Zeal for God’s House: The Motivation for Christian Discipline
Rev. Cammenga argues that Christian discipline is a vital but neglected responsibility of the church, grounding his case in Christ's cleansing of the temple and the church's calling to exercise the keys of the kingdom. He challenges the widespread laxity in church membership and practice, calling believers to zealous faithfulness in maintaining the purity of God's house through faithful discipline and restoration of impenitent members.
Introduction The first official act of Jesus’ public ministry was His cleansing of the temple. Jesus and His disciples went up to Jerusalem in order to celebrate the Passover. While in Jerusalem, they found in the temple the buyers and sellers of animals and those who were changing the money. Jesus made a scourge, a whip. With that whip He drove out those who were buying and selling oxen, sheep, and doves, and He overturned the tables of the moneychangers. The Lord Jesus Christ drove out...