The Church
Authority and discipline
The Lord Jesus, as King and Head of His Church, apart from any other king or head [408], gave it spiritual power and authority over visible and invisible rulers [409], enabling it to bind and to loose. The Lord Jesus entrusted the Church with the preaching of the Gospel and the celebration of worship [410]. Its ministers have received the keys of the Kingdom of heaven [411] in order to lead sinners to salvation and to discipline the members gently far from any passion and wickedness [412]. For this purpose God supplied commandments and precepts in order for them to use their power legitimately [413], to correct brothers who have sinned and to bring them back to their senses [414], to prevent others from committing the same sins [415], to keep the Church from any profanity [416], and to have the sound doctrine of the Lord honoured in its whole [417].
The members of the Church must submit to the disciplinary decisions of the Church and persevere in fellowship [418], hoping that the lost sinner will repent and will be healed [419].