Christian Discipline

The Means of Christian Discipline

Christian discipline is exercised exclusively by spiritual means, which are:
1. Admonition: Tenderly and solemnly confronting the offender with his sin, warning him of his danger and exhorting him to repentance and to greater fidelity to the Lord Jesus Christ.
2. Rebuke: A form of censure more severe than admonition, which consists in setting forth the serious character of the offence, reproving the offender, and exhorting him to repentance and to more perfect fidelity to Christ.
3. Suspension: Depriving of the privileges of membership in the church, or office, or of both, either for a definite or an indefinite time.
Suspension of an officer-bearer from the privileges of membership shall always be accompanied by suspension from office, but the latter does not necessarily involve the former.
4. Deposition: Depriving an office-bearer of his office.
5. Excommunication: A solemn declaration by a church assembly that it no longer regards the offender as a member of the Body of Christ.