WCF 30.4

Westminster Confession of Faith

30.4. Of Church Censures

For the better attaining of these ends, the officers of the Church are to proceed by admonition; suspension from the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper for a season; and by excommunication from the Church; according to the nature of the crime, and demerit of the person.

Proof texts

1 Thess. 5:12 — [12] We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you,
2 Thess. 3:6, 14, 15 — [6] Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. [14] If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. [15] Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.
1 Cor. 5:4, 5, 13 — [4] When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, [5] you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord. [13] God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”
Matt. 18:17 — [17] If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.
Tit. 3:10

For discussion

The Assembly cited 1 Thess. 5:12 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…