English
Português
Español
Français
Answer
First, we should note that the Bible never uses the word “excommunication.” It is a term that has been adopted by some religious groups, particularly by the Catholic Church, to refer to the formal process of removing someone from membership and participation in the church, from relationship with the church community, or, in the Catholic perspective, even from the family of God.
While the Bible does not teach that a Christian can lose their salvation, it does describe the process of church discipline in several passages. The final step of church discipline is excommunication—a removal from the local church.
In Matthew 18:15–17, Jesus instructs His disciples about excommunication. The Lord outlines a multi-step approach for addressing sinful offenses in the church community:
Step 1: Approach the person privately, explain how they have sinned against you, and seek reconciliation if they are willing. If the offending person repents, no further action is necessary.
Step 2: If they do not listen, return with two or three witnesses to revisit the conversation, clarifying the facts and evidence.
Step 3: If they still refuse to listen and repent of their sins, bring them before the entire church body and present the case against them.
Step 4: If there is still no repentance, the church is to excommunicate the individual. Jesus’ instruction is to “let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector” «And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican. », (Matthew 18:17, ESV).
The Jews considered both groups Jesus mentioned—Gentiles and tax collectors—as outsiders. Gentiles were pagan idolaters, and tax collectors were collaborating with Rome. In Jesus’ time, devout Israelites would not associate with them.Beyond what was strictly necessary with Gentiles or tax collectors. They would not have meals with them, for instance, or invite them to social gatherings. So, when Jesus says to view the unrepentant sinner in the church as “a Gentile and a tax collector,” He is instructing the church to officially and with clear communication stop having close fellowship with the unrepentant sinner; the sinner is to be put out of the close-knit community of Christians. This is excommunication.
What is the purpose of excommunication? The dismissal of an unrepentant, defiant sinner from the community of believers is not about public shaming or judgment. It’s about loving that person enough to do what is best for him or her and about doing what is best for the church as a whole.
We have an example of excommunication and its aftermath in two passages from Paul. A man in the church in Corinth was having sex with his stepmother, a sin so egregious “that even pagans do not tolerate [it]” «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. », (1 Corinthians 5:1). Paul rebukes the Christians in Corinth for accepting this man’s incest. Apparently, the Corinthians had misunderstood the grace of God so badly that they had come to believe all sin should be tolerated, maybe even celebrated proudly, as evidence of God’s grace and forgiveness (verse 2).
Paul says, “No way.” Sin in the church must be dealt with. He instructs the Corinthians to come together for the purpose of excommunication. The local body of believers was, under apostolic authority, to turn this man over to Satan for “the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 5:4-5). Evidently, in this particular case, theThere was a physical affliction of supernatural origin associated with the excommunication; it was excommunication with an added apostolic curse.
Scripture does not indicate that every excommunication is followed by physical consequences. The general principle, however, is that excommunication lets the sinner experience the full, painful consequences of his sinful choices so that he will repent, submit to God, and be saved from spiritual ruin. The motive for excommunication is not punishment or vengeance but reformation and spiritual health.
Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians deals with the follow-up to excommunication. In 2 Corinthians 2:5–11, Paul seems to be talking about the very same person he had instructed the church to excommunicate. The sinner had repented, and Paul writes, “The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him” (verses 6–8). As soon as the excommunicated believer repents, he should be welcomed back into warm relationship with the church community. Once repentance has been established, the excommunication should be fully reversed. The goal has been accomplished.
So, who is eligible for excommunication? The Bible is clear that excommunication is only for church members (not unbelievers) and only in response to obvious and ongoing sin from which a person refuses to repent despite multiple exhortations: “I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people” «But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. », (1 Corinthians 5:11).
Five important points to consider about excommunication:
1. The Bible never directs individual Christians to independently or even in a small group decide to “excommunicate” another believer. Excommunication is intended to be a formal action taken by the entire local church.
2. Excommunication primarily concerns relationships. Members of the church are specifically instructed to refrain from sharing meals with the unrepentant individual «But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. », (1 Corinthians 5:11), and to limit their interaction with them.
3. The process of excommunication is for believers, for those who profess to have genuinely placed their trust in Christ for their salvation. Excommunication is the church’s response to an individual who declares, “Yes, I’m a Christian, and no, I will not turn away from this sin.”
4. Excommunication is not intended for someone who acknowledges their sin and shows repentance but struggles to overcome it. If a believer sins and, when confronted, admits, “Yes, that was wrong. I’m sorry. I want to start anew,” they are to be forgiven—even if they have repeatedly sinned in the same manner (Matthew 18:21-22). In such instances, Scripture does not propose that the individual’s sin should be publicly exposed to the entire church as a form of punishment, unless they choose to disclose it themselves.
5. The objective of excommunication is restoration. According to Jesus, the process of removing a member from the church should be gradual, intentional, and careful. If at any stage of the process the individual in sin repents, then “you have won back your brother” « Moreover if thy brother shall tTrespass against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone: if he listens to you, you have gained your brother.” », (Matthew 18:15), and the fellowship is restored.
