Mosaic Discipline:

The concept of discipline within the community of God's people finds its roots in the Mosaic Law, which provided a comprehensive framework for maintaining holiness and order among the Israelites. The Law, given through Moses, was not only a set of religious and moral guidelines but also a civil code that governed the daily life of the nation of Israel.

One of the primary purposes of the Mosaic Law was to set the Israelites apart as a holy nation. Leviticus 19:2 states, "Speak to the entire congregation of the Israelites and tell them: ‘Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.’" This call to holiness required adherence to various laws and commandments, which included both moral and ceremonial aspects.

Discipline under the Mosaic Law was often severe, reflecting the seriousness of sin and the need for communal purity. For instance, Deuteronomy 21:18-21 outlines the procedure for dealing with a rebellious son, which could ultimately lead to his execution. This harsh measure underscored the importance of obedience and respect within the family and community.

The Mosaic Law also included provisions for dealing with false prophets and idolatry, as seen in Deuteronomy 13:1-5. Such individuals were to be put to death to prevent the spread of false teachings and to preserve the worship of the one true God. The community was responsible for upholding these standards, ensuring that sin did not corrupt the people.

Christian Discipline:

With the advent of the New Covenant through Jesus Christ, the nature of discipline within the church underwent a transformation. While the principles of holiness and communal purity remained, the approach to discipline became more focused on restoration and reconciliation.

Jesus Himself provided guidance on church discipline in Matthew 18:15-17 : "If your brother sins against you, go and confront him privately. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But 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.’ If 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."

This passage highlights a process that begins with private confrontation and escalates to involve the wider church community if necessary. The goal is not punitive but redemptive, aiming to restore the sinner to fellowship with God and the church.

The Apostle Paul also addressed church discipline in his epistles. In 1 Corinthians 5:1-5, Paul instructs the Corinthian church to expel a man engaged in egregious sin, "so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord." This action was necessary to protect the church's purity and to prompt the individual to repentance.

Paul further emphasizes the importance of discipline in 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15 : "Take 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. Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother." Here, the focus is on correction and the hope of bringing the erring member back into right relationship with the community.

In summary, while the Mosaic Law emphasized strict adherence to commandments with severe consequences for disobedience, Christian discipline centers on restoration and reconciliation, reflecting the grace and forgiveness found in Christ. Both systems, however, underscore the importance of maintaining holiness and order within the community of God's people.Genesis 17:14
And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.
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Exodus 12:15
Seven days shall you eat unleavened bread; even the first day you shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whoever eats leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.
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Exodus 30:33,37,38
Whoever compounds any like it, or whoever puts any of it on a stranger, shall even be cut off from his people.
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Leviticus 7:27
Whatever soul it be that eats any manner of blood, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.
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Leviticus 17:8,9
And you shall say to them, Whatever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers which sojourn among you, that offers a burnt offering or sacrifice,
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Leviticus 19:5-8
And if you offer a sacrifice of peace offerings to the LORD, you shall offer it at your own will.
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Leviticus 20:18
And if a man shall lie with a woman having her sickness, and shall uncover her nakedness; he has discovered her fountain, and she has uncovered the fountain of her blood: and both of them shall be cut off from among their people.
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Leviticus 22:3
Say to them, Whoever he be of all your seed among your generations, that goes to the holy things, which the children of Israel hallow to the LORD, having his uncleanness on him, that soul shall be cut off from my presence: I am the LORD.
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Numbers 9:13
But the man that is clean, and is not in a journey, and declines to keep the passover, even the same soul shall be cut off from among his people: because he brought not the offering of the LORD in his appointed season, that man shall bear his sin.
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Numbers 15:31
Because he has despised the word of the LORD, and has broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be on him.
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Numbers 19:13,20
Whoever touches the dead body of any man that is dead, and purifies not himself, defiles the tabernacle of the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water of separation was not sprinkled on him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet on him.
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Deuteronomy 13:12-18
If you shall hear say in one of your cities, which the LORD your God has given you to dwell there, saying,
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Deuteronomy 17:2-13
If there be found among you, within any of your gates which the LORD your God gives you, man or woman, that has worked wickedness in the sight of the LORD your God, in transgressing his covenant,
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Deuteronomy 19:16-21
If a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong;
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Deuteronomy 21:1-9,18-21
If one be found slain in the land which the LORD your God gives you to possess it, lying in the field, and it be not known who has slain him:
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Deuteronomy 22:13-29
If any man take a wife, and go in to her, and hate her,
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Ezra 10:1-44
Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled to him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children: for the people wept very sore.
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Matthew 16:19
And I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
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Matthew 18:15-18
Moreover if your brother shall trespass against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone: if he shall hear you, you have gained your brother.
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John 9:22,34,35
These words spoke his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.
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John 16:2
They shall put you out of the synagogues: yes, the time comes, that whoever kills you will think that he does God service.
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John 20:23
Whose soever sins you remit, they are remitted to them; and whose soever sins you retain, they are retained.
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Romans 14:1
Him that is weak in the faith receive you, but not to doubtful disputations.
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Romans 15:1-3
We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
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Romans 16:17
Now I beseech you, brothers, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which you have learned; and avoid them.
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1 Corinthians 4:19,21
But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power.
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1 Corinthians 5:1,2,4-7,11-13
It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.
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1 Corinthians 16:22
If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.
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2 Corinthians 2:6-8,10,11
Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.
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2 Corinthians 6:14,15
Be you not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship has righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion has light with darkness?
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2 Corinthians 7:8
For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same letter has made you sorry, though it were but for a season.
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2 Corinthians 10:1-11
Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:
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2 Corinthians 13:1,2,10
This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.
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Galatians 5:10,12
I have confidence in you through the Lord, that you will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubles you shall bear his judgment, whoever he be.
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Galatians 6:1
Brothers, if a man be overtaken in a fault, you which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering yourself, lest you also be tempted.
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1 Thessalonians 5:14
Now we exhort you, brothers, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.
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2 Thessalonians 3:6,14,15
Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother that walks disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.
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1 Timothy 1:19,20
Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:
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1 Timothy 5:1,2,19,20
Rebuke not an elder, but entreat him as a father; and the younger men as brothers;
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1 Timothy 6:3-5
If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
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2 Timothy 4:2
Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine.
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Titus 1:13
This witness is true. Why rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;
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Titus 2:15
These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise you.
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Titus 3:10,11
A man that is an heretic after the first and second admonition reject;
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2 John 1:10,11
If there come any to you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:
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Jude 1:22,23
And of some have compassion, making a difference:
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Revelation 22:19
And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
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The Lord's Day --The Worship of the Apostolic Church --Its ...
... 2] At the same time, as an apostle bound to vindicate the reputation of the Church,
and to enforce the rules of ecclesiastical discipline, he solemnly ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/killen/the ancient church/chapter i the lords daythe.htm

The Christian Ministry, and Its Relation to the Christian ...
... administration of the sacraments, and church discipline or the ... race""and that the
Church of Christ ... hold together without officers, rules, and institutions ...
/.../history of the christian church volume i/section 59 the christian ministry.htm

The American Church on the Eve of the Great Awakening --A General ...
... Two rules had with these colonists the force of ... and tactual succession in the church,
the existence of ... The penal code and the prison discipline of Pennsylvania ...
/.../bacon/a history of american christianity/chapter x the american church.htm

Appendix to Part iii. Writings of the Apostolic Fathers, with Some ...
... pertaining to church order and discipline, were certainly ... them the spurious title:
"Ecclesiastical Rules of the ... and several classes of members in the church. ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/appendix to part iii writings.htm

The Future of Christ's Kingdom First Group of Epistles the First ...
... Rules for the conduct of the church, its overseers ... for the growth of faith in the
Thessalonian church. ... Christ." Paul gives command to discipline the disorderly ...
/.../sell/bible studies in the life of paul/study vii the future of 2.htm

Articles vii and viii: of the Church.
... it is, that therein Christ inwardly rules, strengthens, and ... that the true unity of
the Church is not ... especially since they contain a discipline by which it is ...
/.../melanchthon/the apology of the augsburg confession/part 11 articles vii and.htm

Home-Government.
... more fully consider under the head of home-discipline. ... of judicial authority, and
the rules of their ... constituted superior, and overthrows both church and state ...
/.../philips/the christian home/chapter xviii home-government.htm

A Source Book for Ancient Church History
... Discipline, penitential, 42-49, 166 f., 169 f., 183-188, 213, 215 ff., 362, 384
f., 624-630. ... Milan, church of, 596 ff. ... See also "Monasticism.". Monastic rules. ...
/.../ayer/a source book for ancient church history/index 2.htm

Period iii. The Dissolution of the Imperial State Church and the ...
... laws the minutest detail of worship and discipline, and also ... Church and State according
to Justinian ... former serves things divine; the latter rules human affairs ...
/.../ayer/a source book for ancient church history/period iii the dissolution of.htm

How the Question Arose About the Due Time of Keeping Easter, with ...
... about the observance of Easter, and other rules of ecclesiastical ... in the history
of the Church, judge contrary ... and whose life, customs, and discipline I never ...
/.../bede/bedes ecclesiastical history of england/chap xxv how the question.htm

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