Matthew 18:15-18 “The Autonomy of the Local Church!”
INTRODUCTION:
“Autonomy” means “The quality or state of being self-governing.” Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
In the context of a Local Church, it means that there is no authority over the majority of the membership except the will of Jesus as expressed in the Holy Scriptures! None.
Colossians 1:18 “And he (Jesus) is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.”
No person or group of persons has any authority over the belief and practice of a local congregation “in matters of faith.”
Of course, governments have limited authority over churches in such matters as building codes, ordinances, etc. Governments have NO AUTHORITY over churches “in matters of faith.”
When I am speaking of “authority” I am speaking of ecclesiastical authority such as Associations, Denominations, Synods, Bishops, Cardinals, or Popes, which have NO AUTHORITY OVER THE BELIEFS AND PRACTICES OF A LOCAL CHURCH!
One of the many reasons that we are Southern Baptists is that Southern Baptists recognize this biblical fact and are organized in such a way that the Local Church is always supreme, and the work of all other denominational entities is to support the work of the Local Churches.
EXPOSITION:
In our text from Matthew 18, we clearly see the authority of a Church over its members.
When a member has attempted to bring about reconciliation with a sinning member and both the first and second steps in the process has failed, the issue is then brought to the Church for adjudication.
NOTE here that the authority of the members of the local congregation is so absolute that a person may be dismissed from membership by an action of the members of the Church.
(17) “If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.”
Theological NOTE: Treating a person as a Gentile and a tax collector means to treat them as a non-believer, since a member who refuses to submit to the authority of GOD’s Word is most likely an unbeliever.
Theological NOTE: (18) “Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
The verb phrases “shall be bound…” and “shall be loosed” translate Greek verbs that are future perfect passive and could be translated, “shall have been bound” and “shall have been loosed” referencing the fact that the actions for which the person is being disciplined have already been judged by GOD as sinful and are so described in HIS Word.
This is exactly how the phrases are translated in the Christian Standard Bible and are footnoted this way in other newer translations.
The Local Church does not have this authority to bind or loose based merely on its own opinions and preferences, rather the authority of binding and loosing is only given to the Local Church in the case where GOD has already expressed HIS will in HIS Word and in accordance with GOD’s will and Word!
In 1st and 2nd Corinthians, GOD has given us a perfect illustration of this biblical principle in a real case of a real person…
1st Corinthians 5:1-5
(1) “It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father’s wife. (2) And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.
(3) For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing. (4) When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, (5) you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.”
Theological NOTE: Take careful note there that the Local Church had the authority to turn the person over to GOD that the sinning person would die for his sin!
CONSIDER THIS CAREFULLY…
Biblical admonition and discipline many times work and the persons disciplined sometimes repent of their sin! This is exactly what happened in this case!
This man’s repentance was to unexpected that the Church at Corinth apparently wrote a letter to Paul asking what should they do in light of his repentance!
Paul’s answer is clear… 2nd Corinthians 2:5-8
(5) “Now if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure—not to put it too severely—to all of you. (6) For such a one, this punishment by the majority is enough, (7) so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. (8) So, I beg you to reaffirm your love for him.”
TAKE CAREFUL NOTE HERE AGAIN… The action of removing this man from the Church and turning him over to Satan was done, “by the majority…” teaching us that the autonomous authority of the Local Church lies in the decisions of the majority of its members!
Theological NOTE: While it is not the principal subject of this sermon, take careful note that loving biblical admonition and discipline can work. Biblical admonition and correction of a sinning member is an act of love!
While we are not given explicit examples of every possible scenario that a Local Church may face, the principles in the passages give direction and wisdom for decision making in and by a Local Church.
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