Church Discipline & Church Attendance
(Kent E. Heaton Sr.)

The problems faced by the church today is not unlike the problems faced by
the first century church.  As we pattern the commands of the Lord in the
work of the church and follow by example the actions of the church in the
writings of the New Testament, we find a similar bond with those who sought
to uphold the truth.  The challenge of attendance to the worship of the Lord
was dealt with from the pen of the book of Hebrews.

"And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,
not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of
some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day
approaching."  (Hebrews 10:24,25)  The Christians to whom the writer was
addressing his remarks needed hope and encouragement in the face of great
trial.  The message of the Hebrew book is to exhort these early Christians
to stay the course and not to cast away their confidence which had great
reward.

The brethren needed to stir one another up and encourage one another in many
ways.  The need of assembling with saints is illustrated in verse 25 when
the writer exhorts those who had failed to assemble to consider their
neglect and return.  Admonished in this text are those who were faithful so
as to encourage those who had become weak in the faith.

The importance of the assembly is seen clearly in the next few verses:  "For
if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there
no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of
judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone
who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or
three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be
thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood
of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the
Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, 'Vengeance is Mine; I will
repay,' says the Lord. And again, 'The Lord will judge His people.'  It is a
fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."  (Hebrews 10:26-31)

A warning is given to those who may consider forsaking the assembly.  To
neglect the supper of the Lord is to sin willfully and without respect to
the sacrifice of Christ.  Attendance to worship on the first day of the week
is as necessary as God commanded the children of Israel to remember the
Sabbath day to keep it holy.  In giving the Law to the Israelites, God
commanded the Sabbath day be kept each time the seventh day arrived.  As the
Law has passed away and no man is bound by the Law of Moses, we have a new
law under Christ that commands the same type of obligation to assemble on
the first day of the week.  To neglect the assembly on the first day of the
week is a sin.

A continued pattern of forsaking the assembly is something that is very,
very serious.  The child of God who fails to assemble with the saints to
remember the sacrifice of Christ is in peril of falling away from the
salvation of Christ.  The Hebrew writer asked the question in verse 29, "Of
how much worse punishment..." will it be for those who forsake the assembly
and fail to remember the sacrifice of Christ?  The answer is given that "it
is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."  (v31)

Forsaking the assembly is viewed as a sin that is not as serious as other
sins.  When someone fails to assemble with the saints, months (and even
years) may go by before action is taken to restore such a one.  In the final
act, church discipline is administered as an act of withdrawal upon the one
fallen away.  Church discipline fails when it follows this type of pattern.
To understand this we must return to the beginning of the story.

The church is made up of differing kinds of people.  Paul illustrates this
in 1 Corinthians 12 as the body is made up of different parts.  Included in
this makeup are those who are "weak" and "are necessary" (1 Corinthians
12:22)  These are the members we must be very concerned about and be helpful
in our constant awareness of their needs.

At times these weak members (as well as others) may begin to forsake the
assembly.  The first sign is naturally their failure to assemble with the
saints on the first day of the week.  A level of concern should be felt over
someone who fails to assemble.  The first alert should come from the Elders
as they "watch out for your souls, as those who must give account."
(Hebrews 13:17)

When a person has missed three Sundays of worship to the Lord, they have
been away for at least 21 days.  It may sound different if we only think of
it as three weeks rather than looking at the total number of days.  This
should cause great concern among the Elders and the members to the spiritual
welfare of this person.  Inquiry should be made immediately upon the second
week missed (14 days) as to what reasons there may be for the person to fail
to assemble.

After a month of failing to assemble (30 days) the congregation should be
made aware of a serious condition in the life of one of the members.  Why is
it then that six, seven, eight or nine months pass with little action or
awareness of this one's lost condition?  Failing to assemble for six months
is neglecting the Lord for at least 180 days.  Failing to assemble with the
saints for eight months is neglecting the Lord for at least 240 days.  If
after 180 or 240 days, the church then decides to impose the punitive side
of church discipline upon the one forsaking the assembly - what possible
value can it be to the soul of the one who has had little if any contact
with the people of God for such a long time?

The wise man reminds us of the need of the time involved to bring punitive
discipline upon those who no longer fear the Lord:  "Because the sentence
against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the
sons of men is fully set in them to do evil."  (Ecclesiastes 8:11) There are

lessons to learn from this passage.  The most important part of church
discipline is the teaching and admonishing.  When one fails to assemble,
they need a lot of teaching and admonishing.  This must be done in the early
stages of their neglect - not two weeks before the punitive discipline is
administered.

So often, months and months pass with little congregational activity taken
to restore a lost soul - then in an announcement before the congregation of
withdrawal - a time period is set to seek to restore the lost soul.  The
belief is that what has not been done for six months or more is to be
accomplished in just a few weeks.  The reaction of the one lost is most
often of continued neglect and rebellion against God.  Some in the body of
Christ believe then that church discipline is little value.

Church discipline is a congregational activity orchestrated by the shepherds
of the flock.  Under their guidance, the members are constantly seeking as a
unified body of people to help to encourage and exhort each other and
especially those who are falling away.

Church discipline fails in its design and purpose when action is not taken
in a timely manner.  The lost person is not impacted by the sin of failing
to assemble.  They have been gone so long that little impact of the message
to return can sink in.  In many cases their lives have been set in another
path and the idea of coming back is the final thought they would have.

The Corinthians were admonished by Paul because they continued to allow sin
to be a part of the work at Corinth.  Would the church allow a man guilty of
adultery to remain in his state for six to eight months without a great deal
of action being taken to seek and restore such a one?  Can we accept my
brother or sister in Christ to forsake the assembly of Jesus Christ without
a great deal of action being taken by the congregation to try and restore
such a one?  And when all efforts are relieved to administer the final
action of discipline in a timely manner so the lost may feel the penalty of
what they are doing?

When one forsakes the assembly there remains no more sacrifice for sin.  If
they reject the admonition of the church, they will decide a course in life
that will lead them to destruction if they do not repent.  God's plan works
when followed in the pattern shown in His word.  Punitive discipline should
not be a matter for very few to consider but the congregation as a whole.
"In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along
with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, deliver such a one
to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in
the day of the Lord Jesus. Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a
little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven,
that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed
Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the
feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness,
but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth."  (1 Corinthians
5:4-8)

"Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone
thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But
let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in
himself alone, and not in another. For each one shall bear his own load."
(Galatians 6:2-5)