentance, lack or remorse, and of course rehabilitation, imho, dt

So if one is persistent in said sin and appears non-recalcitrant we cut the cord? When? How many strikes? Does the nature of the offense determine our "patience" in the matter?

Would a person struggling w/ pornagraphy get a longer leash than the person who is struggling w/ homosexuality?