Chapter VII: CONCERNING THE USE OF EXCOMMUNICATION

CONCERNING THE USE OF EXCOMMUNICATION

Because weeds are mixed with the Church of Christ, Christ has given His Church authority to excommunicate such weeds when they show themselves by intolerable crimes and sins against the commandment of the Lord, in order that as much as possible the Church may keep her appearance unspotted. This is the reason we use excommunication in the Church. But the Christian Church excommunicates solely for the sake of the reclamation of offenders, and consequently it gladly receives them again after they have put away their scandalous life and have improved.

Scripture: Matthew 18:15; 1 Corinthians 5:3; 2 Thessalonians 3:6; 2 Thessalonians 3:14; 1 Timothy 1:19 · 2 Corinthians 2:6; 1 Timothy 1:20