The Doctrine Of Christian Discipline
Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI
Biblical Authority Ministries, June 25, 2026 (Donate)
God disciplines us all. Even so, we all fall short of His
glory (Romans 3:23). God, in His infinite wisdom, disciplines us to keep us on
the straight and narrow path otherwise we can fall into sin and go down paths
of unrighteousness.
As Christians, we should not want to stray into error and
sin. But should fight against it in godly ways. In the same way that God sets
up government to wield the sword to reduce evil, He also designed the church
with elders, deacons, and pastors (bishops/ministers) that guide and direct (based
on God’s Word) but they can also impose punishments (disciplinary actions) when
necessary.
Naturally, parents are the first level of Christ-like discipline
and the godly should honor and respect their godly parents and their godly
discipline (e.g., Proverbs 13:24). The doctrine of Christian discipline, then,
is of extreme importance for growth in godliness.
What Is Christian Discipline?
The word discipline comes from the same root as disciple.
A disciple is a learner or follower of Jesus Christ, and discipline is part of
the training that helps believers grow in holiness and obedience. This might
surprise you, but Christian discipline is God's loving process of
teaching, correcting, strengthening, and maturing His children so that they
become more like Christ.
Discipline is not simply punishment. In the Bible, it
includes instruction, correction, encouragement, and training by coming along
side someone who is straying and gently bringing them back into godly steps.
Just as loving parents discipline their children to help them mature, God
disciplines His children for their good. His goal is restoration, spiritual
growth, and greater faithfulness—not harm, public attacks, or humiliation (e.g.,
Proverbs 15:10).
How Does God Discipline Those He Loves?
The Bible plainly teaches that God disciplines those whom He
loves. Hebrews 12:5–11 explains that God's discipline is evidence that
believers truly belong to Him. A loving father corrects his children, and our
heavenly Father does the same.
God disciplines His people in many ways. He convicts through
the Holy Spirit, teaches through Scripture, uses faithful believers to offer
correction, and sometimes allows the natural consequences of sinful choices to
bring people back to Him. At times He may remove blessings, permit trials, or
lovingly redirect our lives so that we learn to trust Him more completely.
God's discipline is always perfectly just, wise, and
motivated by love. Unlike sinful human discipline, His correction is never
unfair, impulsive, or vindictive. His purpose is that His children "may be
partakers of His holiness" (Hebrews 12:10).
How Is This Different From Church Discipline?
Although God's discipline is personal, church
discipline is the responsibility of the local church. Church discipline occurs
when believers or church leaders lovingly confront a professing Christian who
is living in clear, unrepentant sin.
Jesus outlined this process in Matthew 18:15–17. First, the
offended believer should privately confront the individual. If there is no
repentance, one or two additional believers should accompany the person. If the
matter remains unresolved, it is eventually brought before the church. Only
after repeated refusal to repent is the individual treated as one outside the
fellowship of the church.
The purpose of church discipline is never revenge, attacking
their reputation, or public embarrassment. Rather, it seeks repentance,
restoration, protection of the church's testimony, and obedience to God's
commands. If discipline causes you to grow closer to one another and to God,
then it was successful. Paul instructed the churches to restore repentant
believers with gentleness while also protecting the purity of Christ's church
(Galatians 6:1; 1 Corinthians 5).
Why Should There Be Two Or Three Witnesses To Bring A Charge
Of Sin?
God established an important principle of justice throughout
Scripture: serious accusations should be confirmed by two or three witnesses of
actual sin. This principle appears in Deuteronomy 19:15 and is repeated by
Jesus in Matthew 18:16 and by Paul in 1 Timothy 5:19 regarding accusations
against church elders.
This standard helps protect both the accused and the
accuser. It reduces the possibility of false testimony, misunderstandings,
personal grudges, out-of-context claims, evil motives, or emotionally driven
accusations. By requiring corroborating evidence, testimony, and hearing both sides,
God demonstrates His concern for fairness and justice.
This principle does not mean every witness must have seen
the identical event. Rather, credible evidence should establish the truth
before serious disciplinary action is taken.
Why Must Christians Avoid Slander, Libel, False
Accusations, And Defamation?
The Ninth Commandment forbids bearing false witness against
our neighbor (Exodus 20:16). Throughout Scripture, God repeatedly condemns
lying, gossip, slander, and malicious speech because they destroy reputations,
divide families, damage churches, and dishonor Christ.
Slander is speaking false or malicious statements about
another person. Libel is similar falsehood communicated in written form.
False accusations and defamation can permanently damage an innocent person's
reputation, even if later proven untrue, exaggerated, out of context.
James compares the tongue to a small fire capable of setting
an entire forest ablaze (James 3:5–10). Proverbs also warns that God hates
those who sow discord among brethren (Proverbs 6:16–19).
Christians should never repeat accusations simply because
they have heard or read them. Instead, they should seek truth by hearing each
side, verify facts, guard their speech, and refuse to spread rumors.
Why Is Patience And Hearing Both Sides So Important?
Biblical wisdom requires careful investigation before
reaching conclusions. Proverbs 18:13 teaches that answering a matter before
hearing it is foolish and shameful. Likewise, Proverbs 18:17 observes that the
first person to present his case often appears correct until another side is
heard.
Patience allows emotions to settle and facts to emerge. Wise
leaders avoid making hasty or harsh judgments based upon assumptions, rumors,
or incomplete information. They should prayerfully examine the evidence, listen
respectfully to everyone involved, and seek God's wisdom before acting.
Justice without patience often becomes injustice. Churches and
ministries should therefore be known for fairness, careful investigation, and
compassion while remaining firmly committed to biblical truth.
Satan The False Accuser And The Devil The Slanderer
The names given to God's enemy provide a sobering reminder
about the danger of false accusations. The name Satan means
"adversary" or "accuser," while the Greek word diabolos,
translated "devil," carries the definition of a slanderer or false
accuser.
Scripture describes Satan as "the accuser of our
brethren" (Revelation 12:10). From the Garden of Eden onward, he has
distorted truth, spread lies, and sought to destroy God's people through
deception and accusation.
When Christians engage in slander, gossip, or false
accusations, they imitate the methods of the Satan rather than the character of
Christ. Instead, believers are called to speak truthfully, defend justice, and
seek reconciliation whenever possible.
Why Should The Church Stand On God's Word In Truth, Kindness,
Love, And Grace?
Every matter of church discipline must ultimately be
governed by Scripture rather than emotions, favoritism, public opinion,
or personal preferences. God's Word establishes both the standards of holiness
and the procedures for correction.
Jesus perfectly demonstrated this balance. He never
compromised truth, yet He showed remarkable compassion toward repentant
sinners. He confronted sin directly but always sought restoration rather than
needless destruction. Likewise, the apostles instructed believers to
"speak the truth in love" (Ephesians 4:15) and to restore those
caught in sin "in a spirit of gentleness" (Galatians 6:1).
Church discipline carried out according to God's Word
reflects the character of Christ. It should be marked by truth without cruelty,
conviction without hatred, justice without partiality, and grace without
compromising holiness. When exercised biblically, discipline protects the
church, honors Christ, restores believers to grow closer together, and displays
the love of God to the world.
Conclusion
The doctrine of Christian discipline is an essential part of
the Christian life. God lovingly disciplines His children so they grow in
holiness, while churches are called to practice biblical discipline with
wisdom, fairness, and compassion.
Scripture requires careful investigation, multiple witnesses
for serious accusations, patience, and a refusal to participate in gossip or
slander. Since Satan is the great accuser and slanderer, Christians must reject
his methods and instead imitate Christ by standing firmly upon God's Word with
truth, kindness, love, and grace. When biblical discipline is exercised
properly, it strengthens the church to grow closer, protects its testimony, and
points believers back to faithful obedience to Jesus Christ.
Bodie Hodge, Ken
Ham's son in law, has been an apologist defending 6-day creation and opposing
evolution since 1998. He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as
a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers
News. He was also head of the Oversight Council.
Bodie
launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal
website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken
on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and
universities. He is married with four children.
Mr. Hodge earned a
Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from Southern Illinois University at
Carbondale (SIUC). Then he taught at SIUC for a couple of years as a
Visiting Instructor teaching all levels of undergraduate engineering and
running a materials lab and a CAD lab. He did research on advanced ceramic
materials to develop a new method of production of titanium diboride with a
grant from Lockheed Martin. He worked as a Test Engineer for Caterpillar,
Inc., prior to entering full-time ministry.
His love of science was coupled with a love of history, philosophy, and theology. For about one year of his life, Bodie was editing and updating a theological, historical, and scientific dictionary/encyclopedia for AI use and training. Mr. Hodge has over 25 years of experience in writing, speaking and researching in these fields.
