耶穌在馬太福音中提到捆綁和釋放 16:19, 當耶穌談到教會在地上的建立和運作時. 耶穌說, 無論他的教會在地上有什麼約束力, shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever His church shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. But does binding and loosing mean to bind demons (惡魔) like a spirit of poverty, 叛逆精神, ETC. in a person? This is a popular teaching concerning spiritual warfare and deliverance that is preached from many pulpits. Many Christians apply this doctrine and principle of binding and loosing and bind evil spirits in persons or areas. But is this doctrine of binding and loosing Biblical? Where do Jesus and His disciples bind evil spirits in the Bible?
Jesus gave the church the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven
Jesus promised that He would give His church the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and whatsoever His church would bind, would be bound in heaven, and whatsoever His church would lose, would be loosed in heaven. Binding and loosing are part of the keys of Heaven, which Jesus gave to His church; the assembly of born-again believers (基督徒).
As mentioned in the previous blog post, keys represent access, 權威, and responsibility.
When you buy a house and get the keys to this house, you become the owner. The keys give you access to the house and responsibility for the house. You should be careful with your keys and who you allow and don’t allow into your house. With the keys, you can open the door and close the door. Now that’s what binding and loosing is all about.
Jesus gave the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven to His church. As mentioned in the blog post What’s wrong with the church?’, the church of Jesus Christ is appointed on earth to represent Him, 他的意志, 和他的王國.
The church is a gathering of 重生的信徒, who are His body. His body represents His will on earth.
Jesus gave all authority in the heavens and on the earth to His body. 所以, the church has all authority in Him and a responsibility to open doors in the congregation and allow things and to close doors in the congregation to forbid things. 換句話說, the church has the authority and the responsibility to bind and to loose; to forbid and to permit.
What does the Bible say about binding and loosing in the Old Testament?
在舊約中, the congregation; 上帝的子民 (雅各布的種子; 以色列) was set apart from the pagan nations (外邦人, 世界). God gave them, 透過摩西, 他的誡命, which represented His will and Kingdom. The congregation of Israel had to execute God’s will on earth. It was the responsibility of the congregation to keep the laws and the commandments of God.
The leaders of the congregation were responsible to protect God’s people and to guard the congregation. They had to make sure that none of God’s people would trespass God’s law and sin and do the evil works of the darkness; 習慣, and works of the pagan nations.
If a person became rebellious by disobeying God’s commandments, it was the responsibility of the leaders of the congregation to execute God’s will and remove the evil (這個人) from the congregation. Because as soon as one person became rebellious and did evil, the whole congregation would be affected by his evil.
As long as the people of God stayed obedient to His word and commandments, they were protected. But as soon as they allowed things that opposed God’s will, God withdrew Himself and His protection from His people.
The leaders of the congregation were responsible for protecting the people and making sure that they stayed obedient to God’s word and will; His law and commandments and that they dealt with evil (罪) and judged according to God’s will.
The church of Jesus Christ represents the Kingdom of Heaven
The church of Jesus Christ represents the Kingdom of Heaven, 這就是上帝的王國, 世上. Peter was the first apostle who testified about Jesus the Christ, 永生神的兒子.
通過 Peter’s testimony, Peter opened the door for the gospel of Jesus Christ. Peter first gave the ability to the Jews and then to the Gentiles to become part of the body of Christ; 耶穌基督的教會.
The Gentiles were allowed to the body of Christ
起先, the gospel of Jesus Christ was only meant for the Jews; God’s people after the flesh, and not for the Gentiles. The Gentiles were not allowed to enter the congregation. 然而, through a vision of God, God gave Peter the commandment and approval to open the doors for the Gentiles. (使徒行傳 10:9-48).
What was forbidden (bound) in the first case became allowed (loosed).
The Gentiles were given the opportunity to become part of God’s people and become part of the church; 基督的身體 (使徒行傳 10:28).
The church received in Christ the spiritual authority and power to govern the church and lead and teach Christians into all truth of the Kingdom of Heaven. So that they spiritually mature and grow up into the image of Christ.
The congregation has been given power to allow and to forbid things in the congregation.
As the church represents the Kingdom of God, the church is responsible for executing God’s will on earth.
The church of Jesus Christ is responsible for doing everything according to God’s will. God’s will is also the will of Jesus Christ and, 所以, the will of the Holy Spirit.
The church is responsible for doing and permitting things, which are according to God’s will (loosing). But the church is also responsible for forbidding all things that oppose God’s will (binding).
Whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven
它寫了, whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven. It doesn’t say, whosoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven. Binding doesn’t refer to people, 天使, 惡魔, ETC. refers to things, 法規, 法律, 作品, 行為, ETC.
The Word is very clear about 上帝的旨意 and obedience to the Word instead of walking on self-chosen paths.
The church ought to submit to the Head; Jesus Christ and be led by the Word and the Holy Spirit and obey the Word, instead of being led by her senses, 情緒, 感情, 發現, 意見, 肉體的智慧, 知識, personal revelations, 經歷, ETC. (另請閱讀: Is the Church build upon the opinion of people?).
The Head of the church is Jesus Christ; 這個單字, 而不是人.
As long as the church does what the Word says and stays obedient to the Word, the church represents the Kingdom of God on earth. But when the church disobeys 這個單字, the church won’t represent the Kingdom of God and God’s will, but the kingdom of darkness and the will of man.
What does Binding and loosing mean in the Bible?
Binding and loosing mean to forbid and permit. This becomes clearer when we look at Matthew 18, where Jesus spoke again about binding and loosing. When you read the principle of binding and loosing in this context, you’ll see what Jesus meant by binding and loosing. Jesus wasn’t talking about binding evil spirits in a person, but the responsibility of obedience to God’s will and forbidding sin in the church.
‘Whatsoever thou shalt bind’
耶穌說, if your brother trespasses against you, you should go to him and tell him his fault between you and him alone. When your brother hears you (和 悔改), you have gained (保存) your brother. But if he doesn’t want to hear you, then you shall take one or two with you. 以便, by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
If your brother neglects to hear them, you should tell it to the church. If your brother neglects to hear from the church also, then let him be to you as a heathen man and a publican.
然後耶穌說, 我實在告訴你, whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven. And whatsoever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
This means that as long as a person wants to keep walking in sin and isn’t willing to 悔改 and remove the sins from his life, then you should treat him as a heathen man and a publican.
Heathen men (外邦人) and publicans were not allowed in the congregation of God. 所以, this means that you should remove him from the church. Because the church represents the Kingdom of Heaven and God’s will and not the kingdom of darkness and the devil’s will.
The church has the authority to remit sins and retains sins
接受聖靈: 誰犯了誰的罪惡, 他們匯給他們; 你們的罪惡保留了, 他們被保留 (約翰 20:22-23)
The church received the Holy Ghost and has been given the authority to remit sins and retain sins. Only when a person listens and repents of sin, the church has the power to remit sins. When the church remits sins, it will be remitted in heaven.
然而, when a person won’t listen and won’t repent, then the church should retain the sins to the person. When the sins are retained, the person belongs to the kingdom of darkness (世界). 所以, the church shall remove the person from the congregation, 並且透過這樣做, 該人應 be delivered unto satan.
凡住在他裡面的，就不犯罪: 凡犯罪的都沒見過他, 兩人都不認識他. 小孩子, 不要讓任何人欺騙你: 公義的人是公義的, 即使他是正義的. 犯罪的人是屬魔鬼的; 因為魔鬼從一開始就犯罪. 為此目的，神的兒子顯現出來, 以便他摧毀魔鬼的作為 (1 約翰 3:6-8)
每個人, 誰不斷犯罪, has the devil as father and does his works and represents his kingdom. That’s why the church’s job is to reveal and forbid the works of the devil (罪) 在教堂裡. Because sin binds people to the devil and gives him power.
Everything that the church forbids in the natural realm, shall be forbidden in heaven, 在精神領域.
That’s why it’s so important to get to know God’s will through His Word. So that the church executes His will on earth.
The church must forbid those things, 上帝禁止的, in the church on earth, so that they shall also be forbidden in heaven (binding).
What happened to Ananias and Sapphira in the church?
Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Holy Spirit in the church. Because of their sin, they died. The church was holy and consecrated by God. 然而, the devil tried to enter the church, through the lives of Ananias and Sapphira.
The devil wanted to defile the church (the born-again believers) with evil; 黑暗. Because a little leaven, 使整個腫塊發酵. But the Holy Spirit prevented that from happening. 因此, Ananias and Sapphira, who had the character of 老人; 魔鬼, both died.
What does the Bible say about fornication in the Corinthian church?
Another example is given in 1 哥林多前書 5, where we read about fornication in the Corinthian church. A person had committed fornication with the wife of his father. The church leaders knew about it. But because the church leaders were puffed up, instead of mourning and removing the person from the church, they didn’t do anything.
然而, the Holy Spirit sees and knows everything, and there’s no distance in the spiritual realm. 所以, 保羅, who was led by the Spirit, saw what was going on in the church at Corinth. Paul confronted the church leaders with their behavior and responsibility.
The church leaders should have taken action against the person, who had given access to the devil to the church, through his sin. Because by his deed of disobedience to God, he affected the whole congregation with evil. (另請閱讀: What is the meaning of the Valley of Achor?).
所以, Paul instructed the church leaders to remove the person from the congregation and deliver him unto satan; 黑暗王國 (世界).
在這個時代, many Christians would say: “what a nasty man, this Paul! Paul shouldn’t be so hars. He shouldn’t treat that poor man that way. Paul should have been tolerant and forgiving. He should show some love by allowing that person to the congregation and not by removing the person. 我們都是罪人, and we all make mistakes. It’s all by the grace of God that we are saved. 順便說一句, you are not allowed to judge!」
The new man is led by the Word and the Holy Spirit
But you know, Paul and the other apostles weren’t 老人 了, 誰是由肉體領導的. They were not led by their feelings and emotions and by what they saw or heard. But they were 新人., who is led by the Word and the Holy Spirit and what He revealed to them.
The apostles knew the 神的旨意 by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the knowledge of the Word. They knew their enemy and were on guard, and were not misled and seduced by the lies of the devil.
The devil shall always try to enter people’s lives through the flesh. That’s why it’s so important to 放下肉. As long as the flesh is not laid down, people will keep sinning and allow 教會中的罪.
In the Book of Revelations, we read about the seven churches. We don’t read anything about binding and loosing of demonic powers. 反而, we read about what the churches had done (permitted) and what the churches should have done, but hadn’t done (禁止的).
“Whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven”
耶穌說: “Your will be done in heaven as on earth”. This applies to loosing. The commission that Jesus gave to His church is to represent and preach the Kingdom of God and bring the Kingdom of God to the people on this earth. The church shall do and permit all those things, which are according to the will of God.
這意味著, 首先, that those who repent and want to 跟隨耶穌, be baptized in water 並接受聖靈. It means to preach the gospel and teach the believers all things, 耶穌教他的門徒, and make them disciples of Jesus Christ, 治癒病人, and cast out demons.
They shall tread upon serpents, 如果他們喝了任何致命的東西, 這不會傷害他們. As long as believers stay in Christ, the powers and works of darkness shall not be able to harm them.
Where did Jesus command us to bind demons?
現在, let’s have a look at the doctrine of binding and loosing related to binding demons (like a spirit of poverty, a spirit of sickness, 叛逆精神, a spirit of anger, a spirit of self-pity, 恐懼的精神, ETC。) and loosing healing, 財富, 財富, ETC. If these doctrine of binding and loosing is inspired by Jesus, why don’t we read anything about it in the Bible? We don’t read anywhere that Jesus said: “I bind you, you spirit of …” We also don’t read anywhere that the apostles bound demons (惡魔).
If Jesus would have wanted us to ‘bind’ 惡魔, then why did He command us to ‘cast out’ 惡魔?
Jesus didn’t command us to bind demons. Because how else can you deliver a person if you bind a demon in the person? The demon will not reveal himself, and you will not cast the demon out of a person. You don’t set people free by binding demons. But you set people free by commanding the demon to ‘come out’ and leave the person.
惡魔以光明天使的身份降臨
The devil will always try to raise new doctrines and spiritual revelations in the minds of people, that seem so spiritual and promising and make many people enthusiastic, but deviate from the Bible; 上帝的話. He will always try to mislead Christians through false doctrines that seem so godly, while in reality they derive from the devil.
The devil knows that the more false doctrines and methods, and the more steps Christians must take to deliver a person, the more confused they’ll get. Christians shall be more focused on their words and rely on their methods and steps to deliver a person, instead of trusting the Lord Jesus Christ and relying on His power and work.
If Christians bind demons, then they won’t be a danger to the kingdom of darkness. Because the demons still have access to people’s lives. They are only (暫時) bound.
The person shall not be delivered but remain possessed. 這正是魔鬼想要的, so that he will stay in control of people’s lives.
As long as the devil stays in control of people’s lives, he will have dominion on earth and in the spiritual realm.
The devil will even empower the words of Christians. 如何? By commanding his demons to be silent for a while and not manifest themselves. So that Christians experience results and a person experiences a temporary relief that looks like a deliverance. 但是過了一會兒, the demon shall manifest himself again and continue his destructive work. Because nothing happened to the person, the person is still possessed. 然而, Christians think that ‘binding and loosing’ works and shall continue.
僅通過單詞, will we be able to discern the truth of God and the lies of the devil.
The church has been given the keys to bind and loose
The church is always connected to Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of Heaven and is a reflection of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. 所以, the church shall walk according to the Law of the Kingdom. The church is seated in the heavenly places in Jesus Christ. Only from this spiritual position shall the church reign and execute the will of King Jesus.
Everything that will be forbidden (bound) on earth in the 耶穌的名, by believers, 將被束縛在天堂. Jesus shall empower the words and works in the spiritual realm by the Spirit. Just like God empowered the words and works of Jesus by the Spirit.
耶穌知道他父親的旨意. 所以, all His deeds and all His actions; His works were according to the 他父親的遺囑.
Jesus forbade the works of the kingdom of darkness (binding). And Jesus permitted the works of the Kingdom of God (loosing), by bringing the Kingdom of God to the people
Jesus allowed the works of the Kingdom of God, and God empowered all His words and works by His Holy Spirit.
As long as the church obeys the commandments of Jesus and does His will, which is also the will of God, then He shall empower the words and works. But He shall not empower the words and works that oppose His will.
The church has been given, 在耶穌基督里, the highest spiritual authority in heaven and on earth. There is no higher authority. Jesus has given His church; 他的身體, the commission to bind and to lose.
Binding and loosing means to forbid the works of the kingdom of darkness (binding) and to represent and bring the Kingdom of God by keeping His commandments and doing His will on this earth (loosing). 以便, His Kingdom shall come and His will be done in earth as it is in heaven and Jesus and the Father shall be exalted and glorified.
‘成為地球之鹽’
