# Excommunication - biblical basis



## nwink (Feb 22, 2012)

What is the biblical basis for excommunication? What about it makes the nature of excommunication such a strong punishment?


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## JML (Feb 22, 2012)

1. The Biblical basis for excommunication is found in numerous Old Testament passages as well as in the New Testament. One such New Testament passage is 1 Corinthians 5. Ultimately, it is to cause repentance in the true Christian or if the person does prove to be lost, it may cause them to consider their standing before God. It also protects the church from the dissemination of error and from its members being led astray by sin or false teaching. Punishing the unrepentant sin of one will cause the others to think twice about committing sin as well.

2. What makes it such a strong punishment is that if the person truly is converted, removing them from the fellowship of the church, from partaking of the Lord's Supper, etc. is a grievous thing for the one who is a Christian. Plus, there is the added dimension of being publicly shamed before the people of the church by having your sins exposed and being cast out. It also shows that unrepentant sin and false teaching will not be tolerated.

---------- Post added at 12:28 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:24 PM ----------

In addition...

It is unfortunate that:

1) Excommunication is abused by some and some pastors Lord over their flocks. They excommunicate for silly reasons or threaten it on others over minor differences in doctrine, etc.
2) For most churches, the concept is completely foreign and false teaching and unrepentant sin are rampant.
3) With as much division in the church today, as in so many different denominations / belief systems, it is quite easy for someone to just move on down the street to church XYZ and for none of the intended consequences to really have much effect.


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## sastark (Feb 22, 2012)

The Westminster Confession of Faith is helpful on this point: Chapter XXX


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## J. Dean (Feb 22, 2012)

Isn't the excommunication in I Corinthians 5 for flagrant and unrepentant sin? I've always understood it to be for somebody who is persistent in either 1.) flagrant sin or 2.) seriously erroneous doctrine, is confronted about it, and refuses to repent.


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## JML (Feb 22, 2012)

J. Dean said:


> Isn't the excommunication in I Corinthians 5 for flagrant and unrepentant sin? I've always understood it to be for somebody who is persistent in either 1.) flagrant sin or 2.) seriously erroneous doctrine, is confronted about it, and refuses to repent.



That is correct. One goal of excommunication is to cause repentance. Therefore, if repentance has already taken place, there is no need for excommunication.

---------- Post added at 12:44 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:43 PM ----------

As to which sins are flagrant enough for excommunication if unrepented of, that is another discussion altogether.


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## Curt (Feb 22, 2012)

Excommunication, it seems, happens seldom in the American church today. One reason is that those deserving of same have the right to leave membership. Rather than be disciplined, they tend to simply say, "You can't fire me. I quit." Then they go blithely along and get accepted into another congregation - no questions asked.


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## GulfCoast Presbyterian (Feb 22, 2012)

Curt said:


> Excommunication, it seems, happens seldom in the American church today. One reason is that those deserving of same have the right to leave membership. Rather than be disciplined, they tend to simply say, "You can't fire me. I quit." Then they go blithely along and get accepted into another congregation - no questions asked.



This is so true!


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## Curt (Feb 22, 2012)

GulfCoast Presbyterian said:


> they tend to simply say, "You can't fire me. I quit



I apologize for the split infinitive!


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## A5pointer (Feb 23, 2012)

It is also for the good of the church body, a little leven affects the whole lump.


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## J. Dean (Feb 23, 2012)

Curt said:


> Excommunication, it seems, happens seldom in the American church today. One reason is that those deserving of same have the right to leave membership. Rather than be disciplined, they tend to simply say, "You can't fire me. I quit." Then they go blithely along and get accepted into another congregation - no questions asked.



A pastor once told us about an incident in which a couple had come to their church from another church, and he called the first church to see what they were like. Was a bit of a surprise to the couple!


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## SRoper (Feb 23, 2012)

J. Dean said:


> Curt said:
> 
> 
> > Excommunication, it seems, happens seldom in the American church today. One reason is that those deserving of same have the right to leave membership. Rather than be disciplined, they tend to simply say, "You can't fire me. I quit." Then they go blithely along and get accepted into another congregation - no questions asked.
> ...



This sort of communication ought to be done as a matter of practice if the prospective members come without a letter from their previous church.


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## ProtestantBankie (Mar 2, 2012)

Excommunication is never the first step of course.


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## Peairtach (Mar 24, 2012)

Excommunication in the Old Testament was called "cutting-off".


There were different levels of severity. It was sometimes to be done by the providential judgment of God Himself, sometimes by the death penalty and sometimes by the person being temporarily excluded from the Passover and other ceremonies and being shunned or exiled until he repented.

E.g.


> Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant. (Gn 17:4, ESV)





> For seven days no leaven is to be found in your houses. If anyone eats what is leavened, that person will be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a sojourner or a native of the land.(Ex 12:19)





> Whoever eats any blood, that person shall be cut off from his people.(Lev 7:27)





> But the person who does anything with a high hand, whether he is native or a sojourner, reviles the LORD, and that person shall be cut off from among his people. Because he has despised the word of the LORD and has broken his commandment, that person shall be utterly cut off; his iniquity shall be on him. (Num 15:30-31)





> I myself will set my face against that man and will cut him off from among his people, because he has given one of his children to Molech, to make my sanctuary unclean and to profane my holy name. (Lev 20:3)


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## Rich Koster (Mar 24, 2012)

Excommunication often goes unrecognized, at first, due to a lack of communication between congregations/denominations. It is a shame when no questions are asked, or investigation of claims made, when new arrivals from other congregations show up and seek membership. In one case, I called and checked up on some people that behaved "a little weird". Two pastors from 2 different near-by congregations sounded the warning bell. The couple in question was removed and told not to return due to unrepentant scamming of members with sob stories, and child neglect issues. Also, if some unfinished business was detected during membership interviews, we would call around to previous congregations listed. In my humble opinion, if issues go unresolved, they repeat themselves at the next congregation.

I almost forgot to state this in regards to the OP. I believe excommunication is a strong punishment for reasons divisible in two directions. In one, it keeps the Church pure by ousting the offender and making an example of them to others. In the other, it is a tool to make the stiff-necked individual consider their ways, repent to God's ways, and seek restoration. Restoration should always be the goal of excommunication.


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## dudley (Mar 24, 2012)

Curt said:


> Excommunication, it seems, happens seldom in the American church today. One reason is that those deserving of same have the right to leave membership. Rather than be disciplined, they tend to simply say, "You can't fire me. I quit." Then they go blithely along and get accepted into another congregation - no questions asked.



“Excommunication, it seems, happens seldom in the American church today. One reason is that those deserving of same have the right to leave membership. Rather than be disciplined, they tend to simply say, "You can't fire me. I quit." Then they go blithely along and get accepted into another congregation - no questions asked.” 
I am actually ex communicated from the Roman catholic church and their communion when I became a Presbyterian. However I did not become a Presbyterian without any questions asked. As a matter of fact the pastor of the First Presbyterian church I am now a member of questioned me extensively on why I left the Roman catholic church. He questioned my beliefs regarding the Lords Supper and whether I believed in the 5 solas of the Reformation and the Doctrine of salvation by faith alone in Jesus Christ. He asked me if I renounced the false teachings of that church and was ready to make an affirmation of faith and live by the Westminster standards as as a Presbyterian as far as I understood them. I said yes; I accepted the teachings of the Westminster confession of faith, and I did renounce Roman Catholicism and the pope and all her teachings contrary to scripture. I then attended classes on preparing me to become a Presbyterian and was approved by the Pastor and the elders and the evangelization committee before making an affirmation of faith before the entire congregation on Sunday October 24th 2010 , the Sunday before Reformation Sunday. On Reformation Sunday I was admitted as a Presbyterian and a Protestant to the Lords table and communed as a Presbyterian.


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