Update 127

On Saturday, January 24, 2004, Edwin Pope will be presenting the sermon, titled, “Repentance and Forgiveness – What does God require?”

The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org at the appropriate time, just click on “Connect to Live Stream.”

The Bible records a very brief account of an endeavor known as the tower of Babel. In a period after the great flood in which God destroyed the world that then was because of their sins, men banded together to establish a great city along with a high tower. Instead of spreading out to repopulate and settle the earth, these people evidently wanted to create great works for their own purposes.

God intervened to stop this by confusing their language to prevent their understanding one another. Why?

Mankind was beginning to venture into areas for which he was not prepared. Note this statement from God:

” ‘…and this is what they begin to do; now nothing will be withheld from them’ ” (Genesis 11:6).

These actions were outside of the plan that God was working out for mankind. We read the following in Genesis 5, verse 1: “…In the day that God created man, He made him in the likeness of God.” Then, in Hebrews 2 we are told: ” ‘…You have crowned him with glory and honor, And set him over the works of Your hands. You have put ALL THINGS in subjection under his feet.’ For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him” (verses 7-8).

Right now, God has given man the earth on which to live. We read in Psalm 115:16: “The heaven, even the heavens (which include space or the universe), are the LORD’S; But the EARTH He has given to the children of men.” We find this overview in Acts 17:26: ” ‘And He has made from one [man] every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings.’ “

We have more insight concerning the will of God for mankind in Isaiah 45:18: “For thus says the LORD Who created the heavens, Who is God, Who formed the earth and made it, Who has established it, Who did not create it in vain, Who formed it to be inhabited.”

However, in our time, mankind once again seeks to go beyond his appointed domain — thereby adopting, inadvertently, the spirit of Satan and his fallen angels who tried to leave earth to take God’s place in the third heaven. Jude 6 tells us, “And the [fallen] angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day.” As the year 2004 gets under way, robotic spaceships have begun to land on Mars. The technology of our day seems limitless.

Now, ambitious plans for establishing colonies on the moon along with a quest to send men to the planet Mars are being embraced by mankind. The United States and Russia, long technological leaders in space exploration, now have competition from Europe, China, Japan and India. It appears that a space race is emerging once again.

The ominous worry is that space based weapons will proliferate among the nations. In fact, near space already is full of intelligence and communication satellites from which modern war becomes even more powerful in the hands of those nations who can wield such technologies.

Mankind is once again moving beyond the bounds and limits placed on him by God. This time, as before, God will have to intervene. Jesus Christ spoke of the end of the age of man’s self rule and the conditions occurring just prior to His return to this earth: ” ‘And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved…’ ” (Matthew 24:22).

However, there is great hope for mankind in the future that God has planned. As we read, Paul spoke in Hebrews 2:8 of the time when “all things” would be given to the sons of God. Peter adds the following: “Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13).

The sure promise of God is that man will indeed journey into all of His creation–beyond the bounds of this earth or the planets in this solar system. Indeed man will get to go where no man has gone before–just not yet!

State of the Union

STATE OF THE UNION

On the heels of political attention directed to the Iowa caucus; both the US press along with media worldwide turned their focus on President George Bush’s State of the Union address on Tuesday night of this past week.

Beyond the political banter and positioning for President Bush’s upcoming campaign season for another term as president, there was a very somber warning. From the text of the speech delivered by Mr. Bush, we quote these words: “Our greatest responsibility is the active defense of the American people. Twenty-eight months have passed since Sept. 11, 2001–over two years without an attack on American soil–and it is tempting to believe that the danger is behind us. That hope is understandable, comforting–and FALSE. The killing has continued in Bali, Jakarta, Casablanca, Riyadh, Mombassa, Jerusalem, Istanbul and Baghdad. The terrorists continue to plot against America and the civilized world (State of the Union Address, 2004, By President George Bush–emphasis added).

The goal of terrorists remains the United States proper. Unimaginable destruction that would make even the disaster of 9/11 pale is within the realm of possibility. In a review of articles from the February 2004 issue of “Whistleblower Magazine”, one article notes an amazing quotation of the US vice-president: “Vice President Dick Cheney’s chilling assessment that nuclear terror is ‘the major threat’ facing America: Calling a WMD attack on the U.S. ‘one of the most important problems we face today,’ Cheney added: ‘To contemplate the possibility of them unleashing that kind of capability–of that kind of weapon, if you will, in the midst of one of our cities–that’s a scary proposition’ ” (www.shopnetdaily.com 1/21/2004).

Scary, indeed! Traditional explosives coupled with nuclear waste materials could render population centers uninhabitable. Biological agents leading to widespread illness and death are considered as probable future occurrences–in fact, some experts believe terrorism of this sort has already taken place in recent months with the widespread and sudden introduction of diseases such as the West Nile Virus.

Already, the financial might of the United States has been rocked by terrorist acts. Without large government infusions of money for the airlines, air travel in North America could have collapsed. The American way of life has been inalterably changed based on the element of constant fear. As President Bush stated following the attacks of 9/11, the U.S. is no longer protected by our surrounding oceans.

Beyond these frightening events in the news, we need to be reminded of the stern warnings which God issued for His people Israel and their descendants in both Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28. Of particular note is verse 17 of Leviticus 26: ” ‘I will set My face against you, and YOU SHALL BE DEFEATED BY YOUR ENEMIES. Those who hate you shall reign over you, and you shall flee when no one pursues you.’ ” Verse 37 adds: ” ‘…you shall have no power to stand before your enemies.’ “

“CLOSING THE GAP…”

In evaluating the strong Euro and the falling dollar, a report from a national radio program stated that Europe was “closing the gap” in which the U.S. has been the dominant economic power in the world while nations such as France and Germany along with other European nations trailed behind.

In fact, as we have been continually reporting in this weekly “Update,” Europe is emerging on far more fronts than just economic. Political movements are creating allies among the nations of central Europe that are destined to catapult them into a dominant world role. There is now more than just a stirring of religious fervor as Pope John Paul II exerts dramatic papal influence in European as well as world events.

The pope has waged an ongoing diplomatic campaign against the U.S.-led war with Iraq. He has been particularly outspoken in his opposition to any kind of “pre-emptive” use of power such as the kind of actions in its war against terror that the U.S., under President Bush, has adopted.

AGI Online reports that, “…next Friday the pope will receive American vice president Dick Cheney at the Vatican, while tomorrow (Friday, January 23, 2004) the Spanish prime minister Aznar will meet with the [pope]” (www.agi.it).

Events such as these reflect the changing dynamics of international influence as new power-blocks are emerging. Biblical prophecy speaks of a coming national punishment called “…the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7). Furthermore, the Bible also reveals that Britain and the United States will bear the brunt of this punishment because of their great national sins, and because these nations are the modern descendants of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. Our booklets deal more specifically with prophetic events for these times in which we live. You are also welcome to contact us directly with any questions.

ISRAEL SMOLDERS!

The fires are never quenched in the nation of Israel. The slightest provocations make headlines around the world. This week was no different.

“Israeli planes attacked Hezbollah targets in south Lebanon on Tuesday, threatening an escalation of clashes along a border that has been relatively calm for nearly four years” (AP News 1/21/2004). This in turn has led to broader accusations and threatening pronouncements between Syrian and Israeli officials. Events such as this reveal the tinder-box status of life in the Middle East.

Compounding the situation is a possible indictment against Prime Minister Sharon. “An Israeli court charged a real-estate developer Wednesday with paying more than a half-million dollars in bribes to Ariel Sharon–a case that could force the prime minister to step aside” (www.comcast.net 1/21/2004).

The article continues: “Sharon is also being investigated for alleged involvement in illegal campaign financing. If Sharon is charged, he would be forced to suspend himself from office while the case is pending. But the prime minister could also face pressure from the public and his own party to step down before that.”

The potential for changes in national leadership exist around the globe. The U.S. has a presidential election in which the re-election of George Bush is certainly a question mark. Although very active in spite of serious health problems, Pope John Paul II is considered extremely fragile. Prime Minister Tony Blair has taken heavy political body blows because of his support for the U.S.-led Iraqi war. Leadership across Europe is now being second-guessed following the failure of finalizing a European constitution. Add to this the explosive emergence of China’s economic might, and we see a world that is destined to undergo many dramatic changes in the coming months.

Let us read, first, the passage referred to above, in context. Christ said to Peter, beginning in Matthew 16:18: “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

The word “Peter,” i.e., “petros” in Greek, means “a little stone.” The “rock,” on which Christ would build His church, is “petra” in Greek, meaning a solid rock. Christ was not saying here that Christ would build the church on “Peter,” but on THE ROCK — Christ Himself. It is CHRIST who is identified as “THE ROCK” in passages such as 1 Corinthians 10:4. Peter, as well as the other apostles, in addition to the prophets, are part of the foundation, but Christ is the CHIEF cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20). The Church is built on Christ, who is the LIVING Head of the Church (Ephesians 4:15). That is why the “gates of Hades” or “Death” cannot overcome or defeat it. Christ, as the LIVING Head of the Church — as the foundation of the Church — has overcome death, having the “key of Hades and of Death” (Revelation 1:18). Paul explains that no one can lay a foundation other than the one that is laid, which is Christ (1 Corinthians 3:11).

Unger’s Bible Handbook agrees, as follows: “”Thou art Peter [petros, a stone] and upon this rock [petra, great ledge of rock] I will build my church (cf. 1 Pet 2:4-6, where the apostle made it clear he was never to be thought of as ‘the rock’).”

The Broadman Bible commentary points out:

“In the Greek text, two forms appear in ‘you are Peter’ [Petros], and ‘on this rock’ [petra]… The masculine form, Petros [and]… the feminine form, petra… If [Peter] is the rock, it is strange that the impersonal ‘this rock’ follows the personal ‘you are.’… Although Peter and all the apostles (Eph. 2:20; Rev. 21:14) were in some sense the foundation upon which the church was built, the New Testament never allows this in an absolute sense. Jesus Himself is ‘the rock’ upon which the church is built… there could be a church without Peter, none without Christ. Peter is neither the head nor the foundation of the church. Jesus founded it; it stands or falls with him; and he is yet its living Lord and head.”

It is important to understand this background, if we want to understand correctly the “power to bind and loose.” We are told in Matthew 16:19, that Christ gave Peter the “keys of the kingdom of heaven.” Our recent Q&A in Update # 121 on the “key of David” explained the meaning of the “keys of the kingdom of heaven.” We pointed out that “the context shows that He was revealing to Peter and the other disciples the KNOWLEDGE as to how to enter the Kingdom of God…”

In Matthew 16:19, Christ continues to say that whatever “thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Authorized Version). So, Christ addresses Peter in this passage, as the word “thou,” a singular word, shows.

However, in Matthew 18:18, Christ does not only speak to Peter, when He says: “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 (Authorized Version).” While the word “thou” (in Matthew 16:19) refers to just one person, the word “ye” (in Matthew 18:18) refers to more than one person. In Matthew 18:15-17, Christ had just explained the proper procedure regarding an unrepentant brother or sister. If he or she does not hear “the church,” that is, the ministry, “let him be unto THEE as an heathen man and a publican.” It is the church, through its ministry, which will make the decision to disassociate from such a person. Such a decision involves, of course, a judgment whether or not the person is repentant and whether or not the sins of the person are forgiven. And so, we read in John 20:22-23 (Authorized Version): “And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive YE the Holy [Spirit]: Whose soever sins YE remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins YE retain, they are retained.”

The ministry has been given the authority from God, to “bind and loose,” and to “remit” and “retain” sin. It is critical that we understand correctly the scope of this authority.

When returning to Matthew 16:19, we find, in the New King James Bible, the following annotation in the margin: “Or, ‘will have been bound… will have been loosed.'”

The Ryrie Study Bible explains: “Lit., ‘shall have been bound… shall have been loosed.’ Heaven, not the apostles, initiates all binding and loosing, while the apostles announce these things. In John 20:22-23 sins are in view; here, things (i.e., practices). An example of the apostles’ binding practices on people is found in Acts 15:20.”

The New American Standard Bible translates Matthew 16:19, as follows: “…and whatever you shall bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you shall loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.”

Similarly the New Testament by Charles Williams: “… and whatever you forbid on earth must be what is already forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth must be what is already permitted in heaven.”

The Broadman Bible Commentary points out:

“‘Shall be bound’ (estai dedemenon) and ‘shall be loosed’ (estai lelumenon) may not be precise translations of the Greek tenses behind them. In each case the Greek tense is a periphrastic form of the future perfect passive. Possibly they should be rendered ‘shall have been bound’ and ‘shall have been loosed,’ although many grammarians would call this pedantic. If the force of the future perfect tense holds here, the meaning would be somewhat altered. This would suggest not that the action on earth would be ratified in heaven but that it is anticipated in heaven. In other words, earth follows heaven, not the reverse.”

Regarding John 20:23, the Ryrie Study Bible states: “Since only God can forgive sins (Mark 2:7), the disciples and the Church are here given the authority to declare what God does when a man either accepts or rejects His Son.” We might also add that Christ had announced to them that they would soon receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit gives us wisdom and discernment, and enables especially the ministry, when used correctly, to ascertain whether a person is repentant or not.

Although Christ was talking, at that time, to Peter and the other apostles, it is clear that His statements were not just limited to them. Christ stated in Matthew 28:20 that the early apostles were to teach all the disciples “to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world [or better: end of this age or civilization].” Christ included with His statement the church throughout the ages, until the very time of His return. Therefore, He did not restrict the authority to “bind and loose” just to His apostles of the very first century.

The Nelson Study Bible comments on Matthew 16:19 and on Matthew 18:18: “In rabbinical literature, binding and loosing refers to what was permitted or not permitted. So this passage may refer to judgments that Peter [and the other apostles] would make about what would be permitted or forbidden in the church… As in [Matthew] 16:19, the tenses [in Matthew 18:18] imply that what is loosed or bound on earth will have been determined already in heaven. In other words, this is a promise of divine direction…”

Jamiesson, Fausset and Brown, Commentary on the Whole Bible, states regarding Matthew 18:18: “Here, what had been granted but a short time before to Peter only… is plainly extended to all the Twelve; so that… it means nothing peculiar to Peter, far less to his pretended successors at Rome. It has to do with admission and rejection from the membership of the Church.”

The New Bible Commentary: Revised, agrees and adds the following remarks: “The promise does not of course mean that God will be bound by anything that Peter says (cf. Gal. 2:11), but that things done according to the will of Christ will have binding validity…. Judicial rulings, like the promulgation of rules of conduct, are binding.”

Eerdman’s Handbook to the Bible elaborates: “The authority given to Peter is given equally to the others (see [Matthew]18:18)… God is not bound by whatever Peter may say. But anything done by the disciple in accordance with Christ’s will is to have permanent validity.”

The Broadman Bible Commentary, commenting on Matthew 18:18, explains the meaning and scope of “binding and loosing,” as follows:

“The authority to bind and loose, given to Peter in [Matthew] 16:19, is here extended to the whole church [that is, its ministry]. In [Matthew] 16:19 it seems to relate primarily to instruction, what conduct is permitted and what not [We might insert here that this would include conduct that is not clearly defined in Scripture. The Church is not permitted, however, to do away with any of God’s commandments, judgments or statutes, compare Matthew 5:17-19; James 2:10; Mark 7:6-13. Likewise, the Church is not to add prohibitions regarding conduct that the Bible permits, compare Revelation 22:18; Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:32; Proverbs 30:5-6]. Here [in Matthew 18:18] it relates primarily to church discipline. The periphrastic future perfect passive tense is used for bind and loose as in [Matthew] 16:19… Agreement between heaven and church is pictured. This, of course, presupposes that in undertaking the discipline of a member the church has been governed by the motive and spirit prescribed.”

In summary, Christ empowered the leadership of the Church, throughout the Church’s history and existence, to discern God’s Will regarding binding Church decisions as to what God permits and prohibits, based on His law, and who is to be excommunicated and reinstated, based on the Church leadership’s discernment of the person’s repentance and God’s forgiveness. This is not to say that Church decisions are to be considered infallible. God does not bind in heaven a Church decision which is against His Will and His Law. We are told that all of us have to GROW in the KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST (2 Peter 3:18; Ephesians 4:13). Therefore, when God, through the power and wisdom of His Holy Spirit, clearly reveals to the Church leadership that a wrong decision was made in the past, perhaps by not fully submitting to, or understanding the Will of God, such a wrong decision must be corrected immediately.