Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 30: Church Censures

Order of Service

• Sermon

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Sermon Title: Church Censures and the Authority of Christ

Scripture: Matthew 16:18-19

I. The Government of the Church

A. Christ is King and Head of the Church, governing through church officers distinct from civil magistrates

1. Isaiah 9:6-7 — prophecy of Christ whose government will increase without end on David's throne
2. Christ, seated at the right hand of the Father, rules his kingdom through the church and its officers

B. The Great Commission establishes the first church officers

1. Matthew 28:19-20 — all authority in heaven and earth given to Christ; officers teach and command the things of Christ
2. Christ's authority on earth is exercised through his officers as his governing hands

C. Elders are called to admonish the people of God

1. 1 Thessalonians 5:12 — respect those who labor among you, are over you in the Lord, and admonish you
2. To submit to Christ's lordship is to submit to the leaders over you within Christ's body

II. The Keys of the Church

A. The keys of the kingdom of heaven given to Peter and the disciples

1. Matthew 16:15-19 — Peter confesses Christ; Christ promises to build his church and give the keys of the kingdom
2. Keys represent the authority to bind and loose — retaining or remitting sins — making judgments about whether sinners are impenitent or penitent

B. The keys applied in the context of church discipline

1. Matthew 18:15-20 — the process of confronting a sinning brother; binding and loosing language repeated
2. Matthew 18:19-20 is properly understood in the context of church discipline, not primarily as a general promise about gathered worship — Christ upholds the agreed judgments of his governing officers concerning an unrepentant sinner

C. The power behind the keys is Christ's, confirmed by Apostolic doctrine

1. John 20:23 — if you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness, it is withheld
2. 1 Corinthians 5:4-5 — deliver the unrepentant man to Satan with the power of the Lord Jesus; Paul's frustration that the Corinthians had not already acted shows this authority belongs to the church, not only to apostles
3. Officers properly use the keys when their actions are in concert with the inspired Apostolic doctrine — this is the primary distinction between Reformed Presbyterianism and Roman Catholicism

III. The Discipline of the Church

A. Five reasons church discipline is necessary (Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 30, Section 3)

1. For reclaiming the offending brother or sister — 1 Corinthians 5:5; 1 Timothy 1:20 — the primary purpose is restoration to Christ and his church
2. For deterring others from like offenses — 1 Timothy 5:20; Acts 5:11 — public discipline produces holy fear in the congregation
3. For purging out the leaven that infects the whole lump — 1 Corinthians 5:6-7 — discipline purifies the church
4. For vindicating the honor of Christ and the gospel — Matthew 7:6; Jude 23 — allowing heinous sin to go unchecked dishonors Christ's name and holiness
5. For preventing the wrath of God — 1 Corinthians 11:28-31 — lack of discipline brought divine judgment on the Corinthian church; Revelation 2–3 — Christ warns the churches to get their house in order or he will remove their lampstand

B. The three-step formal discipline process following Matthew 18:15-20

1. Admonition — the session officially warns the offender of his or her danger
2. Suspension from the Lord's Supper — if admonition is unheeded and no fruits of repentance appear, the individual is barred from the Lord's Table
3. Excommunication — if the offender remains unrepentant, he or she is cast out of the church into the domain of Satan (1 Timothy 1:20; 1 Corinthians 5:5)

C. Church discipline must be exercised with great care and humility

1. Officers hold the keys but cannot discern the heart — only the fruits — requiring patience and careful consideration
2. Only judgments in accordance with Apostolic doctrine carry the backing of Christ
3. Discipline must be handled with care, grace, and mercy, remembering Christ's patience with obstinate sinners