Talk:KCU/03/A

Instructor's feedback on first draft

As a first draft, what you have here falls short (if it were submitted as the final draft, you would not pass--good thing it's not the final draft!). You have a few decent paragraphs. However, everything needs to be developed further.

Things to be improved:

1. You need to bring in dialog partners from extra research

2. You need to cover the different positions advocated in Christian circles on accepting/disciplining sinning Christians

3. You need to cover all relevant Scriptures

4. For those Scriptures you find, bring in technical commentaries as dialog partners: e.g., commentaries from the NIV Application Commentary Series, the Word Biblical Commentary Series, the New International Commentary on the New Testament Series, &/or the Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament Series

Here are some web resources that may be helpful:

http://www.sbts.edu/Resources/Publications/Journal/Winter_2000.aspx

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/special/churchdiscipline.html

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2005/august/13.31.html

http://www.the-highway.com/discipline_Mohler.html

http://www.wayoflife.org/fbns/ntdiscipline/ntdiscipline01.htm

http://marks.9marks.org/Mark7

http://www.bible.org/page.php?page_id=532

http://www.biblebb.com/files/MAC/1291.htm

http://www.geocities.com/campuschristians_tx/studies/judgenot.html

http://www.livingvinechurch.org/ds/hp931/hp931.html

http://biblical-counsel.org/qa-26t.htm

http://www.eborg2.com/HiddenJesus/HiddenJesus04.htm

http://fcfonline.org/content/1/sermons/081306M.pdf

The following is a good forum contribution from a student in my Christian Heritage online class (Erika Simpson). You may find it helpful to use her as a dialog partner:

Cloud and Townsend tell the story of how Gary found acceptance in his small group after confessing that he'd had an affair with a married woman. I believe that acceptance was exactly what he should have found in such a small, intimate group. In fact, the group members did act biblically in accepting Gary. The Scripture says “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed” (James 5:16). This implies that we can and should confide in each other so that we can overcome our shortcomings. In the event that Gary did not confess but was instead “caught” by one of the group members, he still deserves acceptance. None of us are qualified to judge anyone, only God can do that.

I recently read an interesting article by Patti Ellis, a woman who went through turmoil after finding that her son was gay. She struggled to accept him and his sin at first and then found hope that God loves and cares for her family. She states, “I knew that He loved us without conditions. I had to put aside the opinions of so many people and remember the teachings of Jesus (1).” Even though the Bible clearly states that homosexuality is a sin, we know that God must first accept these people in order to love them. Similarly, Gary should find acceptance whether he confesses or not. As Christians, we should love each other (Eph. 4:32) and do so unconditionally as Christ loves us.

The other point that I want to make is that if we expect to be shown grace and mercy, we must also show it one another. God does not condemn us for sin; instead, he forgives and gives us our entire lifetime to try and get it right. 1John 1:9 says "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Minister Pat Robertson also emphasizes this idea: “You must, out of love on one hand and godly fear on the other, try to live a life that is pleasing to Him. But the idea that one act of sin would cause someone to be thrown out of God's family is just not in agreement with the Bible” (2). Therefore, even though Gary sinned when he had an affair, he was forgiven when he confessed his sins to God. God gives him and us chance after chance to do the right thing, and after a certain amount of time, we lose our chance. However, until then, He loves us and shows us grace and mercy, and he expects us to do the same for each other.

1. Patti Ellis www.familyacceptance.com

2. Pat Robertson <http://www.cbnindia.org/200Questions/article.php?topic=6 >

Instructor's note: In response to Erika, I noted that people who disagree with her will point out instances of church discipline. For example, Paul calls the church in Corinth to deliver the sinning Christian over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh so that his spirit may be saved in the day of Christ (1 Cor 5:5). Paul also emphasizes that the church is to exercise judgment within its own membership (1 Cor 5:12-13). Jesus' famous instructions on church discipline in Matthew 18:15-17 also seem to indicate that sinning Christians should be treated as non-Christians. The Church has often struggled with how exactly to practice these instructions while keeping in mind compassion & forgiveness, especially with the purpose of promoting repentance & restoration. So you (Group A) will need to carry on the conversation & address these issues more than Erika did (I didn't expect her to as this was a once every two week forum writing assignment).