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"We believe in and confess a visible Church of God, consisting of those who … have truly repented, rightly believed, are rightly baptized, are united with God in heaven, and incorporated with the communion of the saints on earth. And these, we confess, are a 'chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation': who have the testimony that they are the 'bride' of Christ; yea, that they are 'children and heirs of eternal life,' a 'habitation of God though the spirit,' built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, of which 'Christ himself is the chief cornerstone'—"the foundation on which his Church is built" (Article 8, "of the Church of Christ").

All the plain churches emphasize Nachfolge Christi—following Christ in discipleship. They believe that true Christian disciples are the visible people of God, fully committed to faithfully serving Christ as they walk in newness of life. Christ is not just a Savior who gives forgiveness from sin, but the Lord of all life who will be lovingly obeyed. The fruits of the Spirit are evidence of a regenerated heart.

The church's primary calling is to be a separated people of God, as expressed in Ephesians 5:27, "a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." Those members who forsake the faith and fall into sin must be dealt with in order to maintain the purity and unity of the church. In disciplining those who stray, the church carefully follows the directives of Matthew 18. If the sinner, after every effort has been made at reconciliation, does not repent, he or she must be disciplined. The hope is that when this is done in the spirit of love, the wayward soul will see the seriousness of his or her sin and have a change of heart.

But discipline is not just for the offender. It is also seen as a protection for the whole church: "A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump" (1 Corinthians 5:6). If the church tolerates sin, this affects the whole body. The purity of the church must be protected at all cost, regardless of any pain and distress experienced by individuals. The plain people see the excommunication of members who have fallen into sin as an act of love for the church, removing occasion for those outside the ranks to speak evil of her—"and of Christ.

All Anabaptists believe that members who have been cut off from the body can be reattached if confession and repentance first occurs. Some of the groups, however, go to greater lengths to help this come to pass. The Amish and a few groups of Mennonites (Holdeman, Stauffer, Reformed) see Paul as teaching a kind of "tough love" in 2 Thessalonians 3:14, 15—"Do not associate with [the disobedient one], in order that he may feel ashamed. Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother."

These stricter Anabaptists interpret 1 Corinthians 5:11, "With such a man [a brother who has fallen into serious sin] do not even eat," quite literally. They believe the passage refers not just to the Lord's Supper but to any common table, and so they enjoin the disciplinary practice of "shunning," even within the family of the offender.

This is a strict measure, to be sure. But it is meted out not in the spirit of retributive punishment, but rather out of a desire to jolt the rebellious brother or sister back to their senses, as they taste the pain of separation from the body of believers and see that it will extend into eternity if they do not repent.

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October (Web-only) 2006, Vol. 50