God’s desire for His children on earth is purity of life, hence the church should also be equally concerned about the spiritual well-being of all believers.
神期望祂在地上的孩子过圣洁的生活，所以教会也应当关注众信徒的属灵生命。
- The Purpose of church discipline 教会纪律的目的 (18:15)
It is the church’s responsibility to keep itself pure. Any believer who continues in unconfessed sin, is to be disciplined by the church. The goal of discipline is not to throw people out of the church. It is to bring the sinning brother back.
教会的责任是保持自己圣洁。若有信徒坚持不认罪悔改，继续犯罪，他就要按教会的纪律受处置。教会纪律的目标并不是要把人们赶出教会，而是将那位犯罪的弟兄挽回。
- The Process of church discipline 教会纪律的过程 (18:15-17)
The process of discipline occurs sequentially from a private one-to-one confrontation to a public confrontation before the church congregation. The testimony of the two or three witnesses is not only to confirm that sin was committed, but also to confirm that the sinning believer was properly rebuked and that he has or has not repented. If he persistently refuses to repent, the last step is to put him out of the church and treat him as an unbelieving, unrepentant outsider.
其过程是从私下一对一的对峙，延展至在教会会众面前公开的对峙。两三个人的口作见证不仅是为了要证实信徒犯了罪，也为了证明犯罪的信徒得到适当的谴责，并仍不悔改。如果他执意不悔改，最后的步骤就是把他赶出教会，并把他当作既不信也不悔改的外邦人。
- The Power of church discipline 教会纪律的权力 (18:18-20)
The church has authority to declare that sins are either forgiven (“shall be loosed”) or not forgiven (“shall be bound”) when that declaration is based on the teaching of God’s Word. When the church administers discipline according to the pattern given by Jesus, He Himself acts with them and gives them the authority and power to purify the church.
当教会是凭着神话语中的教导宣告罪得赦免（“也要释放”）与否（“也要捆绑”），她就有权柄如此行。当教会按照耶稣所给的模式实行管教，祂就与他们同在，并给予权柄和权力洁净教会。
Praying the Scripture 用经文祷告
- “For the moment, all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:11). Have you ever been disciplined by other believers, whether privately or publicly? Read Hebrews 12:5-11 again to see the purpose of discipline.
“凡管教的事，当时不觉得快乐，反觉得愁苦；后来却为那经练过的人结出平安的果子，就是义”（来12:11）。你是否曾被其他信徒私下或公开管教？请再次阅读《希伯来书》12章5至11节了解管教的目的。
- “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness” (Gal. 6:1a). Have you ever confronted other believers when you see them in sin? Let’s pray that God will give us a spirit of wisdom and gentleness to love other believers when they sin and restore them again.
“弟兄们，若有人偶然被过犯所胜，你们属灵的人就当用温柔的心把他挽回过来”（加6:1）。当你看到其他信徒犯罪时，你是否上前劝告他们呢？让我们祈求主给予我们一颗负有智慧和温柔的心来爱正在罪中的信徒，将他们再次挽回。
- “For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy” (Lev. 11:44a). Let’s pray for the sanctification and purity of the church, that we may be light and salt of the earth for His glory.
“我是耶和华─你们的神；所以你们要成为圣洁，因为我是圣洁的”（利11:44）。让我们为教会的圣洁祷告，叫我们能为神的荣耀，作世上的光和盐。
