Matthew 18 Confusions.

Ok, I'm not sure what this is trying to say
18 Truly I tell you, whatever you forbid and declare to be improper and unlawful on earth must be [e]what is already forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit and declare proper and lawful on earth must be [f]what is already permitted in heaven.
19 Again I tell you, if two of you on earth agree (harmonize together, make a symphony together) about whatever [anything and [g]everything] they may ask, it will come to pass and be done for them by My Father in heaven.
20 For wherever two or three are gathered (drawn together as My followers) in (into) My name, there I Am in the midst of them.

How can anything we declare proper or improper here on earth be the same in heaven? there's probably a group of people who permit, and declare it proper and lawful to get together, and have BDSM orgies whilst bathed in blood.
There's probably tons of people who say it is improper to do things that are perfectly normal as well.

And what about all these verses about plucking out your eye if it sins and blah blah, I'm sure none of you have done this, but I'm sure someone somewhere probably has, if not hundreds of people.
So what is the deal? This is new testament, no longer under the law but of grace correct? no reason to self flagellate, as we are not under our own works, but under faith.
 
Ok, I'm not sure what this is trying to say


How can anything we declare proper or improper here on earth be the same in heaven? there's probably a group of people who permit, and declare it proper and lawful to get together, and have BDSM orgies whilst bathed in blood.
There's probably tons of people who say it is improper to do things that are perfectly normal as well.

And what about all these verses about plucking out your eye if it sins and blah blah, I'm sure none of you have done this, but I'm sure someone somewhere probably has, if not hundreds of people.
So what is the deal? This is new testament, no longer under the law but of grace correct? no reason to self flagellate, as we are not under our own works, but under faith.

To have the proper context, I suggest you read verse 15-17. Then we can see that the setting of the posted concern you have is all about "church disipline".

The basis is about forgivness and how it is to be applied in the church setting.
 
Notice the context in which this statement is made (Mt. 18:15-20). The local church is to be a colony of heavenly people upon the earth. I often use the illustration of European settlers who came to America and formed European enclaves and settlements in the New World. Their communities were European, not native American. They spoke the language of Europe and followed the European dress and customs. Our churches are to be heavenly colonies on the surface of a sinful world. We are to exercise local church discipline and not tolerate open sin among our people. If the church exercises discipline, notice in this passage that two or three others are to meet with this person and testify that what he or she is doing is wrong. That's the context of Jesus saying, "Wherever two or three are gathered together I am in the midst of them." It is a disciplinary hearing trying to get one member to change his or her ways.

The passages about plucking out one's eyes is an hyperbole, an exaggeration to make a point. We must never forget the seriousness of sin and what it does to the Christian. I don't believe that was meant to be taken literally. It's like the statement, "If I told you once, I told you a hundred billions times, don't exaggerate!"
 
Ok, I'm not sure what this is trying to say
How can anything we declare proper or improper here on earth be the same in heaven? there's probably a group of people who permit, and declare it proper and lawful to get together, and have BDSM orgies whilst bathed in blood.
There's probably tons of people who say it is improper to do things that are perfectly normal as well.

And what about all these verses about plucking out your eye if it sins and blah blah, I'm sure none of you have done this, but I'm sure someone somewhere probably has, if not hundreds of people.
So what is the deal? This is new testament, no longer under the law but of grace correct? no reason to self flagellate, as we are not under our own works, but under faith.


Verses 15-17 puts 18-20 in context. Also if you read Hebrews 8 & 9 it may give you some help in regards to heavenly things. Also we have to see that these instructions were directed at His disciples who had special dispensation from Him.

What Jesus was teaching in Matthew 5:27-30, was that our eyes or hands do NOT cause us to sin. The key word in these verses is IF. The point He was making was that our eyes or hands do NOT cause us to sin, our hearts do. Our carnal nature does. I'm sure He was NOT trying to be sarcastic or say this in jest, He was showing just how ridiculous it was for people to believe that what they did on the outward or how they appeared on the outward, was what was real.

You should read Matthew 21 and especially verses 18-21 and then read the following article. It will help you understand the contextualization for some of the things Jesus said and did in the Gospels.

http://www.crivoice.org/commanding.html
 
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