Question 85

How is the kingdom of heaven shut and opened by Christian discipline?

Thus: when, according to the command of Christ, those who, under the name of Christians, maintain doctrines or practices inconsistent therewith, will not, after having been brotherly admonished, renounce their errors and wicked course of life, are complained of to the Church, or to those who are thereunto appointed by the Church (1 Cor. 5;11); and if they despise their admonition, are, by them, forbid the use of the sacraments; whereby they are excluded from the Christian Church, and by God himself from the kingdom of Christ (1 Cor. 5;13): and when they promise and show real amendment, are again received as members of Christ and his Church (2 Cor. 2;6-8).

OF THANKFULNESS.

Scripture references for paragraph 1

Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.

1 Corinthians 5:11
11But now I am writing you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a verbal abuser, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.

Matthew 18:15-17
15If your brother sins against you, go and confront him privately. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.
16But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’
17If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, regard him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

1 Corinthians 5:13
13God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.”

Titus 3:10
10Reject a divisive man after a first and second admonition,

2 Thessalonians 3:14
14Take note of anyone who does not obey the instructions we have given in this letter. Do not associate with him, so that he may be ashamed.

Matthew 18:18
18Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

2 Corinthians 2:6-8
6The punishment imposed on him by the majority is sufficient for him.
7So instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.
8Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him.

Luke 15:21-24
21The son declared, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
23Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let us feast and celebrate.
24For this son of mine was dead and is alive again! He was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.

Source and edition

Heidelberg Catechism. RCA English, E. R. Good & Bro., Tiffin, 1879. RCA English, E. R. Good & Bro., Tiffin, 1879

Public Domain (historic text); CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikisource transcription). Source transcription.

Transcription licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0.

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