Westminster Confession, Chapter 30
Of Church Censures
The Lord Jesus, as king and head of his Church, hath therein appointed a government in the hand of Church officers, distinct from the civil magistrate.
Scripture references for paragraph 1
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
Isaiah 9:6-76For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from that time and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will accomplish this.
Matthew 28:18-2018Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.
19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
20and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Acts 20:1717From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church.
Acts 20:2828Keep watch over yourselves and the entire flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood.
1 Corinthians 12:2828And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, and those with gifts of healing, helping, administration, and various tongues.
1 Thessalonians 5:1212But we ask you, brothers, to acknowledge those who work diligently among you, who preside over you in the Lord and give you instruction.
1 Timothy 5:1717Elders who lead effectively are worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.
Hebrews 13:77Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.
Hebrews 13:1717Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they watch over your souls as those who must give an account. To this end, allow them to lead with joy and not with grief, for that would be of no advantage to you.
Hebrews 13:2424Greet all your leaders and all the saints. Those from Italy send you greetings.
To these officers the keys of the kingdom of heaven are committed, by virtue whereof they have power respectively to retain and remit sins, to shut that kingdom against the impenitent, both by the Word and censures; and to open it unto penitent sinners, by the ministry of the gospel, and by absolution from censures, as occasion shall require.
Scripture references for paragraph 2
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
Matthew 16:1919I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
Matthew 18:17-1817If 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.
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.
John 20:21-2321Again Jesus said to them, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, so also I am sending you.”
22When He had said this, He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
23If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld.”
2 Corinthians 2:6-86The 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.
Church censures are necessary for the reclaiming and gaining of offending brethren; for deterring of others from the like offenses; for purging out of that leaven which might infect the whole lump; for vindicating the honor of Christ, and the holy profession of the gospel; and for preventing the wrath of God, which might justly fall upon the Church, if they should suffer his covenant, and the seals thereof, to be profaned by notorious and obstinate offenders.
Scripture references for paragraph 3
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
Matthew 7:66Do not give dogs what is holy; do not throw your pearls before swine. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.
1 Corinthians 5:1-131It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is intolerable even among pagans: A man has his father’s wife.
2And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have been stricken with grief and have removed from your fellowship the man who did this?
3Although I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit, and I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did this, just as if I were present.
4When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, along with the power of the Lord Jesus,
5hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the Day of the Lord.
6Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven works through the whole batch of dough?
7Get rid of the old leaven, that you may be a new unleavened batch, as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.
8Therefore let us keep the feast, not with the old bread, leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and of truth.
9I wrote you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people.
10I was not including the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world.
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.
12What business of mine is it to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?
13God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.”
1 Corinthians 11:27-3427Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.
28Each one must examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.
29For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.
30That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.
31Now if we judged ourselves properly, we would not come under judgment.
32But when we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world.
33So, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.
34If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so that when you come together it will not result in judgment. And when I come, I will give instructions about the remaining matters.
Jude 1:2323save others by snatching them from the fire; and to still others show mercy tempered with fear, hating even the clothing stained by the flesh.
1 Timothy 1:2020Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.
1 Timothy 5:2020But those who persist in sin should be rebuked in front of everyone, so that the others will stand in fear of sin.
For the better attaining of these ends, the officers of the Church are to proceed by admonition, suspension from the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper for a season, and by excommunication from the Church, according to the nature of the crime and demerit of the person.
Scripture references for paragraph 4
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
Matthew 18:1717If 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 5:4-54When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, along with the power of the Lord Jesus,
5hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the Day of the Lord.
1 Corinthians 5:1313God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.”
1 Thessalonians 5:1212But we ask you, brothers, to acknowledge those who work diligently among you, who preside over you in the Lord and give you instruction.
2 Thessalonians 3:66Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from any brother who leads an undisciplined life that is not in keeping with the tradition you received from us.
2 Thessalonians 3:14-1514Take 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.
15Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.
Titus 3:1010Reject a divisive man after a first and second admonition,
Source and edition
Westminster Confession. NonlinearFruit/Creeds.json, Unlicense. Creeds.json, English transcription
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