Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
Matthew 18:18
What is it that gives us such power and authority over earth and heaven? In the verses leading up to this one, Jesus is providing guidance on how to bring a lost (or strayed) sheep back into the fold. He tells us to first confront the brother one on one, then in a small group, then, if all else fails in front of the church (or ecclesia, or assembly implying one of legislative authority). When all else fails, then let him go to reap the consequences of his ways - to follow that road to its painful end.
The intention, though, is not one of only dealing with sin. The overarching goal here is to maintain an integrous unity of heart within the church. In fact, Jesus had been coming at this mandate from several angles since verse 6, when He admonishes us not to cause others to fall into sin. Armies work best when operating in unison. The same goes with sports teams. The Church is no exception. But when the Church moves in unison, there is another "X Factor" at play - the rule and authority of Jesus Christ.
When all gears are turning in this formidable Force, then we can
- bind up the broken
- bind up the influence of demons
- set the captives free
- command demons to flee.
No comments:
Post a Comment