It has been said that the church is a hospital for sinners and not a temple for saints only. In fact, this saying is actually true and that it is one of the roles of the church to include sinners after their repentance into the community of believers. In the church, a person is renewed through repentance and receives love, care and acceptance from God and from the members of the church who are actually the body of Christ. However, what is unfortunate in this saying is when a person underestimates and permits that and takes that love and acceptance as an opportunity to do whatever he wants without supervision and without accountability. This is why church discipline was instituted.
Church discipline is one of the signs of the correct Church. Through discipline, a person is corrected and his behavior is modified. Discipline is the last stage that the Church reaches with a member. When a mistake occurs that contradicts the teachings and practices of the Church and the person is warned to turn away from false teachings or follow them and does not listen, they are rebuked fraternally repeatedly. If they do not listen, their complaint is made to the Church or to those appointed for these matters. If they despise the rebuke, they are prevented from participating in the holy sacraments for a certain period in order to be disciplined. and correct their behavior. Therefore, church discipline is considered one of the most important rules of a healthy church.
The importance of church discipline lies in protecting the church, restoring the wrongdoer’s relationship with God, and renewing fellowship among church members… Sometimes church discipline amounts to isolation, that is, the formal removal of a person from church membership. The church’s goal at that time is not only to control and exercise its powers, although it has the right to do so, but the greatest goal is to sanctify the church and correct the person, based on the biblical text (Matthew 18: 15-20), which gives us the steps and authority of the church in applying church discipline, and (1 Corinthians 5: 1-13) gives us a practical example of church discipline in the local church. The hope of discipline is regret, repentance, and return to Christ.