CD - The Office of the Keys - John 20:22-23

The name, Office of the Keys, comes from the power, found in this chief part of the Catechism, to open or lock, in a very real sense, the door to heaven. It is during our study of this office and the office of ministry that we talk about church discipline. First, let us understand the word, peculiar. Peculiar, as it is used here, does not mean strange or weird, but it means something that belongs specifically to the church.

Jesus gave the church the power to forgive and retain sins, to preach the Gospel, and to administer the Sacraments. Jesus gave this power to the church, to the congregation, but, since the whole congregation cannot preach on Sunday morning, it calls a pastor. The church gives this power to the pastor. The pastor forgives and retains sins, preaches the Gospel, and administers the sacraments to the congregation in the name of Christ.

Everything runs smoothly in this system until we get an impenitent, or non-repentant sinner, someone who is not repentant and will not repent of his/her sin or sins. This situation is where church discipline comes into call. We find the four steps Jesus gives us for discipline in Matthew 18:15-17.

Step One: If our brother (or sister is implied) has sinned against us, we are to go to him and tell him so, just between him and us. The Bible also tells us that, if we sin against our brother, we are to go to him and seek his forgiveness. In either case, our sinning or our brother’s sinning, we are to take the initiative of step one and go to our brother. This step is done in love, not in a condemning way. It is important that this be done in love and sincerity for the sake of our brother. If our brother does not repent, we go to step two. This step is done over and over again until one is assured that his brother will not change, only then do you proceed to step two.

Step Two: We take two or three as witnesses to talk to our brother. These witnesses are not to function as a social gossip group; rather, this group of fellow Christians works as those who love and are concerned about a brother. If he should not listen, again, go to step three. Again, this step is repeated over and over again until it is certain that the brother will not repent.

Step Three: The church congregation is now informed about our unrepentant brother. Because the whole congregation cannot go, a representative is sent to talk to the unrepentant brother. If he still will not listen, go to step four. And again, this step is repeated over and over again until it is certain that the brother will not repent.

Step Four: The church excommunicates the brother.

In all four steps, the goal is to get our brother to repent, not to “kick him out.” When our brother repents in step one, two, three, or four, he is immediately forgiven and restored to full fellowship with the church. The hard part is forgiving and forgetting, for we sinful beings always want to remember someone else’s sins. All of these steps are to be done in love and concern for our Christian brother, not in an air of bitterness or superiority.

Contrary to what society says, what our brother does, if contrary to Scripture, is our business. The Bibles tells us that we are “our brother’s keeper,” (Matthew 18:15-17). In love, then, be keepers of your brothers and sisters in Christ.

Dear Lord, forgive me when I forget or reject my responsibility as my brother's keeper. Help me to speak in love and sincerely to my brother when he errs. Thank You for caring enough for all of us to send Jesus to earn forgiveness for us, so that when we do err we can know that we are forgiven for Jesus’ sake. Amen.