The Westminster Confession of Faith, in its 30th chapter on Church Censures, says in paragraph 3 that the purposes of Church Discipline as follows:
- for the reclaiming and gaining of offending brethren
- for deterring of others from the like offences
- for purging out of that leaven which might infect the whole lump
- for vindicating the honour of Christ, and the holy profession of the gospel
- 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
Considered individually each one of these shows the necessity of exercising Church discipline. How much more when these weighty purposes are considered as a whole.