This morning I opened my bible to start reading where I left off yesterday, and I came across these three well known verses and started thinking about them in more depth than normal. As I have said before, I can tend to read something so many times that is no longer even resonates with my inner-self, and when I read it I don't spare barely a thought, because of my familiarity with it.
I guess the same could be said for every area of our life, especially with people. We are so familiar with some individuals that we lose sight of their uniqueness, their real character, etc. One of the big issues in many marriages is the loss of appreciation for the other spouse. People become comfortable, believe they understand or know the other individual completely and stop appreciating their unique attributes, and just co-exist in the same house. We no longer really look a the person, seeing them as we did when we were first married, appreciating almost everything about them, and willing to hope in change and experiencing excitement just in being with them. The Lord has so much for us in and through marriage, and through one another, but to experience that we must truly engage with and experience our spouses, and not just co-exist.
OK, so off that bunny-trail and back to the verses I read this morning.
The verses I am thinking about are Matthew 18:18-20 NIV:
[18] “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. [19] “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. [20] For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”
The verse that most of us are familiar with is verse 20, and we use that verse to encourage each other that Jesus is present with us when we get together, even though we often don't feel His presence. This is all well and good, but there is a much more significant truth that Jesus intended that what is most commonly believed about that verse.
Looking at verse 18, we see some crazy statements, or at least they seem that way to me, if we believe that Jesus actually meant what He said. He starts by basically saying we have authority on earth and in heaven. The Greek term used here for bind, really means to bind in chains, as in a prisoner. In the same way the Greek word for loose, is basically the exact opposite, setting people free from the chains that bind them. We might believe we have the ability to set people free from things here on earth, but in heaven also? That we have authority in heaven is almost incomprehensible. Yet, since our lives in Christ are eternal, and we are present citizens of heaven (Phil 3:20) why wouldn't our present actions also be effective in heaven? There is a deep spiritual truth here, that more than likely we will only scratch the surface of here on earth. Jesus was not just speaking of salvation, but of forgiveness in the passages immediately preceding these, and thus we must believe that Jesus was still speaking in the same context and we can conclude that forgiveness can have heavenly impact.
The next statement is equally as wild, for He says if two on earth agree on something it will be done for them by the Father. So the first thing I think of is whether "anything" really means anything. The Greek word used here is Pas, which can be translated into all, everything, anything, everyone. It is a very widely used word, and it does indicate that Jesus actually meant what we would believe from the English, that "anything" actually means anything, Most of us don't really believe this, or maybe believe it to some small extent. This verse can be misused by the those who preach the prosperity Gospel, the name-it and claim-it perspective that some people have pushed. I don't think we should be taking it out of the context in which it is referred, that of forgiveness and salvation.
That being said, recently the Lord has been speaking to me about our value to Him and His favor, and I believe there is much more to these verses than we presently understand, and it does include provision, blessing, mercy, compassion, guidance, direction, healing, deliverance, miracles, signs and wonders, etc. All those things that the Lord has promised, and is capable of delivering.
Finally, He says where two or three are gathered in his name, He is there present. Gathering in His name, is not just a simple statement but rather refers to us being His representatives. This carries with it the authority of the one in whose name you come. In history, when an ambassador speaks in the name of their king, or president, they are the legal representative, and capable of signing documents and treaties that are binding to their our county.
Now we are getting to the heart of the matter, for if we read back and look at the two preceding verses, from the context of being a legal representative, we start to see there is more here than we previously thought. If we are His representatives, than we can do the things He would do if He was present. And, what do you know? He is present, as He says in verse 20. So when we gather in His name, as His representatives, operating under His authority, and representing His authority, we speak the very things that He would speak and thus experience the same results, for He is present.
As I wrote that verse I thought of the scenes from different movies where the King of some country is present, but because He speaks a different language, the person who does the speaking is the ambassador, who speaks both languages and is speaking for the King. The King is present, but the ambassador is speaking for him with His authority. I believe that is exactly what these verses mean. Wow! Jesus is present, and we are speaking as His ambassadors, His representatives, and as such we speak with His authority.
A final note, the obvious, at least I would think so, perspective here is that as the King's representative, we are speaking for Him for the good of the Kingdom. We are not speaking for ourselves, or our own benefit. We do benefit from the King's decisions, because He cares deeply for us, but He is not intent on loading us up with the stuff we want, but actually advancing His Kingdom. Thus, in my opinion, the focus of the prosperity gospel preachers is very selfish and shallow when we look at the deeper reality of these verses.
Lord, I pray that You will help us to understand the reality behind these statements and step into this reality in our lives. We pray that You will help us to be Your ambassadors, Your representatives, speaking Your heart with Your authority! You are good and are always advancing Your Kingdom! Let us believe fully these awesome verses, and live our lives accordingly.
Amen!
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