Bind and Loose

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW

BIND AND LOOSE

Matt 18:18

18 "I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

NIV

It would seem, at least within the context that this was a well-known phrase among the Jews. This would apply to the teaching of the law, in the sense that what was bound was not permitted and what was loosed was permitted. Some scholars are of the opinion that Jesus was giving this authority to His apostles in the matter of the organization and operation of the church. That whatsoever they determined to be a rule, or in accordance with the will of God would be agreeable to God, and whatsoever they determined to forbid a believer to do, would be agreeable to God. This puts man in charge of other men or having the authority of God and able to establish certain rules and regulations for the conduct of the church. If this was only for the apostles in the establishment of the early church, then we need not bother ourselves with this verse, or this teaching of Jesus. But what if, like we are to believe that all scripture is profitable for correcting, rebuking, teaching, and training in righteousness, then what are we to do with something that most scholars think has no bearing on the Christian of today, but was strictly said to the apostle and them alone. The problem is the context in which Jesus said this. He said this in following his method for dealing with a brother who refuses to repent when confronted, in love, if his offense. After taking several witnesses and that bother still refuses to repent, then taking that offense to the whole church and he still refuses to repent, thus that brother is to be expelled from the community and treated as a pagan or a tax collector. The purpose is not to expel him to the world, but by doing so, show him his offense is bound on earth and thus in heaven. If, however, we forgive him, and as he returns seeking that forgiveness, then we have loose it or permitted him to return to fellowship. So then this teaching of Jesus is indeed meant to continue into the church throughout history and the future church. This is regarding disciplinary action that may be needed in the church. However, as we thought before, in the post-modern church where there are a plethora of available churches for the brother who refuses to repent to run to and make a fresh start where no one knows of his history, it is more difficult to either bind or loose or forbid or permit concerning a disciplinary action. This would also apply to the establishment of rules and regulations by a denomination as to what is permitted and what is forbidden. If we do not like the rules of one denomination, we simply find one that is more agreeable with our own thinking, what we want to permit in our lives, and what we think we should omit or forbid ourselves from doing. This appears then that we only want to submit to the authority of any church, based on us, rather than God. So the question remains, who has the authority to bind and loose today and does it carry any real meaning.