Why Disfellowshipping Is a Loving Provision

TWO FACTORS THAT LEAD TO DISFELLOWSHIPPING

Two factors-which must coincide-result in the disfellowshipping of one of Jehovah's Witnesses. First, a baptized Witness commits a serious sin. Second, he does not repent of his sin. 

Although Jehovah does not demand perfection from us, he does have a standard of holiness that  he expects his servants to meet. For example, Jehovah insists that we avoid such serious sins as sexual immorality, idolatry, thievery, extortion, murder, and spiritism. -1 Corinthians 6:9,10; Revelation 21:8. 

Would you not agree that Jehovah's clean standards are reasonable and that they serve to protect us?  Who does not prefer to live among peaceful, decent people who can be trusted? We find such an environment among our spiritual brothers and sisters, thanks to the promise we make at the time of our dedication to God to live in harmony with the guidelines found in his Word. 

But what if a baptized Christian commits a serious sin because of human weakness?  Faithful servants of Jehovah in the past made such mistakes, yet God did not reject them outright.  King David is a prime example. David committed adultery and murder; yet, the prophet Nathan informed him: "Jehovah . . .forgives your sin." -2 Samuel 12:13. 

God pardoned David's sin because of David's  sincere repentance.  (Psalm 32:1-5) Likewise, a servant of Jehovah today will be disfellowshipped only if he is unrepentant or continues to practice what is bad.  (Acts 3:19; 26:20) If genuine repentance is not manifest to the elders who serve on a judicial committee, they must disfellowship the person. 

At first, we may feel that the decision to disfellowship  the wrongdoer is drastic or even unkind, especially if we have close ties to that person. Nevertheless, Jehovah's Word gives us sound reasons for believing that such a decision is a loving one. 

Next time: Why Disfellowshipping Is a Loving Provision - DISFELLOWSHIPPING CAN BENEFIT EVERYONE CONCERNED

From the Watchtower magazine