Matthew 18 and the Voice of Christ’s People

The Congregation’s Calling in Church Discipline

The Lord’s Day is a weekly reminder that Christ has called His people together—not only to worship, but also to walk together in holiness, love, and mutual responsibility. One of the clearest places this shared responsibility appears is in the way Scripture describes church discipline.

This article explores how every church member has a real, God-given role in matters of discipline and how that fits with the leadership of elders. We’ll especially focus on Matthew 18:12–20, and along the way we’ll see that Christ entrusts His church—not just its officers—with a weighty stewardship.

Why Talk About Congregationalism?

When people hear “congregationalism,” they often think of congregational business meetings, votes, and maybe some bad memories of contentious debates. But biblically, congregationalism is not about giving the church a political flavor. It’s about recognizing that:

Christ has given real authority to the local church,
Ordinary members have real responsibility in major matters, and
That responsibility extends beyond “voting with your feet.”

Many churches functionally say: “Of course the congregation has a voice—if they don’t like what’s happening, they can leave.” But that is not the New Testament pattern. Scripture shows a structured, meaningful way for the congregation to hear, weigh, call to repentance, and even exclude someone from membership when necessary.

That doesn’t diminish the role of elders. Instead, it raises the shared expectation that every member matters and every member has a duty when Christ’s church must act as Christ’s earthly court.

Two Tracks of Church Discipline in Scripture

When we talk about discipline, two key passages usually come to mind:

Matthew 18:15–20 – The ordinary pattern for dealing with sin between believers.
1 Corinthians 5 – The fast-track category for notorious, scandalous sin “not even tolerated among pagans” (such as gross sexual immorality or violent crime).

Matthew 18 describes the normal, step-by-step process.
1 Corinthians 5 describes the extraordinary process when the sin is so notorious and public that a rapid, decisive response is necessary.

For example:
If a church member is credibly found to have committed a violent hate crime, the church does not slowly “work through the steps” for months while he remains in good standing. That’s the kind of situation 1 Corinthians 5 addresses—a sin so heinous and public that immediate excommunication, with a call to repentance, is warranted.

This article focuses on Matthew 18, the normal path, to show how congregational involvement is built in from the beginning.

The Heart of Discipline: The Shepherd’s Pursuit (Matthew 18:12–14)

Before Jesus gives the step-by-step instructions, He gives a picture:

“If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? … He rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.” (Matt. 18:12–14)

This sets the tone for everything that follows:

Church discipline is shepherding, not personal vendetta.
The goal is restoration, not humiliation.
We are going after a beloved sheep, not hunting down an enemy.

If we miss this context, Matthew 18 can feel like a cold procedure. But Christ frames it as a rescue mission. Discipline is the way the Good Shepherd uses His people to pursue wandering sheep.

Step One: Private Confrontation – Your Personal Duty (Matthew 18:15)

“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.” (Matt. 18:15)

A few things stand out here:

It’s your job to go.
The responsibility is not first on the sinner to “figure it out” and initiate reconciliation. Christ puts the weight on the one sinned against: “go and tell him.”
It is private.
- “Between you and him alone.”
- This rules out the “care and share gossip” disguised as prayer requests:
  - “We really need to pray for so-and-so; let me tell you all the details of their sin.”
- The aim is to protect their name as much as possible.
The goal is to gain your brother.
- You are not trying to win an argument.
- You’re trying to win a person back to full fellowship.

Imagine if most sins were handled this way—quietly, prayerfully, lovingly, directly. Most discipline would never become public. And that’s exactly how it ought to be when repentance comes quickly.

What Counts as “Actual Sin”?

This is important. We are not called to confront every annoyance, preference, or difference in conviction.

When we say “actual sin,” we mean:

Something clearly forbidden in Scripture,
Not a matter of Christian liberty or personal taste.

Examples of things that are not necessarily church-disciplined sins:

A member believes Christians may drink alcohol in moderation; another believes they should abstain. That is a liberty issue, not a clear sin in itself.
Differences on certain complex questions (e.g., legitimate grounds for remarriage) can exist inside a church without leading to accusations that anyone with a different view must not be a Christian.

But if Scripture speaks plainly—violence, sexual immorality, theft, slander, hatred, abuse—those are not “gray areas.” Those are sins. Where the Word is clear, the church must be clear.

So, before confronting:

Ask: Can I point to chapter and verse?
Ask: Is this a matter of wisdom or liberty—or a clear violation of God’s law?

Step Two: Bringing Witnesses (Matthew 18:16)

“But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.” (Matt. 18:16)

If private confrontation doesn’t lead to repentance, Jesus gives the next step:

You add one or two others.
These witnesses:
- Hear the facts.
- Confirm what is being said.
- Help ensure this is not a “he said, she said” situation.
The circle remains small.
- These additional people are not a gossip committee.
- They still keep things confidential.
- If the brother listens and repents at this stage, it stops here. The matter is resolved within a tight circle, and the church is spared unnecessary scandal.
Serious patterns require heightened response.
- Some sins are so serious (e.g., domestic violence, child abuse) that, even if you began under Matthew 18, any repetition would swiftly escalate.
- In some cases, such sins may properly be handled under the 1 Corinthians 5 “notorious sin” pattern, not a slow, repeated Matthew 18 cycle.
- Civil authorities may need to be involved, especially where the law requires it or where others are in danger.

The witnesses are there for protection—protection of the accused person from false charges, and protection of the accuser from being dismissed if the charge is valid.

Step Three: Tell It to the Church (Matthew 18:17)

“If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church.” (Matt. 18:17a)

Here is the crucial question: What does “the church” mean?

It does not mean a distant hierarchical figure (a “pope” or a denominational officer).
It does not mean simply “tell it to the elders and stop there.”
The word points to the local congregation—the gathered people.

Historically, some translations even use the word “congregation” to make that explicit. The idea is that the matter is finally brought before the assembled body.

Practically, this means:

The elders help order the process.
- They call a congregational meeting.
- They chair the meeting.
- They call witnesses, present the matter, and help ensure biblical order.
The congregation receives the case.
- They hear the facts.
- They evaluate: Is this truly sin according to Scripture?
- They consider whether the person is indeed unrepentant.

In this sense, the congregation functions a bit like a jury—not in a cold legalistic sense, but in the sense that the gathered saints bear the responsibility of recognizing what Christ has already judged in His Word.

The Congregation’s Active Role

When the matter is “told to the church,” the congregation is not there to passively watch the elders handle everything. Scripture lays out at least three active congregational responsibilities:

Hearing and Weighing the Evidence

The church must discern:

Is this truly a biblical sin?
Is the accusation substantiated by proper witnesses?
Is the person indeed refusing to repent?

If the matter turns out to be petty or a misjudgment, the congregation can effectively say, “This is not a sin issue; it should not be treated as such,” and the case can be dismissed.

Calling the Person to Repentance

There should be:

A period of time where members personally go to the individual,
Calling him or her to repent,
Pleading with them as a brother or sister.

This assumes something very practical:

For us to “all do our duty,” there must be enough time for every member who is able to speak with that person.

Each member should think:
“I can’t assume everyone else is doing this. I am part of this church. I have sworn covenantal commitments. I must go, plead, and pray.”

Voting in the Final Action

Ultimately, excommunication (or the equivalent formal action) involves:

The congregation, by vote, affirming that excommunication must take place, and
The elders then publicly pronouncing that judgment.

The elders do not act independently of the church. They do not gather privately and then simply announce, “We excommunicated so-and-so; there was no congregational input or vote.” That undermines Christ’s pattern in Matthew 18, where the decisive final step involves “the church” treating the person as “a Gentile and a tax collector.”

Treating Someone “as a Gentile and a Tax Collector”

“…and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.” (Matt. 18:17b)

What does that mean?

It does not mean we hate them or become cruel.
It does not mean we never speak to them again.

Instead:

We no longer comfort them with the hope of the gospel as if nothing is wrong.
We no longer speak to them as a brother or sister in Christ.
We relate to them as someone outside the household of faith, praying earnestly for their repentance and conversion (or restoration).

Our posture becomes:

“We love you, but we cannot affirm your profession of faith while you remain unrepentant in this sin. We plead with you to repent and be reconciled to God and to the church.”

In other words, the relational temperature changes. We no longer behave as if this is simply a minor disagreement among believers.

The Keys of the Kingdom: Binding and Loosing (Matthew 18:18–20)

“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. Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” (Matt. 18:18–20)

These verses are often taken out of context—used to justify any kind of group prayer or special spiritual authority any time two Christians are together. But in context, Jesus is talking about church discipline.

Binding and Loosing

Binding – declaring that a person’s sin remains upon them; that they stand outside the visible fellowship of Christ’s church.
Loosing – declaring that the person is forgiven and restored to fellowship upon repentance.

The church does not create these realities in heaven. Rather:

The church, rightly exercising the keys, is recognizing on earth what Christ has already judged in heaven.
When the church formally excommunicates, it is saying:
“As far as we can see by Scripture, the kingdom door stands closed to you so long as you persist in this unrepentant sin.”
When the church restores a repentant sinner, it is saying:
“We recognize Christ’s forgiving work and gladly receive you again as a brother.”

Christ Himself assures the church:

“Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

This is not a general “campfire verse” about small gatherings. It is a promise to His gathered church, especially as it exercises discipline:

“When you act according to My Word, I am present, I am ruling, and your actions on earth reflect My will in heaven.”

How Elders and Congregation Work Together

So where do elders fit?

Elders rule and shepherd. They:
- Guard doctrine.
- Lead in discipline processes.
- Call and oversee congregational meetings.
- Frame and present cases clearly.
- Pronounce the formal acts (e.g., excommunication) once the church has concurred.
The congregation exercises Christ-given authority. They:
- Hear and weigh charges.
- Call the person to repentance.
- Vote on whether excommunication is necessary.

This is sometimes called “concurrence”—elders and congregation acting together in harmony, not in competition.

You could think of it, loosely, like the relationship between a Senate and a House (minus the dysfunction). Both are necessary; both have distinct roles; neither is a mere rubber stamp for the other.

What About Other Churches and Social Media?

Sometimes the situation extends beyond your own congregation.

Christians in Other Churches

Suppose you see a friend who belongs to another church committing serious, obvious sin:

You do still have a duty to lovingly confront them.
Your duty is strongest toward the members of your own church (to whom you are covenanted), but you still bear concern for all believers.

For “normal” sins—sharp words, everyday failures—you don’t call their pastor every time. All Christians sin, and that is not the standard.

But for notorious sin—abuse, serious crimes, persistent public scandal—it may be appropriate to:

Confront them.
Tell them plainly: “This is serious. I am going to inform your pastor.”
Contact their church leadership so they can fulfill their duties.

That’s not being a busybody. That’s being a faithful brother who refuses to let someone hide destructive sin behind a church membership.

Social Media

Many of these issues are magnified online:

Public sin on social media can damage Christ’s name quickly.
But again, you must distinguish between:
- Personal annoyances or disagreements, and
- Clear, egregious sin.

When sin is clear and serious, a direct, private message (when possible), followed by appropriate steps, is better than public shaming or vague posts.

The Hope and Goal of Discipline

All of this might sound heavy—and it is. Discipline is not a light matter. But rightly understood, it is a profoundly loving ministry.

It protects the purity of the church Christ bought with His blood.
It seeks the good of the sinner, not his destruction.
It maintains trust and unity among members, who can look around and say,
“We are holding one another accountable. We take sin seriously because we take Christ seriously.”

Even when someone is excommunicated, we do not give up hope:

God often uses the pain and isolation of discipline to bring a person to repentance later.
When that happens, the church’s joy in restoration shines the mercy of Christ all the brighter.

Every Member’s Part

If Matthew 18 is true—and it is—then every member has a vital role when discipline is needed.

Do not assume “the elders will take care of it.”
Do not shrug and “vote with your feet.”
Do not let fear of being seen as “nosy” stop you from obeying Christ when there is clear, serious sin.