More Counter-Cultural Teachings

(This is from my journal on 5/24/13. Raw notes.) Tell it to the "church." Who does that include? If the church is the sentencing phase (See previous blog) then some logic must be applied to see how that would work-taking Matthew 18 and 1 Cor.5 (context). How could this be the universal church? There is no way to inform the whole church everywhere. Some have taken this to mean the church in a geographical location (so a person will not just attend elsewhere to avoid the sentence). Even though the circumstances did not seem to exist in the early church, could Jesus have been anticipating and is this a logical necessity (necessary inference due to the nature of the discipline)? Or does this mean primarily the local, distinct congregation, a limited number of people, and only secondarily other local churches--and here which ones in today's context, every denomination in a 25 mile radius, or does this force us to decide which church (congregation) is legitimately Jesus' church and which is not without giving offence to those seekers who do things in Jesus' name? (Told you this was raw.) If we see this as only the local church to which the person is "attached" (like body parts) which seems to fit the Corinthian narrative, then it gets simpler and more manageable.

Now if we settle on one local body of believers (those in our directory), then how is the church to be told and who tells the church? It seems in the Matt.18 text the offended person, the who has been sinned against is under obligation to 1) go and reprove privately; 2) take witnesses; 3) tell it to the church. But, in 1 Cor.5, it is Paul driving the discipline by a letter to the church in absentia. So could we say the offended and/or an authorized leader could get the message to the church in whatever form is convenient? Why am I going into such detail on form and definition? Because a command, in order to be carried out, must have a way to be applied and in harmony with other teachings. But, it does seem clear from 1 Cor.5 that Paul told them to carry out the action against the offender in open assembly 1) in the name of Jesus; 2) when you are assembled; 3) when Paul was there in spirit; 4) with the power of our Lord Jesus. This is no small matter and to be taken with the utmost seriousness and authority.

I just can't get over how counter-cultural this teaching is. What does this reveal about the mind of Christ? He is orderly. He is holy. He is serious about sin within the individual and the local church. He is inclusive-He includes the entire local church in the discipline. He sees the process even including Satan as a partner. He is protective of his other sheep. And adding the teaching to follow we see he is about unity, agreement, authority, and keeping the lines of communication open with heaven. The purity of the local church is a microcosm of the church universal. Integrity locally produces integrity globally.