If God is the giver of every good and perfect gift (cf. James 1:17), discipline is a gift from God that he offers His children. Such a gift is His way to perfect and finish the work that he started in us to conform us to His Son’s image. Since God’s discipline is not physically taking a paddle to my back end, how can I know His discipline and when it may be applied? Discipline requires a knowledge of the Word and some vigilant thought and awareness of life’s experiences to respond to it properly. If God deals with us as children that he loves, then we can expect “sorrowful” discipline. The Hebrew writer explains that He disciplines us for our good that we may share His holiness (Hebrews 12:7-10). Such discipline is a gift from God but may involve very painful lessons from mistakes that we make or the consequences of failing faith.
Such discipline comes directly from the hand of God or indirectly through human agency. In God’s providence, circumstances and experiences of life can provide much discipline. We must be in tune with it to recognize it when it comes. Discipline may take the form of rebuke or withdrawal from a brother or sister in Christ (cf. Gal. 6:1, 1 Cor. 5). It may merely be the reading of Scripture that addresses a sin about which you need conviction, in which case its effect may not even be known by the teacher. At other times, we may observe the outcome of the lives of others and come to realize that we are following the same course. The truth of God and concerning ourselves brings us to the point of conviction.
Of course, if God visited with us and gave us necessary correction, we would take it to heart more readily and not treat his words lightly. But, when a child or an equal corrects us or shares the truth, we may disregard it as being from God’s hand, especially if the person was ill-mannered or if we have jealousy in our hearts. So, the Hebrew writer wishes to remind us to not treat his discipline lightly and disregard it. This being true, we must realize that part of our responsibility toward each other is to hold each other accountable and speak the truth in love.
Further, when rejected, we must withdraw ourselves from the present fellowship of the unrepentant (cf. 1 Cor. 5, 2 Thess. 3). This is applied individually. When multiple individuals come to the same knowledge of the impenitent brother or sister, the action is still applied individually. Ideally, all who are aware follow the same action but whether anyone else is withdrawing from that person or not, we are individually accountable to do so. In fact, we may not know if anyone else is following the Lord’s will in regard to the unrepentant soul. It does not describe collective action, as is represented in what is termed “church discipline.” It is the responsibility of each saint and is neither determined by the activity or inactivity of anyone else, nor the decisions of any ruling corporate body.