faithful obedience

Matthew 18:18

"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."

In Matthew 18, Jesus outlines steps for addressing conflict and sin in relationships, always with the goal of restoration rather than punishment:

1) Private confrontation

2) One or two witnesses

3) Church involvement

If the first two steps fail, the matter goes before the whole church for communal discernment and appeal through collective spiritual authority. The aim remains repentance and healing.

If the person still refuses to listen, exclude them from fellowship while acknowledging their unrepentant state. The church should maintain love and hope for restoration, never hostility. But, there will need to be compassionate distance between the church and the offender. This upholds holiness in the community while reflecting God’s heart for both justice and redemption.

“Bind and loose” is a Jewish legal term meaning to forbid or permit, or to declare something binding or not under religious authority. Jesus grants the disciples (and by extension, the church) spiritual authority to uphold truth and holiness in matters of doctrine and discipline. Earthly decisions—such as admitting members, correcting sin, or restoring repentant believers—are confirmed by God in heaven, provided they align with His will and Word.

This promise supports the reconciliation process in the preceding verses. When the church acts in faith and obedience to discipline or restore a member, God honors it. The authority is not personal power but faithful obedience to Christ’s teachings.

We may wish for a simple checklist, but faithful obedience means trusting and acting on His words out of love for Him (John 14:15). It is not mere rule-following but a heart response rooted in faith and relationship. Maintaining relationships takes time and effort.

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