一、主耶稣作为祂教会的君王和元首，已经把行政交在教会的治理者手中，他们有别于民政官员（赛9:6-7；西1:18；提前5:17；帖前5:12；徒20:17,28；来13:7,17,24；弗4:11-12；林前12:28；太28:18-20；约18:36）。

The Lord Jesus, as king and head of His church, hath therein appointed a government in the hand of church officers, distinct from the civil magistrate.

二、天国的钥匙既被交托给这些治理者，他们凭此就有权分别留下或赦免罪恶，通过圣言和惩戒，向不悔改的人关闭天国；并在必要时，借着福音的事工和惩戒的撤销，向悔改的罪人敞开大门（太16:19；18:17-18；约20:21-23；林后2:6-8）。

To these officers the keys of the kingdom of heaven are committed, by virtue whereof they have power respectively to retain and remit sins, to shut that kingdom against the impenitent, both by the Word and censures; and to open it unto penitent sinners, by the ministry of the gospel, and by absolution from censures, as occasion shall require.

三、教会的惩戒对于挽回和得着犯罪的弟兄来说是必要的：为了阻止其他人犯类似的罪；除去可能感染全团的酵；维护基督的尊荣和对福音的圣洁宣认；避免因他们任凭恶誉昭彰和刚愎的犯罪者亵渎神的圣约和约的印记，导致神的震怒可能公正地临到教会（林前5:1-13；提前5:20；太7:6；提前1:20；林前11:27-34；犹23）。

Church censures are necessary for the reclaiming and gaining of offending brethren; for deterring of others from like offenses; for purging out of that leaven which might infect the whole lump; for vindicating the honor of Christ, and the holy profession of the gospel; and for preventing the wrath of God, which might justly fall upon the church, if they should suffer His covenant, and the seals thereof, to be profaned by notorious and obstinate offenders.

四、为了更好地达到这些目的，教会的治理者应当根据犯罪的性质和犯罪者的罪行，予以警告、暂停主的晚餐，或逐出教会的惩戒（帖前5:12；帖后3:6,14-15；林前5:4-5,13；太18:17；多3:10）。

For the better attaining of these ends, the officers of the church are to proceed by admonition, suspension from the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper for a season, and by excommunication from the church, according to the nature of the crime, and demerit of the person.