Binding and Loosing

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Episkopos

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Binding and Loosing

“Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” Mat 18:18

When Jesus spoke these words His listeners already knew something about binding and loosing. In the Jewish tradition these we called “asar ve-hitir“…or “what is prohibited and what is permitted.” Basically they amounted to a list of do’s (heterim) and don’ts (isourim) concerning the law of Moses. By interpretation, the Torah lists 365 isourim and 248 heterim; when added together these make up the 613 laws of the Torah common to Judaism. The religious leaders of the day, the rabbis, were the ones who interpreted the practical applications of these laws for the people. This gave them a position of authority over them. And this is still the case till this very day.

All this, of course, is (was) under the law. But we are no longer under the law if we are in Christ. We are under grace. So what did Jesus mean when He said… whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven?? Was He creating a new rabbinic order (as in Judaism) with the requisite knowledge and understanding to interpret what is true for others? Are men to rule over the faith of other men? The answer to that is a resounding NO!

Men cannot be trusted to rule over others in a way that is even close to being perfect and certainly not while under grace. In fact men have proved themselves very far from perfect in this regard.

“They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger. Mat. 23:4


Giving power to men corrupts them. Giving men religious power over others has only ever served to bring people into bondage. It is certainly not God’s way to have His own authority superseded by mere mortals. Of course we can’t say that this effort by the flesh to rule over the faith of others has not been repeatedly attempted over and over again…even till our day. Even in the church that is called by the name of Christ. This ought not to be. Jesus never meant for His disciples to lord it over others but rather He sent them out as “sheep among wolves”(Mat. 10:16), not as lords (dogs) over the flock.

Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith. 2Cor. 1:24
 
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Episkopos

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A person who seeks to have authority over another is ALWAYS doing so by the power of the flesh. It is a denial of grace. It is an effort to dominate through the law and this is in stark contrast to grace. Being under grace means that we have ceased from our own efforts in favour of an empowerment (grace) from God. The anointing of a person under grace is by the will of God, not men.

There is One Teacher (Mat. 23:8) and we are all brethren. The Head of every man is Christ (1 Cor.11:3). There is no need of rabbis and interpreters of laws in the Body of Christ. We have no need for a shepherd (pastor) or any other authority over our heads other than Jesus Christ Himself. We each have recourse to a direct guidance by the Holy Spirit.

But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. Mat. 23:8

Under grace, we are to walk in the Spirit and speak the truth in love without thinking or worrying who will understand or believe. The minister of God simply obeys the directives of the Spirit. The binding and loosing happen automatically, as it were, as men receive or reject the display of holiness in the form of a visitation by a person who is an ambassador or “sent one” of Christ. Holiness, as does the truth, divides people between those who are consequently bound or loosed by the reaction to the words or the very presence of one who brings Christ into their midst. In regard to binding and loosing, God retains complete authority as to who is doing the promoting of truth. Again, under grace, it is the Holy Spirit at work; the efforts of men to choose who is to be bound or loosed is not required or even desirable. It is in fact forbidden. It is the Spirit that guides us into all truth. The flesh profits nothing.

The one who walks in the power of the Spirit is alive to both the kingdom of heaven and this temporal world. Everything a person so empowered does affects the temporal world one way or another. The subsequent binding or loosing that takes place when the kingdom of heaven (by word or presence) encounters the temporal world brings an opportunity of life for they who are still in the bondage of an existence outside the direct fellowship with God. How many realize what is really at play when a person neglects to discern the Body of Christ? As it is written…”what you have done to the least of these My brethren, you have done it to Me.” (Mat. 25:40)

“The one who listens to you listens to Me, and the one who rejects you rejects Me; and he who rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me.” Luke 10:16

Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit. 1 Thess. 4:8

So we could say that the spin-off of holiness in the world is either righteousness or rebellion. Righteousness is either being loosed or being bound up by the receiving or rejection of the truth. This is as true IN the church as outside the church. Too often we see grace being frustrated, or outright rejected, by a reliance on a human effort towards the law rather than a faith in God’s grace. Few people, it seems, trust that God can build His own church.

When the mob challenged Jesus to judge the case of a woman caught in adultery on whether she should be put to death according to the law, they sought to bind Him and justify their action by His agreement. But Jesus in turn bound them by stating “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.” Jesus tied their hands, so to speak, so that the woman was “loosed” from her condemnation.

But the presence of holiness is often enough, even when no words are spoken, to divide people by who is being bound and who is being loosed. The 2 thieves on the cross who were crucified with Jesus illustrate this.
 

Episkopos

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Holiness divides the world into they who are loosed into righteousness and those who are bound into condemnation. Jesus came to bring a sword and a challenge to mankind in the form of an invitation into the truth.

Mat 10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
Mat 10:35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
Mat 10:36 And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.

It is unavoidable that many be bound up by the introduction of truth and holiness and the challenge that entails to the limitations we may have grown accustomed to. But we can know that as easily as we can reject the truth..we can also receive the truth so as to be loosed (set free). At one time or other we have all rejected the truth. We have all experienced being bound by the light of the truth; the penetrating light of truth that sought to expose the dark corners of our souls. What we do when this happens determines the possibility of intimacy with God. As we try to interpret the truth, the truth is interpreting us. Seeing that we have all fallen short of the glory of God and the grasp of the truth, we ought to go easy on those who react negatively towards it. We need to treat others with the kind of patience that God has shown (and continues to show) towards us. People, instinctively, tend to resist the efforts of eternal truth to break them out of the constraints that they have imposed upon what is possible for God to do both in and through them. But those who try to bind up the truth will themselves be bound up by it. We imprison ourselves, and even build thicker walls, as we reject God’s efforts to free us into a larger world where God dwells. He calls to all those who listen for His word.

A spiritual person can discern others by watching the effect that the truth has on them. Those who receive the larger vision of eternal truth will be set free or “loosed.” These have been “enlarged” into a greater realm. They have been “edified”….or “built up.” But those who have reduced the truth and continue to resist any enlargement into the bigger world of God through submission to the truth by a humble and teachable spirit…these bring condemnation on themselves. We limit ourselves through our lack of faith…or we grab hold of grace by faith. Our character and our openness to the truth determines the outcome. We are to receive the things of God like little children, hoping and believing that with God nothing is impossible. If we remain teachable, God will draw us into His kingdom where there is life and peace forevermore.
 

Enoch111

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Giving power to men corrupts them. Giving men religious power over others has only ever served to bring people into bondage. It is certainly not God’s way to have His own authority superseded by mere mortals.
Where did you get the idea that when God delegates authority to men, it is to either bring people into bondage or "have His own authority superseded by mere mortals"?

God began by delegating authority to Adam, and to many others until the coming of Christ, and that principle continued with Christ. Jesus delegated His authority to the apostles, and they in turn commanded that there must be elders ordained in every city (in every church at that time, since there was one church in each city).

As to the Scripture you quoted, it was primarily applicable to the apostolic authority and to apostolic churches. Here is the context:

MATTHEW 18 (ADDRESSED TO THE DISCIPLES)
15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

So the context was brothers sinning against brothers, and eventually the matter coming up before the church. The *binding* was the considered judgment of the apostles regarding any sin, and the *sentencing* of the sinning brother to be put out of the fellowship of the church until he repented (let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican). The loosing was the acquittal of the brother after all the evidence had been examined.

Today, there is such a thing as church discipline, which is primarily to maintain the Christian testimony of the church. In the days of the apostles, they even consigned sinning brothers to Satan for the *destruction of the body* (either by disease or premature death). Thus the apostle John speaks of *the sin unto death*, and the apostle Paul warns Christians to examine themselves before partaking of the Lord's Supper.

So it would appear that this thread is in opposition to legitimate authority within the churches, and that is contrary to Christ and to Scripture. At the same time, you are presenting some very warped ideas while totally misunderstanding the Scriptures.
 

Taken

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Episkopos ~ interesting post.

In the BIG picture, it reflects the back to He with Absolute Power.

In the Beginning, God walked with Adam, And God gave Adam Positive Direction;

This is for you, This is for you, This is for you.
Do this, Do this, Do this.

AVOID this.

Gave Adam the Consequence, should he freely decide TO NOT AVOID that.

Force to "MAKE" Adam AVOID?
None.

Forward to Samuel...
Samuel a SERVANT of God.
Samuel; acknowledges God as King.
Samuel; speaks Gods desires to the people.
People; reject Samuels speech.
Samuel; receives the rejection as Personal.
Samuel; frustrated.

PARALLEL ~

1 Thes 4:
[8] He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.

1 Sam 8
[7] And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

( more detail in 1 Sam 8)
The People 'HAD' a Lord/King.
The People 'HAD' a Servant of the Lord to reveal to the People, the Lord/Kings WORD, direction, favor, judge and gifts for obedience.
No force TO obey.
"Forgiveness" for disobedience.

HUMAN KINGS ~
(Power & Authority)
(Force to Obey?),
....in some instances, Yes. Broadly? No.
(Consequences for obedience?)
....in some instances, Yes. Broadly? No.
(Consequences for disobedience?)
....Yes.
(Forgiveness for disobedience?)
....Broadly? No
....Occasionally? Yes, Conditional, ie
........"good behavior", (maintained).

The PEOPLE "HAD" a God/King.
The PEOPLE "BEGGED" for a Human/King.

God said....Let the People have what they ASK for; and Let them Be "BINDED" (ie BOUND to/subject to), what THEY ASKED FOR.
(and not to overlook, the people were WARNED, of the Negative Consequences of having an "earthly king", absolute authority OVER THEM.....which they ignored, and continued to demand to have a "human king".)

Time travel FORWARD....
Jesus Manifested/revealed on Earth.

He Teaches, "THE SAME MESSAGE",to Specific men, whose History and Biological Connection is TO MEN, "who were TAUGHT this message, 4,000 Years earlier".....

WITH the ADDITION,
of Absolute Forgiveness from the Lord God
of Absolute Power of God forever WITH them of Absolute Togetherness of the Lord God WITH them Forever.

AND....

"The men being taught", have 4,000 years OF; historical FACTS, (results)...
FOR (their forefathers) HAVING CHOSEN AN Earthly King...
OVER THEIR Heavenly King.

RESULTS...?
Bondage, Persecution, Thievery, Degradation, Imprisonment, Oppression, Starvation, Killed.

(Still being EFFECTED Today TOWARD, the very specific MEN, Who Rejected God as their King, 6,000 years ago, and Rejected Jesus as their King, 2,000 years ago.)

Results?
The same as aforementioned.

Facts of Results, Observed? Yes.
Historical records and continues in these days of Observation Daily.

(Note....speaking broadly, of majority, NOT, every single Hebrew or Jew, rejected God as King, or rejected/rejects Jesus as King).

Glory to God,
Taken
 

amadeus

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Many of us take a slow train instead of the express to our final destination with God. On that slow train we are able to see very little of the light at the end of the road. God has provided helpers in the five ministries as per Ephesians 4 but many of them have gone their own selfish ways and others, not at God's direction, have presumed such positions for their own glory. The existence of the slow train route means God realizes that some or even many will hesitate and procrastinate, but He nonetheless provides the means so that some of them also may finish their journey on His side, although perhaps as wedding guest instead as part of the Bride. Foolish people who have glimpsed the better way choose this slow way to be able hopefully [their hopes, not God's] to partake of the best of both worlds, but how many will instead receive the reward of the lukewarm?

But, then as @Episkopos has detailed above there is a much better way to go. That one on one with God thing bypasses quickly the slow train route and many of the types or shadows which God has allowed and which men have chosen.

People who purposely and/or knowingly choose the slow train do so foolishly for there are more stops and distractions to catch the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life in their snares. Will God not spit many of them out of His mouth?
 

Helen

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It's a lot more than that. It is spiritual warfare in an ongoing way. A constant setting of things in order...by the Spirit.

I take the binding and losing scripture as part of our authority in The Spirit.
All through our life when we have prayed for people who need help or freedom in their lives to be of more value to the Lord..
We have laid hands on people and bound the spirits of misery or bondage around them or over them which are ruining their daily walk or family ...and then loosed every blessing of the Father by the power of the blood of The Lamb..and loosed them into all the freedoms of God in the Spirit that Jesus attained for them.
I still do that now work-wise...If it is a clinic day I know there will be grumpy patients or those with bed attitudes..which changes the atmosphere...so beforehand I bind all the nasty spirits that would try to ruin everyones day...and I loose the joy and love of God upon the place and everyone who walks through the door.
It works for me, always has these many years... All it really is , is agreeing with heaven. :)
 

Nancy

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I take the binding and losing scripture as part of our authority in The Spirit.
All through our life when we have prayed for people who need help or freedom in their lives to be of more value to the Lord..
We have laid hands on people and bound the spirits of misery or bondage around them or over them which are ruining their daily walk or family ...and then loosed every blessing of the Father by the power of the blood of The Lamb..and loosed them into all the freedoms of God in the Spirit that Jesus attained for them.
I still do that now work-wise...If it is a clinic day I know there will be grumpy patients or those with bed attitudes..which changes the atmosphere...so beforehand I bind all the nasty spirits that would try to ruin everyones day...and I loose the joy and love of God upon the place and everyone who walks through the door.
It works for me, always has these many years... All it really is , is agreeing with heaven. :)
Never looked at that scripture like this before, it makes much more sense to me now!
 

Episkopos

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So it would appear that this thread is in opposition to legitimate authority within the churches, and that is contrary to Christ and to Scripture. At the same time, you are presenting some very warped ideas while totally misunderstanding the Scriptures.

In your opinion...that is. An opinion that proves just how unable the carnal man is to wield any kind of real authority in truth.
 
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Episkopos

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Where did you get the idea that when God delegates authority to men, it is to either bring people into bondage or "have His own authority superseded by mere mortals"?

Authority from God comes with responsibility. But God never expects us to follow our own understanding. We are never to judge....we must only speak what God is saying....no more, no less. Have you not read where it is written...lean not on your own understanding. So then every scenario is meant for us to look to God for help and guidance. Jesus said "I ONLY do what I see My father doing". You'd think that Jesus, of all people, would be able to make His own decisions...no? But you see yourself as more capable than Jesus. Your opinions are crying out for satisfaction. But this is by the power of the flesh. Even Jesus put no confidence in the flesh....but looked above for guidance. If this does not paint a clear picture...then we are willful and blind to the truth.
 

Episkopos

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God began by delegating authority to Adam, and to many others until the coming of Christ, and that principle continued with Christ. Jesus delegated His authority to the apostles, and they in turn commanded that there must be elders ordained in every city (in every church at that time, since there was one church in each city).

God never delegates authority. All authority is His and remains His. He allows us to partake in His will by coming under HIS authority. In the church only men who are following Christ and doing as Jesus does...have any authority. It is God's authority THROUGH an obedient vessel that any real authority is perceived in a man. There is a demonic exousia that raises men up to be as gods. THAT is what you are confusing real authority with.
 

Episkopos

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So the context was brothers sinning against brothers, and eventually the matter coming up before the church. The *binding* was the considered judgment of the apostles regarding any sin, and the *sentencing* of the sinning brother to be put out of the fellowship of the church until he repented (let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican). The loosing was the acquittal of the brother after all the evidence had been examined.

Today, there is such a thing as church discipline, which is primarily to maintain the Christian testimony of the church. In the days of the apostles, they even consigned sinning brothers to Satan for the *destruction of the body* (either by disease or premature death). Thus the apostle John speaks of *the sin unto death*, and the apostle Paul warns Christians to examine themselves before partaking of the Lord's Supper.

You would have people deciding things for God. Again, you want to lean on the understanding of men. But you have chosen a wrong argument...again. God puts people in authority who only look to Him. They are place markers for HIS authority.

A man of God comes in the name of the Lord. Not in his own name by delegation. So the authority is never ours...but a responsibility for preserving the authority that comes only from God.

Your reasoning is what has caused the failure in the church to maintain an intimate relationship with God...in exchange for a man-made religious system that is called "Christendom." This is the very opposite of the Ekklesia of God. Jesus builds His own church. Just as men build up theirs.

But you are not seeing that all the works of men come under the diabolos....the exousia of the principalities in this world. It is a lie that God delegates His authority to others. God is alive and present...there is no place where God is absent and needs a representative away from His very presence. God is either with us in HIS authority...or we are following another authority...the exousia of the devil who wants man to be lifted up as a god....and all this to rebel against the true exousia which is by the Holy Spirit in them who are crucified to their own desire for power, authority and recognition. No longer I, but Christ. Speak only as led by the Spirit...as the oracle of God. All else is of the devil....and a lie.

We are called to be witnesses of His presence....and an oracle that speaks the words from God. NEVER our own words.
 
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Episkopos

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Men understand authority as a hierarchy of luminaries. But Jesus submitted to the baptism of John...even thought the authority of John was far less than that of Jesus. Jesus respected the order given to John from God to baptize and preach. Jesus respected GOD'S authority...not John's. John received his authority from God. Jesus was obeying God not John. Jesus does not respect men. Jesus does not do things to please men...or receive honour from men. We would be wise to do likewise. We are to receive men in HIS name. Or we reject men in HIS name. No opinions are necessary or sought after.

They who reject a man sent from God are not rejecting the man....but God who sent him.

THAT is what authority is about in Christ. Inasmuch as you did it to the least of these My brethren...you did it to Me!
 

Episkopos

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I think the error that many take away from the statement of Jesus concerning binding and loosing is a rendering of the text which would have it to say..."whatever you (decide to) bind will be bound in heaven and whatever you (decide to) loose will be loosed in heaven".

The Greek states that whatever we bind will ALREADY have been bound in heaven....meaning that we are just informing people...or we are just perceiving...what has already been decided in heaven. The judgment remains God's alone.
 
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Episkopos

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I take the binding and losing scripture as part of our authority in The Spirit.
All through our life when we have prayed for people who need help or freedom in their lives to be of more value to the Lord..
We have laid hands on people and bound the spirits of misery or bondage around them or over them which are ruining their daily walk or family ...and then loosed every blessing of the Father by the power of the blood of The Lamb..and loosed them into all the freedoms of God in the Spirit that Jesus attained for them.
I still do that now work-wise...If it is a clinic day I know there will be grumpy patients or those with bed attitudes..which changes the atmosphere...so beforehand I bind all the nasty spirits that would try to ruin everyones day...and I loose the joy and love of God upon the place and everyone who walks through the door.
It works for me, always has these many years... All it really is , is agreeing with heaven. :)


Agreeing with heaven....I like that! :)