By apostolic authority, Paul wrote, “Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us” (2 Thess. 3:6). How many congregations today take this command seriously? How many congregations practice it consistently?
Church discipline is rarely convenient, but it is the Lord’s directive. Withdrawal of fellowship is the last step of church discipline. In his previous epistle, Paul commanded the Thessalonians to work (1 Thess. 4:11) and to warn the unruly who were not working (1 Thess. 5:14). Yet, some continued to be unruly, that is, to walk disorderly and sponge off others for their necessities even after they had been reprimanded. So, in this second letter, he gave more attention to this problem. When verbal discipline will not turn one to the right way, the last step of discipline — withdrawal — is commanded by the Lord (Matt. 18:17). Paul, with apostolic authority, commanded Christians to do this “in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thess. 3:6-12).
This command is sometimes called “the forgotten command” among churches of Christ. Many congregations do not practice it today. Some elders are afraid to implement it because they have seen withdrawal letters posted to social media and the backlash that has followed when other congregations attempted to practice it. Another concern that has gripped the church is the legal ramifications that may come from implementing this divine injunction. Yet, fear of backlash does not give grounds for disregarding this command. The bottom line is, when it comes to implementing this command (or any of our Lord’s commands for that matter), we should look to God, rather than looking around to see which way the wind is blowing.
The command to withdraw is a salvation issue, that is, it is a matter of spiritual life and death (1 Cor. 5:5). Saving someone’s life is no easy, convenient matter. It takes energy, wisdom, and compassion. This is an oft-neglected command not because it is difficult to understand, but because it is difficult to administer. It has never been easy to follow this, but it is so essential for the health of the church. It certainly was easier for the church at Corinth to remain proud in their religion rather than dealing with the fornicator in their midst, but it was not what God wanted (1 Cor. 5:2). If one in the body of Christ persistently engages in a public sin without facing discipline, then others in the congregation will feel free to engage in open sin as well. If this attitude permeates a congregation long enough, returning to the Lord’s way may take the withdrawal of so many that a split in the congregation may occur as a result. It is best to follow this command and nip each problem in the bud before the sinful influence spreads. The purity of the church is an oft-forgotten aim of withdrawal (1 Cor. 5:6); regardless of whether the disciplined person repents, the purity of the church will be maintained.
Regarding how quickly a congregation moves to the final phase of discipline in withdrawal, we have mentioned how Paul had already taken previous warning measures to correct this behavior at Thessalonica. In the first letter he again gave them a command to work and reminded them it was commanded when Paul was in Thessalonica (1 Thess. 4:11-12). He instructed all the members of the Thessalonian congregation to “warn the unruly,” admonishing those who were behaving disorderly by not working. The first letter with these commands was read before all the members of the church (1 Thess. 5:27). Since those commands had continued to go unheeded by some at Thessalonica, Paul, by apostolic authority, gave a command for the final phase of discipline for these unruly members: withdraw from them. The term “church discipline” is more general than the way many use it, associating it only with withdrawal. When any Christian admonishes another brother, it is church discipline; when elders confront members about sinful practices, it is church discipline; when a preacher delivers a sermon where he rebukes practices among those in the congregation (2 Tim. 4:2), it is church discipline. Withdrawal is the final phase of discipline: a punitive phase when the one out of step will not respond to verbal warnings. How fast a congregation moves to the final phase is matter of judgment that is not stipulated in scripture. The time limit for the successive phases of discipline must fit the individual’s spiritual maturity, mental and emotional state, and responsiveness.
Many times, an improper application of this command is due to misunderstanding of the church. Some have the false idea that there are saved people outside of the Lord’s church. Withdrawal is not excluding someone from a club because we think we are better than they are. No, it is an attempt to save their souls (1 Cor. 5:5). There should be no distinction between the saved and the church; if one is not fit for church membership it is because one is in a lost state (Acts 2:47). If genuine repentance takes place, then God has mandated that the church accept the person back with the full blessings of brotherly love (2 Cor. 2:5-11); to continue to withhold fellowship from him is contrary to the Lord’s commands.
Since God identifies the church as the saved, it does us no good to swell in numbers of people who are not saved by failing to practice church discipline. Consider the case of discipline in Acts 5, where Ananias and Sapphira were not only expelled from the church, but from this life. Yet notice the result, “So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things” (Acts 5:11). Liars may have been scared away from trying to be part of the church, but sincere souls who desired to go to heaven were attracted to this body of people who would hold them accountable. Three verses later, we read, “believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women” (Acts 5:14). The congregation of the Lord’s people that will withdrawal from disorderly members may gain respect from the surrounding community and even grow as a result. How many times do we hear the argument that the reason someone will not attend church is due to the hypocrites that are a part of it? This is not a legitimate excuse; it will not work on the day of judgment, but it is used today as an argument that motivates many to never want to be part of the Lord’s church. Withdrawal helps us to squelch that argument by showing that known hypocrites are not tolerated among God’s people.
New converts who are added to the church must understand the seriousness of their commitment and the disciplinary measures that will be taken if they should turn their backs on said commitment; they should want that kind of accountability because they know it will help them get to heaven. Withdrawal may cut down the church’s numerical greatness, but what is important is its spiritual greatness. The health of the church cannot be measured merely by the number of individuals who attend; Jesus desires a few faithful followers rather than half-converted masses (John 6). May God help us to carry out this command in love when one among our number persists in sin.
–Mark Day