IVP New Testament Commentary Series – The Church Must Discipline False Christians (18:17)
Resources chevron-right IVP New Testament Commentary Series chevron-right Matthew chevron-right RELATIONSHIPS IN THE KINGDOM (18:1-35) chevron-right Discipline and Forgiveness (18:15-35) chevron-right Addressing Stumbling Blocks Seriously (18:15-20) chevron-right The Church Must Discipline False Christians (18:17)
The Church Must Discipline False Christians (18:17)

Jesus' repeated condemnations of "hypocrisy" apply to professed disciples, not just to the religious establishment of his day (24:51). If all else fails, the Christian community must publicly dissociate itself from a habitually sinning professed Christian: neither outsiders nor the sinner should continue under the delusion that this person is truly saved. Thus one should treat such a person as a tax gatherer (9:9; 21:32) or a Gentile (5:47; 6:7; 20:25)-unclean and to be avoided. Although lesser forms of discipline existed (as in 1QS 6.25 vs. 5.16-17; 2 Thess 3:6), this discipline was full excommunication, implying spiritual death (1 Cor 5:5; 1 Tim 1:20; Tit 3:10-11). Professing Christians never repudiated by the church have perpetrated many evils throughout history, bringing shame to the body of Christ.

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