Study of Matthew |
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Matthew Chapter 18
A little child knows it can't help itself. He or she knows that they are dependent upon their caregivers completely. They are normally trusting and believe everything that is told them. The child is humble and is not prideful thinking it has need of nothing. To humble ourselves as children would mean that we recognize we need a savior from sin. We recognize that the savior is Jesus and without Him we cannot be saved or enter the kingdom of Heaven. We would trust in Jesus to save us and then lead us into the paths of righteousness.
Helping a little child would be like helping the Lord. Being kind to a child in the name of Jesus of course is the same as doing kindness to the Lord Himself. Leading a child to Christ would be a great way to fulfill this verse. Surely to do so would be doing it in the name of the Lord. When we receive a little child using the authority of the name of Jesus, we are receiving Christ. Christ gives us authority to preach in His name, to heal in His name and do all good things in His name or by His authority. This includes little children. They are not to be left out of the gospel of salvation because of their age. This does not mean we baptize infants, for an infant can't make any decision by faith to receive Christ but it means to bring the message to children so the Holy Spirit can draw them to Christ the moment they can understand.
If little children are believers in Christ and we claiming also the name of Christ and we do things that cause harm to their faith or cause them to fall away, it is better than we die a horrible death than face God in judgment for causing a little child to lose his faith in Christ because of what we did or said to offend them. I would venture to say also that if an unbeliever hinders a little child from finding Jesus Christ as Lord, he also would face severe judgment for being a stumbling block to a little child.
Offending someone isn't just saying stupid stuff. What I believe is meant here is that we say or do things that cause someone to be lost, reject the gospel or lose their faith because of our lifestyle, actions, or words that bring reproach upon the gospel This is mostly warning of offending children in this manner but it can include adults. In Luke chapter 18 some people brought their infants to Jesus and the disciples tried to stop them from bothering the Lord and Jesus said to allow the little children to come to Him and not forbid them for of such is the kingdom. We are not to offend or stop children from hearing the gospel or coming to Christ for what greater way to offend them than to forbid them to hear the gospel that will save their souls. Concerning little children, here is an example: A little child starts coming to church and his neighbor makes fun of him and tried to discredit the church. The child stops attending and misses the chance to receive the gospel. It is possible for someone at the church bringing offense by being unkind and unfair to that child. When we persecute someone for their faith in Christ, it could cause them to give up and lose heart. I realize that most Christians, at least adult Christians have a responsibility to stay true to Christ no matter who offends us, but we must be careful not to be the offense or cause the offense ourselves. I'm concerned also for teachers in public schools and those that choose the curriculum that teaches little children things that are in direct opposition of God's word. That too may be considered offense that will be judged by God. If a child writes down the name of Jesus or talks of Jesus and a teacher forbids him or her, I would fear for that person when they stand before God. Paul goes so far as to say, "If meat make my brother to be offended, then I will not eat meat." That is showing love for a brother that could be offended if he ate certain meats forbidden by their religion. Purposely inviting a Jew or Muslim to dinner and serving pork would cause a great offense. That does not show them the love of God that is supposed to be within us.
This shows us that each little child that believes in Christ has an angel that watches over them. I believe this also means that any believer has a guardian angel.
Angels are sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation. This means that whoever has Christ abiding within him or her has angels ministering to them even if they are unaware of it. Please do not confuse real angels that minister with the fictional ones we see on television. Those are not even scriptural and not even close to what real angels do. Notice that the angel shows do not name the name of Christ. I don't care how heartwarming and how easily they cause tears to flow in sympathy, they are fables and fiction and do not bring any glory to Christ. They do not bring anyone to any saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Real angels from God will glorify Christ and minister to those who believe in Christ.
The first coming of Jesus Christ was to make the sacrifice for sins so that He could then save all that is lost. Until His return or Second Coming, the Holy Spirit continues to draw many to that salvation. He works through faithful believers to spread the gospel and tell the good news that Jesus came to save us from our sins.
This is what a good pastor will do. He will not be satisfied until every last sheep is safe in the fold. Naturally if he has searched and searched for the one that was lost, he will rejoice when that one is found. That doesn't mean he likes one better than the other because he would feel the same way if it was another sheep that had been lost.
Usually we will tend to call up our friends and get them to side with us against the brother that offended us rather than go to him alone. However, it is better to go straight to the one with whom we are having the problem but with the right attitude and spirit.
Notice that this is not doing anything behind the back of the brother than is causing offense but it provides a witness to all that is said and done.
The party that was offended or the one that saw that a brother is in spiritual danger did all he could to try to reconcile or correct a brother who may have been in error or even sinned, then and only then must he assume the man is as heathen that does not want to live according to the word of truth. These scriptures are for correction, reproof and gentle peace keeping methods to have godly unity within each body of believers. They are not scriptures that encourage ganging up on a person with false accusations by someone who is simply mad at another person. Both sides need to be heard by the church if no other method of peace making works. In today's church we seldom handle any problems in this manner. That may be why we have a lot of division and strife within local fellowships. The scriptures also that admonish us to confess our faults one to another that we may be healed, is hard to keep because we cannot trust anyone not to use what we confess later against us. It would take perfect love to be able to live by these teachings but perfect love is what we should be striving for.
Binding and loosing has to do with the following verse about agreeing as touching anything. It is understood of course that we not ask for anything that is not according to God's word or God's will. When we ask by faith agreeing in the same mind and once accord, it shall be done. This is a church that has not lost its power by becoming lukewarm like the Laodicea church or dead like the Sardis church. Binding has to to with destroying the work of the enemy or keeping the enemy from doing evil in our midst. This does not mean doing physical harm to anyone. Loosing means to loose one from the bonds of sin by the power of the gospel. The true believing church can excommunicate a trouble maker or forgive a troublemaker. We have no power though to save the lost or cause a soul to be saved. One way to bind and loose is simply to preach the right gospel that will save the soul. We have the power or free will to refuse to spread the gospel and then souls will not be saved. One who refuses godly correction may be cut off from the church or body of believers. Again this does not mean physical harm. There are cases where the individual is in the right or scriptural and the body or church is wrong. In this case the church has no power to bind or loose an innocent believer who is standing for the truth of God's word. Binding and loosing power must be in accord with the original doctrine of truth, not in apostasy and error. The power of binding and loosing is only for a powerful church that is living by the truth and has not gone into apostasy. The power of the Holy Spirit has to be present for any binding or loosing whether it means saving the lost, casting out devils or bringing forth doctrine. The Holy Spirit is never separated from the truth for He is the spirit of truth.
Again this only works if we agree according to the purpose and will of God and according to the truth. If what we ask for is contrary to the word of God, we cannot expect an answer. This is why private prayer time and also praying with other believers is important so that we can receive the mind of the Holy Spirit when we pray and are not just praying our own wants and desires. When our prayers line up with the will of the Spirit accompanied by our faith, we will see answers. Faith comes by the study of the word and prayer. Hearing the word taught and preached in truth and in context also builds faith.
As the Father forgives us time after
time we also must be willing to forgive others time after time.
This is the law of reaping what we sow. If we do not forgive, God will not forgive us. So we must not have unforgiveness in our hearts. If we do have this, we can seek God until we receive the grace to forgive. Sometimes this is a spiritual flaw that takes prayer to overcome. We can be honest with God and say, God I'm having trouble forgiving so and so. Help. At least we are trying to find a forgiving spirit. That in a way may be a forgiving spirit within us already but we are waiting for a feeling of emotion that makes us feel that we have forgiven. Those that really refuse to forgive will not want to seek God for any help. Then they can't expect God to forgive them. At the beginning forgiveness must be a choice we make and then the Holy Spirit helps us to make that a reality. Feelings may come later. Sometimes our feelings may get in the way. We avoid a person not because we have not forgiven them but because we are afraid something else may happen to tempt us into having a bad feeling so we just avoid the issue. Whether this is good or bad, I don't know but there should come a time when we can love our brethren enough to be restored to fellowship and not avoid the person. After all we wouldn't want God to stay away and avoid us for the same reason. I believe this is one reason why the above scriptures about going to the brother and making reconciliation is important. Forgiveness heals the whole body of believers and the whole fellowship. Having division, envies, jealousies and unforgiving sprits within us will hinder souls from being saved, the healing of our sick, and the word of God from flowing freely among us. In is good to study 1 Corinthians 13 along with this chapter. Also to remember that perfect love casts out all fear. If we have perfect love shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit we will not fear to be around one that has offended us. If two brethren cannot agree on a certain doctrine though, perhaps we have to agree to disagree and move on unless that doctrine is detrimental to the salvation of souls, then we have to refuse to allow it to be taught in our congregation but we can still love the brethren. In this case excommunication has to occur to keep the false doctrine from spreading. We must bind any false doctrine that brings in another gospel that can not save from sin. We must loose the correct doctrine and allow it to flow forth like rain upon thirsty ground. Binding and Loosing can involve many things. Doctrine, casting out devils, healing the sick, and spreading the gospel.
Binding and loosing were used in two different manners judicially and legislatively. The traditional meaning was used in a judicial sense “to bind” meant to punish, “to loose” meant to release from punishment. Used legislatively “to bind” meant to forbid something, “to loose” meant to permit. The terms of binding and loosing were used by the Rabbis as legislative authority in interpreting scripture. The Pharisees used this authority to permit laws that were forbidden and forbid laws that were permitted. By doing this they elevated their own authority to add onto the scriptures extra laws which were man-made and became tradition. I personally believe binding and loosing may involve all three but in a limited sense. I believe all binding and loosing has to be done with the accompanying presence of the Holy Spirit and according to the other parts of the written word. I believe for instance that a complete apostate church no longer has any authority to bind and loose in the name of Jesus. Let all things be done according to the word and the will of the Holy Spirit.
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