WCF 30.3

Westminster Confession of Faith

30.3. Of Church Censures

Church censures are necessary, for the reclaiming and gaining of offending brethren, for deterring of others from the like offences, for purging out of that leaven which might infect the whole lump, for vindicating the honour of Christ, and the holy profession of the Gospel, and for preventing the wrath of God, which might justly fall upon the Church, if they should suffer His covenant and the seals thereof to be profaned by notorious and obstinate offenders.

Proof texts

1 Cor. 5 chap.
1 Tim. 5:20 — [20] As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear.
Matt. 7:6 — [6] “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.
1 Tim. 1:20 — [20] among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.
1 Cor. 11:27 to the end, with Jude 23

For discussion

The Assembly cited 1 Cor. 5 chap. in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
5 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?
HC Q83 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
HC Q84 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?

Read alongside

HC Q83 · HC Q84 · HC Q85 · BC 7.4 · BC 7.5 · BC 7.6 · SC60 6.1 · SC60 6.2 · SC60 6.3 · SC60 6.4 · SC60 6.5 · IAR 7.1 · SHC 6.1 · SHC 6.2

Leader's notes

A Commentary on the Confession of Faith (A.A. Hodge): These Sections teach — 1st. As to the nature and extent of the power conferred upon the Church of admitting and excluding from the fold, and of disciplining its members. 2d. As to the ends of this discipline. 3d. As to the methods through which it should be administered. All Church power must be exercised in an orderly manner through the officers spoken of above, freely chosen for this purpose by the brethren ; and it relates— " 1. To matters of doctrine. She has a right to set forth a public declaration of the truths which she believes, and which are to be acknowledged by dll who enter her communion. That is, she has a right to frame creeds…

An Exposition of the Confession of Faith (Robert Shaw): In opposition to the Erastians, who assign the power of inflicting the censures of the Church to the civil magistrate, our Confession here affirms, that the keys of the kingdom of heaven are committed to the officers whom Christ has appointed in his Church. " I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven," said Christ to Peter, " and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." — Matt. xvi. 19. By " the keys of the kingdom of heaven," we are to understand the power and authority of exercising government and discipline in the Church; in virtue of which, those…