Children & church discipline - credo

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Houston E.

Puritan Board Freshman
(This question is a spinoff from here...

Is there ever a time that a non-professing child of a church member be placed under church discipline?

Let's say this child attends regularly, in their mid to late teens, maybe in college - but has not professed Christ.

What about if they are involved in open sin?

Thanks...
 
Trey,

The short answer to your question is, "no." Church discipline is for those that are members of the church.

Now, that doesn't mean that the church will not assist parents with their children. The love of Christ constrains us to love the professing parents and to help them where possible.

As far as adult children; the church should allow anyone who wishes to sit under the teaching of the Word. Perhaps God will grant them the repentance that leads to life through the preaching of the gospel. If their "open sin" is disruptive to the function of the church, it should be addressed by the elders and the appropriate action taken. A worse case scenario would be requesting that the individual not return to church until they cease being a disruptive force. Other than that I would not oppose their being under the teaching of the Word of God.
 
I would say this. If a child is effecting the church life something would need to be done about it.

Your hypothetical can be seen in this situation maybe. If a young man is pursuing the girls of the church with motives that are unbecoming in the ways of righteousness Matthew 18 would be in force. He should be confronted. First his parents should be informed and they should address the situation under the care of the Elders. If he hears them and submits to them they have gained some ground. He should be treated as any person who would present themselves at the door of the church. If he doesn't listen and forsakes the counsel he should be treated as pagan and the parents should be submissive to the Elders decision concerning the matter.
 
It will be interesting to see some answers from those with experience in this.

Especially in light of the fact that the children of believers are members of the visible church- not by profession, but by birth. They have not taken the vows to submit to the government and discipline of the church.

Not forgetting that this section is for CREDO baptist answers, are we?
 
Thanks guys. This is very helpful and I hope others will post with their thoughts.

I had a follow-up to this in my mind last night, but seeing as how my child only slept about a total of 2 hours, I'm drawing a blank at the moment. :um:
 
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