Christian Message Boards: Church discipline

This is topic Church discipline in forum The One Year Bible at Christian Message Boards.

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Posted by phillip tidwell (Member # 6966) on :

Matt. 18:18 “Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Is this passage saying there is some sort of transfer of earthly resolutions to heaven? Is it addressing the relationship between the people involved in disputes or perhaps the resolution of justice? What does this mean to say that whatever you bind on earth is bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven?

Interestingly, Matthew 18:15-17 was a pivotal passage in establishing the Fellowship of Grace Brethren church.

Posted by Carol Swenson (Member # 6929) on :

Hi phillip,

This is what I found in Barnes’ Notes on the New Testament:

Matthew 18:18

Whatsoever ye shall bind

These words were spoken to the apostles. Jesus had before addressed the same words to Peter, Matt. 16:19. He employs them here to signify that they all had the same power; that in ordering the affairs of the church he did not intend to give Peter any supremacy or any exclusive right to regulate it. The meaning of this verse is, whatever you shall do in the discipline of the church shall be approved by God or bound in heaven. This promise, therefore, cannot be understood as extending to all Christians or ministers, for all others but the apostles may err.