August 20, 2025
Public Discipline: When the Church Must Speak
By Michael A. Youssef, Ph.D.
Jesus warned us—sin is serious. That is why it is essential that the local church participate in the sanctification of the body of believers. We have a responsibility to care for one another and carry one another’s burdens (see Galatians 6:1-2)—and this includes discipline performed out of love for the wayward soul. So when private reproof fails, the Lord commands the Church to take further steps for public discipline.
When the offender refuses correction in a private confrontation with two or three believers—when the brother or sister will acknowledge their sin but will not repent—Jesus says, “. . . tell it to the church; . . .” (Matthew 18:17). It is no longer a private matter. The Church must know because the body must protect itself.
Sin, if left unchecked, will infect the whole (see 1 Corinthians 5:6). The purpose is never vengeance nor shame nor humiliation. The Church must not act in arrogance—not with an attitude that says, “I would never . . .”—but in humility, praying fervently for the unrepentant soul. This is love that takes a stand and says that God hates sin but loves sinners.
Finally, should even the public plea fail, Jesus gives us the final step: “[T]reat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector” (Matthew 18:17). That’s strong. That’s uncomfortable. But it is Truth. In Jesus’ day, Gentiles were considered outside the covenant of God. They were unable to enter the sanctuary or participate in the promises of God. The tax collector would have been ethnically a Jew, but because he would have collected revenue for the occupying power of Rome, he would have been regarded as a traitor aligned with the enemy. So Jesus says to treat the unrepentant as no longer a member of the fellowship of believers.
This is what the early Church called “excommunication”—a painful but necessary severing. And yet, it is loving. It is a rejection not of the person but of the sin. We continue to love and reach out. But we do not pretend all is well. God is holy, and we want to see the fallen saint restored—not destroyed. Exclusion must carry this message: We love you too much to ignore your sin. We long for your repentance. We pray for your return.
Even in discipline, the Church proclaims the Gospel: “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, . . .” (Acts 3:19).
Prayer: Father, help me to understand the magnitude of sin and the need to purge it from my life, the life of fellow believers, and the life of the Church. May I wrap all my striving for holiness in Your grace and love. This way I will not be crushed by rebuke nor devastate my brothers and sisters when I exhort them. Thank You for the family of God. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
“If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector” (Matthew 18:17).
Learn more in Dr. Michael A. Youssef’s sermon Healthy Living in a Sick World, Part 7: WATCH NOW | LISTEN NOW
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