Excommunication – Form 1

Dear brothers and sisters in the Lord Jesus Christ:
As you know, we have announced to you the great sin committed and the grievous offense given by our fellow member, __________, to the end that, by your Christian admonitions and prayers, he/she might come to his/her senses, turn to God, and “escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will” (2 Tim. 2:26).

But to our great sorrow, no one has yet appeared before us who has caused us to understand that, by the frequent admonitions given to him/her (in private, before witnesses, and in the presence of many), he/she has come to any sorrow for his/her sin or has shown the least evidence of true repentance. Since, then, by his/her stubbornness, he/she daily aggravates his/her transgression, which in itself is not small, and since we made known to you the last time that in case he/she did not repent, after such patience shown him/her by the church, we should be constrained further to grieve for him/her and to come to the extreme remedy, we are therefore at the present time compelled to proceed to his/her excommunication. We do this according to the command and charge given us in God’s holy Word. Our purpose is that he/she may be ashamed of his/her sins, that by this corrupt and as yet unrepentant member we may not put the whole body of the church in danger, and that God’s name may not be blasphemed but reverenced.

Pronouncement of Excommunication

Therefore, the consistory, acting in the name and under the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, declares before you all that for the reasons previously announced we hereby excommunicate __________ from the church of the Lord; that, so long as he/she persists obstinately and impenitently in his/her sins, he/she is excluded from the fellowship of Christ, of the holy sacraments, and of all the spiritual blessings and benefits which God promises to and bestows upon His church; and that he is to be considered by you as an unbeliever, who is outside of the church (cf. Matt. 18:17), according to the command of Christ, who says, “Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven” (Matt. 18:18).

Exhortation

Further, we exhort you, brothers and sisters, that you no longer have Christian fellowship with this unrepentant sinner (cf. 1 Cor. 5:11), recognizing that this person has been excluded from the communion of the church. Yet, when opportunity allows, treat this individual as one who needs the gospel (cf. 2 Thess. 3:15).

In the meantime, let everyone take warning by this and similar examples to fear the Lord and diligently to take heed: “let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Cor. 10:12). Having true fellowship with the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, together with all believing Christians, remain “firm to the end” (Heb. 3:14), “obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls” (1 Peter 1:9). Guard yourselves, then, against the least beginnings of evil, and, according to the admonition of the apostle, “let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith” (Heb. 12:1–2). “Be sober-minded; be watchful” (1 Peter 5:8); “pray that you may not enter into temptation” (Luke 22:46). “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts” (Heb. 4:7), but “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil. 2:12). Let everyone repent of his sin, lest our God humble us again and we be obliged to mourn for some of you; but may you, with one accord living in godliness, be our crown and joy in the Lord.

But since “it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13), let us call upon His holy name with confession of our sins.

Prayer of Confession

O righteous God, merciful Father, before Your high majesty we blame ourselves for our sins and acknowledge that we have justly deserved the sorrow and pain caused us by the excommunication of this fellow member. Indeed, if You were to enter into judgment with us, we would all deserve to be excluded and banished from Your presence on account of our great transgression.

But, O Lord, be gracious to us for Christ’s sake; forgive us our trespasses, for we heartily repent of them; and work in our hearts an ever-increasing measure of sorrow for them, that we, fearing the judgments that You bring upon the stiff-necked, may endeavor to please You. Grant that we may avoid all pollution of the world and of those who are excluded from the communion of the church, in order that we may not make ourselves partakers of their sins, and that he/she who is excommunicated may become ashamed of his/her sins.

Since You do not desire the death of the sinner, but that he/she may repent and live, and since the bosom of Your church is always open for those who return, we ask You to kindle in our hearts a godly zeal, so that we, with good Christian admonitions and example, may seek to bring back this excommunicated person, together with all those who through unbelief and recklessness of life go astray. Add Your blessing to our admonitions, that we thereby may have reason to rejoice again in them for whom we must now mourn, and that thus Your holy name may be praised, through our Lord Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray:

Congregation:
Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.