The End of Church Discipline

The Bible is replete with language which testifies to the existence both of the Kingdom of God and of the Kingdom of Satan. We read:

• The Kingdom of God/heaven, Matthew 4:17.
• The throne of God, Matthew 5:34; Revelation 7:15.
• The armies of God, Isaiah 1:24.
• The authority of God to rule, Psalm 146:10.
• Captains, Joshua 5:14-15.
• Soldiers, Philippians 2:25; 2 Timothy 2:3-4.
• Warfare, 2 Corinthians 10:3-6.
• Weapons, 2 Corinthians 10:3-6.
• Armor, Ephesians 6:13-20.
• Fiery missiles of the evil one, Ephesians 6:16.
• Angelic clashes with demons, Daniel 10:12-13.
• Military schemes/strategies, Ephesians 6:11.
• A clash between the children of God and the servants of Satan, Revelation 16:13-14.

Ephesians 6:12, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

2 Corinthians 10:3, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.”

Truly, there is a war that is raging, a war whose focus and prize not only is the glory, honor, and authority of God but also the souls of men. Now there are times when the kingdom of Satan wins a decisive victory and a member of a body of Christ defects. In this case, what is our responsibility toward the one who has defected? How do we go about reclaiming that one?