seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Matthew 18:15 “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16 But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
18 “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.
19 “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”
So, I had to Bing it this morning. Verse 18 blew me away. What the heck does that mean?Let's look at who wrote this. He's a tax collector.... and people didn't like the tax collector back then any more than they do now. He was government employee, until he met Jesus. I think this government employee could see the structure of the Christian Church coming to fruition.
There were two little girls in my Sunday School class back in the day. One of them has not survived COVID very well. She lost a lot of people she knew. I think there will be some who will not blame her for shaking her fist at God and the church. God knows what she goes through. The other is down in the South now. She says she is still "walking the walk". I am afraid to inquire about the rest of the class. I don't want to be heartbroken.
The church is responsible for the people in the church and outside the church. I know, I know, back in the days when Jesus was still preaching on Earth, the church would have been meeting in someone's home. They would not let those Christians into the Synagogue to hold their meetings. After all, the people who claimed to be Christians didn't attend Synagogue anymore and they didn't pay the Temple Tax. So, they weren't welcome anymore.
The Christians were in hiding too. After all, no good Pharisee or Sadducee would allow them to set up their own church or synagogue. They might be cooking up another gold calf and the priests just couldn't allow that. Soon the Christians would be hunted down and murdered in the street as an example of "staying in line". No one could ignore the Temple and Rome and get away with it.
So, I think this is about church set up. When we set up the Christian Church here on Earth.... the same rules apply to all the people in the church. I think this is a good thing. Let's face it.... not all churches are built on the Gospel. If your church is bound to Christ... when you get to Heaven.... God knows what church you came from, and He will take that into account. If your church sucked, and the priest or preacher was just there for the free food and housing.... God knows what church you came from, and He will take that into account, as well.
If you are in a bad church.... one that would hang up on someone asking for help.... and you stay in the Word.... and you hold God at the Center.... God knows why you left that church, and He will take that into account as well.
If you "bind"... you tie it up. If you "loose".... you untie it. If you are tied to something bad.... God will deal with that when you see Him at Judgement. If you untie yourself form something good or bad... God will deal with that when you see Him at Judgement.
If you set up a cult.... God's going to get you!!!!
