Church Governments

Lesson 10

The New Testament Authority To Administer Correction

One of the responsibilities of authority is to keep order and to enact judgment and discipline when necessary. Remember, authority is defined as the right or power to make decisions, to give orders, and to enforce obedience. Church leadership is authorized to keep us in line with God’s Word and the Kingdom.

As Christians looking to be discipled in God’s Kingdom, we should be prepared for our church leadership to correct us. The Kingdom of God changes people. The changes that God wants to accomplish in our lives will be impossible without someone correcting, rebuking, chastising, admonishing, exhorting, and disciplining us. These are not dirty words. They are words of promise. They are, however, not words for the faint of heart, the prideful, or the stubborn.

WHAT ABOUT LOVE?

Any time discipline and judgment are discussed, inevitably someone will cry, “That’s too harsh!” or “You’re being judgy!” or “Where’s the love?” Remember that God is love and His commandments are spoken in love. And if we love Him, we will keep His commandments.

If you love me, keep my commandments. – John 14:15
If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. – John 15:10

Keeping God’s commandments keeps us in love. Love obeys the Word of God. Love, first and foremost, loves God. Remember that Father always knows best. His commandments are spoken with eternal wisdom. So, “Where’s the love?” It’s in obeying God. And love rebukes those it is authorized to rebuke.

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. – Revelation 3:19
Open rebuke is better than secret love. – Proverbs 27:5

Love rebukes and corrects. Hatred allows people to continue hurting themselves. An open rebuke is better than a secret love.

CORRECTION, ADMONISHMENT, AND REBUKE

The Bible is very clear on the subject of correction: Expect it! However, there is an evident escalating progression in terms of the severity of the correction. The severity of the correction is directly related to the heart of the one being corrected. Correction follows an escalating trend. The escalation is as follows:

Instruction—Correction—Admonition—Rebuke—Discipline

Instruction—You receive instruction or teaching in a new matter. Correction—Your attempt to act on your instruction is not adequate, so it is adjusted.
Admonition—The correction you received was not effective; you are admonished to do better. Admonishment is correction with a hint of warning. “Get it right, or . . .” Several admonitions may be called for if the adjustment is not made.
Rebuke—When admonitions are not fruitful a rebuke may be necessary. A rebuke answers a stubborn or insubordinate heart. The severity of the stubbornness or insubordination will dictate the harshness of the rebuke.
Discipline—This is defined as the practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behavior, using punishment to correct disobedience. When a rebuke fails to correct behavior, punishment is enacted.

A diligent and humble Christian can perpetually live in the Instruction-Correction zone.

Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty: – Job 5:17
Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law; That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked. – Psalms 94:12-13
My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. – Proverbs 3:11-12

Not only are we to expect correction and chastisement from the LORD, we are to count it a good, blessed, and even happy thing. Why? Because it means God is delighting in us. We must learn to see His corrections as divine investment in our destinies.

Scriptures: Ecclesiastes 7:5; Hebrews 12:5-12

THE COMMAND TO ADMONISH AND REBUKE

Often, God rebukes through His appointed leaders. Certainly, within the confines of a local church and concerning the operations of the local church, a great deal of the correcting will come from the leadership. A leader’s orders to discipline and rebuke come directly from the LORD Jesus Christ Himself. If a leader is going to please Jesus and successfully represent Him in the earth, there must be some degree of correction and chastisement coming out of him as he leads. It is biblical to expect church leadership to correct, rebuke, warn, and chastise.

And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the LORD, and admonish (warn or reprimand firmly) you; – 1 Thessalonians 5:12

This verse displays a portion of the job description of biblical leaders. They labor, supervise, and admonish. Many modern churches and congregations only want their leaders laboring. They reject the notion that biblical leaders must also supervise or admonish.

Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear. – 1 Timothy 5:20

In this verse, the Apostle Paul is teaching a pastor, Timothy, how to lead the local church. This leading includes public rebuke of elders. This is not a private rebuke. If it were private, no one would know about the rebuke and, therefore, would be unable to learn from the rebuke.

Herald and preach the Word! Keep your sense of urgency [stand by, be at hand and ready], whether the opportunity seems to be favorable or unfavorable. [Whether it is convenient or inconvenient, whether it is welcome or unwelcome, you as preacher of the Word are to show people in what way their lives are wrong.] And convince them, rebuking and correcting, warning and urging and encouraging them, being unflagging and inexhaustible in patience and teaching. – 2 Timothy 4:2 AMPC

The preceding passage reveals what Jesus Christ expects out of His leaders and pastors. If ever a verse was a preacher’s job description, this is it. The Amplified Classic Bible gives a list of ministerial responsibilities:

Herald and preach the word
Show people in what way their lives are wrong
Convince them
Rebuke them
Correct them
Warn them
Urge them
Encourage them

It is good for both shepherds and sheep to know the shepherd’s role.

One of their [very] number, a prophet of their own, said, Cretans are always liars, hurtful beasts, idle and lazy gluttons. And this account of them is [really] true. Because it is [true], rebuke them sharply [deal sternly, even severely with them], so that they may be sound in the faith and free from error. – Titus 1:12-13 AMPC

Titus was the pastor over the churches on the island of Crete. In these two verses, Paul is actually dealing with the island nation’s cultural reputation: lazy, lying, hurtful, idle beasts. Paul wanted Titus to rebuke this ungodly culture out of the Cretans so they would be sound in the faith. This demonstrates that some cultural aspects can be detrimental to a believer’s faith. Titus was commanded, as a pastor, to “sharply rebuke.” Why? To produce sound faith. Any church without a steady diet of correction, and even rebuking, will ultimately be weak in the faith and unsound in their doctrine.

These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee. – Titus 2:15

Titus was authorized to rebuke those who were out of line. For the local pastor, rebuking is a biblical commandment.

May our leaders grow up to lead and correct us and may we grow up to follow and be correctable. Amen!

Other Scriptures: Ephesians 5:11; Revelation 2:20-23

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Church Governments

Lesson 10

The New Testament Authority To Administer Correction

WHAT ABOUT LOVE?

Any time discipline and judgment are discussed, inevitably someone will cry, “That’s too harsh!” or “You’re being judgy!” or “Where’s the love?” Remember that God is love and His commandments are spoken in love. And if we love Him, we will keep His commandments.

If you love me, keep my commandments. – John 14:15

If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. – John 15:10

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. – Revelation 3:19

Open rebuke is better than secret love. – Proverbs 27:5

Love rebukes and corrects. Hatred allows people to continue hurting themselves. An open rebuke is better than a secret love.

CORRECTION, ADMONISHMENT, AND REBUKE

Instruction—Correction—Admonition—Rebuke—Discipline

Instruction—You receive instruction or teaching in a new matter. Correction—Your attempt to act on your instruction is not adequate, so it is adjusted.

Admonition—The correction you received was not effective; you are admonished to do better. Admonishment is correction with a hint of warning. “Get it right, or . . .” Several admonitions may be called for if the adjustment is not made.

Rebuke—When admonitions are not fruitful a rebuke may be necessary. A rebuke answers a stubborn or insubordinate heart. The severity of the stubbornness or insubordination will dictate the harshness of the rebuke.

Discipline—This is defined as the practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behavior, using punishment to correct disobedience. When a rebuke fails to correct behavior, punishment is enacted.

A diligent and humble Christian can perpetually live in the Instruction-Correction zone.

Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty: – Job 5:17

Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law; That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked. – Psalms 94:12-13

My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. – Proverbs 3:11-12

Not only are we to expect correction and chastisement from the LORD, we are to count it a good, blessed, and even happy thing. Why? Because it means God is delighting in us. We must learn to see His corrections as divine investment in our destinies.

Scriptures: Ecclesiastes 7:5; Hebrews 12:5-12

THE COMMAND TO ADMONISH AND REBUKE

And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the LORD, and admonish (warn or reprimand firmly) you; – 1 Thessalonians 5:12

This verse displays a portion of the job description of biblical leaders. They labor, supervise, and admonish. Many modern churches and congregations only want their leaders laboring. They reject the notion that biblical leaders must also supervise or admonish.

Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear. – 1 Timothy 5:20

In this verse, the Apostle Paul is teaching a pastor, Timothy, how to lead the local church. This leading includes public rebuke of elders. This is not a private rebuke. If it were private, no one would know about the rebuke and, therefore, would be unable to learn from the rebuke.

The preceding passage reveals what Jesus Christ expects out of His leaders and pastors. If ever a verse was a preacher’s job description, this is it. The Amplified Classic Bible gives a list of ministerial responsibilities:

Herald and preach the word

Show people in what way their lives are wrong

Convince them

Rebuke them

Correct them

Warn them

Urge them

Encourage them

It is good for both shepherds and sheep to know the shepherd’s role.

These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee. – Titus 2:15

Titus was authorized to rebuke those who were out of line. For the local pastor, rebuking is a biblical commandment.

May our leaders grow up to lead and correct us and may we grow up to follow and be correctable. Amen!

Other Scriptures: Ephesians 5:11; Revelation 2:20-23

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