Church Discipline vs Peacemaking? And the winner is …
August 26, 2010
by Rick Love
Robust debate takes place in churches, educational institutions and on the web about what the true nature of the church. Seeker sensitive. Missional. Emergent. Apostolic… the list goes on. Historically, however one of the marks of the true church was peacemaking, or what has often been referred to as “church discipline” (see Matthew 18:15-17).
The Belgic Confession of 1561 says:
The marks by which the true church is known are these: if the pure doctrine of the gospel is preached therein; if she maintains the pure administration of the sacraments as instituted by Christ; if church discipline is exercised in punishing sin; in short, if all submit herself to the yoke of Christ (Schaff 3, 419-421:1983).
Two things are worthy of note in this confession – one positive, the other negative. Positively, it highlights the centrality of church discipline in church life. Church discipline is one of the marks of the true church. You cannot have a church worthy of the name without peacemaking. I like that. Negatively, however, it defines the goal of church discipline as punishing sin. Unlike the New Testament, the Belgic Confession makes no mention of restoring relationships or winning the straying person. The positive, relational aspects of peacemaking have been overlooked.
I don’t like the term “church discipline” because of the negative connotations it carries. Certainly working for peace does includes discipline. But I think “peacemaking” is a more accurate and positive term, because peacemaking describes the comprehensive plan of God for His people (Eph 1:9-10; 2:13-17; Col 1:20). By contrast, church discipline focuses on an important, but limited aspect of peacemaking.
We serve the God of peace and seek the peace of God. The good news is described as the gospel of peace; a blessing is pronounced on peacemakers; and we are commanded to pursue peace with all people. Peacemaking is something we do inside and outside the church. The term peacemaking describes the breadth and depth of God’s work of peace in the world far better than the term “church discipline.”
Church discipline vs Peacemaking. The winner by knock out: Peacemaking! I hereby excommunicate the term “church discipline!”
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