By "discipline" we mean the general exercise of care in the government of God’s house which He
has committed to His people. It includes the simplest forms of brotherly advice to the more public
correction and reproof in the assembly, as well as the final, though sometimes necessary,
exclusion from the fellowship of the saints. Let us consider here some aspects of brotherly care
and oversight, which, if adhered to in each assembly of God’s people, would go a long way
toward eliminating the need for the more public and extreme forms of discipline.

Brotherly Care in General

When our Lord had restored His wandering sheep, Peter, He transferred the expression of Peter’s
devotion to Himself to love and care for His lambs and sheep. When the good Samaritan had
found and ministered to the man who had fallen among thieves, he brought him to an inn and
provided for his care. Salvation is the blessed beginning of a work to be carried on until its
culmination at the coming of the Lord. This work includes instruction, care, and correction in the
power of the Holy Spirit, as ministered by Him through the various members of the body of
Christ. "The members should have the same care one for another" (1 Cor. 12:25).

The primary exercise of this care is in the administration of suited food, suggested in the words
of our Lord, "Feed My lambs." It proceeds from this to the putting forth of the safeguards of love
suggested in the words, "Shepherd My sheep." And lest this should be thought to be the only
exercise necessary for the welfare of the sheep, our Lord reverts, in His last response to Peter,
to the simplicity of the first, "Feed My Sheep."

Feeding them naturally occupies the first place. When a soul has passed from death unto life, die
first care is to see that it is built up by "the sincere milk of the Word," Thus growth is assured.
How delightful a privilege it is to be permitted to exercise this care for the beloved lambs and
sheep of the flock of Christ. It is a service in which all may have a share, while those who have
special gifts in the way of teaching may rejoice to fulfill their ministry.

In the assemblies of God’s people we need ever to remember that this care is the first necessity.
Without it, it is well-nigh impossible to exercise discipline, even in its simplest forms. If saints
are not properly nourished, they become so spiritually anemic as to be oversensitive to the
slightest form of brotherly admonition or rebuke. They are practically too weak to know the
blessedness of the service of John 13_"Ye also ought to wash one another’s feet." Let us see to
it then that there is a full, constant stream of supply of the pure milk of the Word in suited
ministry to the varied needs of the saints so that they are built up on their most holy faith and
nourished in the words of faith, thus increasing by the true knowledge of God.

The Exercise of Brotherly Care and Oversight

The young believer is exposed to special dangers in three directions:from the flesh within, from
the world about, and from Satan who is constantly seeking to make use of the flesh and the world
to seduce the soul from the simplicity as to Christ. The very instincts of love will lead us to look

after and care for the lambs of the flock. Indeed, these have been entrusted to us, and we may ask
if one reason why more are not added to the companies of the saints gathered to the Lord’s name
may not be found in the lack of the exercise of that love which will care for them.

The first element of this care is suggested in the thought of watchfulness:"They watch for your
souls, as they that must give account" (Heb. 13:17). Every shepherd watches his sheep. Not to
do so would be to open the way for the attack of the wolf. Care should be taken as to simplest
matters; such, for instance, as the attendance of the saints at the regular meetings, their personal
walk and associations, and other matters of a similar kind. We realize at once that we are here
upon delicate ground, which suggests a limitation to this form of care.

While watchful, we are not to be suspicious. A gracious and loving oversight is farthest removed
from a restless, inquisitive, meddlesome spirit. We are not to suspect the existence of evil without
proper ground; and in the brotherly care and oversight suggested here we are to guard against the
imputation of wrong motives or the suspicion of that which has not been manifested.

To be explicit, if a young saint is frequently absent from meetings it would clearly not be wise or
right to suspect that the cause was a lack of interest. Rather, let the matter be approached in the
spirit of confidence, in the love that thinketh no evil. Thus, instead of asking impertinent
questions, it would rather be the way of love to keep in touch with the person about whose walk
we were concerned, and seek to win the confidence. This will suffice to suggest the spirit in which
a whole class of brotherly care should be exercised. We do not dwell further upon it save to
remind our reader that we are prone to swing to opposite extremes _of indifference on the one
hand, or on the other to intrude into what we have no right, unless first approached by the one we
seek to help.

Correcting Manifest Failure or Weakness

The command of the law was, "And thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbor, and not suffer
sin upon him" (Lev. 19:17). That which is commanded under grace in John 13_to wash one
another’s feet_will be the effort of a true love in exercise. Alas, how often are we occupied with
evil in others without personal exercise; speaking about them rather than to them; so far from
affording any help, alienating them, should they hear of our speaking behind their backs.

The simple courage of love will go to the brother who is in fault, first having sought the mind of
the Lord in prayer for him and ourselves. Then, in the spirit of Gal. 6, "If a man be overtaken in
a fault, ye which are spiritual restore such a one in the spirit of meekness."

The confidence of the brother has been won; he has no thought that we wish either to humiliate
him or to exalt ourselves. We bring him the simple Word of God, applying it to the matter in
question_of his walk, association, or whatever it may be. Our one object is his recovery; and in
all the grace and yearning of a heart in communion with Christ we seek to shepherd His beloved
sheep. This is indeed blessed and yet most delicate work, requiring nothing short of the grace of
our Lord for its proper accomplishment. This is what He suggests in the words, "If I then, your
Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another’s feet" (John 13:14).

(From The Limits of Discipline.)