RESOURCES — SHORT ARTICLES

 

SHORT ARTICLES BY TOM ELSEROAD
	2020-11-05	Where Two Or Three Are Gathered Together (Mt.18:20)
		Mat 18:20  For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them." This is certainly one of the most mis-used and taken out of context verses in the New Testament. Often when just a few people show up, say at a prayer meeting, this verse finds its way by being quoted. The thought is that Jesus is here with us though there are only a few attending. There are at least 2 or 3 gathered so this promise may be claimed. What about when I am by myself? Is Jesus with me when I am alone? Do I need to have a couple other people with me so this verse can be claimed as a promise? If you have ever thought about the above questions, know that this verse is taken out of context so it creates this confusion. This verse has nothing to do with meeting a minimum requirement for “church”. This verse has everything to do with church discipline. Church discipline (Mt.18:15-20) is the first command Jesus gave to His church. This is just as much a command as the Lord's Supper, and believer's baptism. Mat 18:15  "Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. Mat 18:16  But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that 'BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY WORD MAY BE ESTABLISHED.' Mat 18:17  And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector. Mat 18:18  "Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Mat 18:19  "Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. Mat 18:20  For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them." Here Jesus outlines the steps for church discipline. If you know of a professing believer in your local church who is in some habitual unrepentant sin, than you need to go to that person in private and lovingly confront him. If he listens to you, then that is great. “You have gained your brother” (v.15). You do not need to, and should not, talk about it anymore. But if he does not repent, then you take one or two more with you and again confront him about his sin (v.16). Again if he repents, that is great. Do not mention it again. But if he does not listen to you, then you mention it to the church. This is a command of Christ that in today's churches, they would be afraid to do this. This process is designed to help the sinning brother. This is an act of love, and should come across that way. If he refuses to listen to the church, then to the church he is to be seen as an unbeliever or outsider (v.17). We do this because that is how he proved himself in his actions and attitude. A genuine Christian can be in sin for a season. But if he is truly saved and indwelt by the Holy Spirit, the expectation is that he would repent (1Jn.3:9). He may not repent immediately, and that is why there are multiple steps involved. Church discipline is designed to bring a genuine believer who is in serious sin to a place of genuine repentance. When the person does not repent, and he is treated as an outsider, this is to protect the purity of the church. Admittedly church discipline is hard. No one looks forward to doing this. And yet it is a command of Jesus because from time to time there is a need for it. In verses 18-19 Jesus says whatever two of you agree to do in this church disciple it is accepted in heaven as appropriate. If the man repents he is “loosed” and restored to fellowship with the local church. If the man does not repent he remains “bound” as an unbeliever. Thus God is in agreement with the church discipline process. So in verse 20 the “two or three” Jesus is referencing refers to the “one or two more” (v.16) that you take with you back at step two. This is not a description of a church meeting, but of church discipline appropriately carried out, and agreed upon in heaven. Pastor Tom Elseroad

 

An Evangelical Free Church of America

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