goal of disfellowship

2 Thessalonians 3:14-15 (JDV)

2 Thessalonians 3:14 If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take note of that person; don’t associate with him, so that he may be ashamed.
2 Thessalonians 3:15 Yet don’t consider him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.

goal of disfellowship

The shame of disfellowship was intended to warn a brother who was being a bad witness. It was not a political statement, or a means of separating the sheep and the goats before judgment day. There was to be no “us” and “them” within the congregation. The assembly was not a place for warfare.

If there are brothers among us who are not walking the walk, we may have to step back from them, in order to shame them, and in order to not give the impression that we condone their backsliding. But our goal should always be to gain back a brother, not to mark an enemy.

Lord, forgive us for making your congregation a place where there are factions and divisions.