When a follower of Jesus Christ commits a moral indiscretion, what's the appropriate response from the local church?

Tragically, personal compromise is all too common these days.

Even so, the church can't afford to normalize these transgressions.

Sexual sins are egregious and can't be ignored.

Today, on Insight for Living, Chuck Swindall helps us understand the biblical model for church discipline,

delivered with compassion and with an unrelenting goal of healing and renewal for all.

Let's resume the study now in 1st Thessalonians 4. Chuck titled his message, Strengthening Your Grip on Purity.

Turn to First Thessalonians chapter four, please.

Paul has had time to think over what he said.

So he says, finally, brethren, verse 1, chapter 4, we request, even exhort you in the

Lord Jesus that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and to please God,

as actually you do walk, that you excel, excel, excel, still more.

Verse 2, for you know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.

This is the will of God, your distinction.

The fact that you are not like the Grecians and the Romans around you.

The fact that you are different, this is your distinction, God's will, namely that you abstain

from sexual immorality.

Now the Apostle doesn't just leave us with a command, he follows it up with positive counsel and then negative counsel.

Look at your Bible. Verse 4. The positive counsel that each of you know how to possess

his own vessel in sanctification and honor.

Oh, that's the positive part to know how to possess your vessel.

And I plead with you as a friend, not as a fundamentalistic pastor with a frown that

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