Church Discipline and the Power of Fellowship

Last week and this week I have been listening to John MacArthur on my way to work speak about church discipline and how we as the church are called to go to a brother that we know is sinning that we may win him back. I am sure that we all know about this, but I am doubtful that we have done it many times, or ever . He also quoted Dietrich Bonhoeffer as saying:

“Sin demands to have a man by himself. It withdraws him from the community. The more isolated a person is, the more destructive will be the power of sin over him. And the more deeply he becomes involved in it, the more disastrous is his isolation. Sin wants to remain unknown. It shuns the light. In the darkness of the unexpressed it poisons the whole being of a person. This can happen even in the midst of a pious community. In confession, the light of the gospel breaks into the darkness and seclusion of the heart. The sin is brought into the light. The unexpressed is openly spoken and acknowledged. All that is secret and hidden is made manifest. It is a hard struggle until the sin is openly admitted, but God breaks gates of brass and bars of iron”

He also discussed the importance of fellowship/membership to a body. I am blessed to be able to say that within Woodland Hills I have a great body of believers with whom I have fellowship. But also consider my fellowship with you all as an important part of my life and this is yet another reason that I am excited about this blog. Who better to come to me in love for the purpose of restoring me to fellowship than you, and what better way to break the bonds of sin than to confess it to someone who loves you as I love you and you love me. I am thankful for you both.