Restoration Of Offenders
Restoration Of Offenders
In the discipline of the Apostolic Church the restoration of the offender was the main idea and that of punishment subordinate. Even excommunication was not final, if the expelled member, conscious of guilt, was led to repentance and reformation. The Christian Church has the right and the authority to admit, to exclude, to re-admit suitable persons to its privileges. This is seen clearly in the case of the Corinthian offender (2Co 2:5-11).
A general rule is laid down in Gal 6:1 -Brethren, even if a man be overtaken in any trespass (flagrante delicto), ye which are spiritual, restore () such a one in a spirit of meekness; looking to thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bengel, in his comment upon the word brethren, says, a whole argument lies hidden under this one word (cf. Gal 3:15; Gal 4:12; Gal 6:18). Some (e.g. Lightfoot) think that the Corinthian case was before the mind of St. Paul. Others (e.g. Ramsay) reject this idea.
(to make , fit, sound, complete) is a surgical term used of setting a broken bone or a dislocated joint. It may be used to refer to the repair of material or spiritual damage; e.g., mending nets (Mat 4:21, Mar 1:19); setting up walls (Ezr 4:12); removing State factions (Herod. v. 28); righting spiritual calamity (Gal 6:1). Spiritual restoration is gradual, but it may become complete. All the powers of the sinner may be combined harmoniously, all defects supplied, all faults amended, so that the restored one is fitted perfectly for service (1Co 1:10 Gr. 1Th 3:10, Heb 10:5; Heb 11:3; Heb 13:21, 1Pe 5:10; cf. Luk 6:40, Herod. v. 106. See Eph 4:12, ; 2Co 13:9, , Vulg. [Note: Vulgate.] consummatio; cf. Ign. Ephesians 2, Phil. 8, Smyrn. 1, Mart. Ign. 4). As the many members of the body in each believer must be fitly framed together, so believers themselves must he brought into harmonious relationship in Christs body the Church, and this mainly through the duly appointed ministers of the Church (Eph 4:11-12). The enumeration is not of classes of persons or formal offices, but of classes of functions, is Horts comment on Eph 4:11 (The Christian Ecclesia, 1897, p. 166).
This work must be carried out by the spiritual ( ; cf. 1Co 2:13; 1Co 2:15; 1Co 3:1), believers in general as well as the ministry. It must be done in the spirit of meekness, which will counteract any tendency to vainglory or feeling of superiority. Here seems immediately to refer to the state of the inward spirit as wrought upon by the Holy Spirit, and ultimately to the Holy Spirit as the in working power; cf. Rom 1:4; Rom 8:15, 2Co 4:13, Eph 1:17, in all which cases seems to indicate the Holy Spirit, and the abstract gen. the specific (C. J. Ellicott, on Gal 6:1).
The doctrine of the final restoration of all offenders cannot be based upon texts of Scripture. Upon this point there is an almost general agreement. Those who advocate this theory base it upon other foundations than biblical texts which deal with the subject of restoration in general or the restoration of offenders at particular.
H. Cariss J. Sidnell.