“The Church & Its Authority”

If you have been here for all the messages in Matthew 18 (last 5) or have listened to the CD;’s and you still have a question. Please submit that question this coming week to CCRR. Questions can be ed to the church office, or hand written and turned in at the front desk, or called in.( ) “contact”

If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses.

If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.

Please Turn In Your Bibles

It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.

Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord’s work. They work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance. Show them great respect and wholehearted love because of their work. And live peacefully with each other.

Therefore, I exhort the elders among you…shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock.

My signature acknowledges that I agree to the Statement of Faith of Calvary Chapel of Rio Rancho. I consider myself a congregational member of, otherwise a leader of Calvary Chapel of Rio Rancho. As such, I express my agreement to be placed under the authority of Calvary Chapel of Rio Rancho and subject to church discipline in accordance with…

Matthew 18:15-20 that states: “And if your brother sins, go and reprove him in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY FACT MAY BE CONFIRMED. And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax-gatherer…”

Any pastor, elder, employee, leader or congregant, whose confession of faith or behavior is in conflict with this Statement of Faith will be subject to removal and dismissal by the Senior Pastor, Board of Directors, or their assignees, from his or her position or responsibility. Further, the Board of Directors, their assignees, or the Senior Pastor may prohibit the fellowship and attendance of any person from Calvary Chapel’s services and meetings.

I understand this Acknowledgement of Agreement shall remain in full effect unless I revoke or reject any or all parts of this Agreement. Calvary Chapel of Rio Rancho will consider me as a congregant until such time that I deliver a written notice of rejection or revocation to the Church Office at Calvary Chapel of Rio Rancho. Signature: _______________________

Please Turn in Your Bibles 2 TIMOTHY 2:15-18

For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.

But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him.

"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. "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. "For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."

“Binding” and “loosing,” terms normally used for tying up or imprisoning versus freeing or releasing, (“forbid” and “permit.”) these provide a natural metaphor for condemning or acquitting in a court. IVP Background Commentary

“Agree” Grk. “sumphoneo”. Sum -“together,” & phoneo sound “Sound together” or be in accord, be in harmony. The word “symphony” comes from sumphoneo. “Anything you ask for” in this context means an appeal to God for support of the witnesses’ actions to restore the sinning brother or to excommunicate him…

These two verses are among the most misunderstood in the Bible. They are traditionally taken to mean that God pays special attention to the prayers of believers when two or more gather or agree together. But such an interpretation is wrong for two reasons: (1) it takes the statements out of the context of church discipline and the pursuit of the straying brother; and (2) the conclusions that it leads to regarding prayer is contrary to Scripture.

Nowhere in the Bible does God imply that he listens any differently to one person praying than he does to two, ten, or five hundred. Holman New Testament Commentary

God will back up with His power and authority any decision involving the corporate discipline of an erring brother or sister that His disciples may make after determining His will. Dr. Tom Constable

Lovingkindness and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth springs from the earth, And righteousness looks down from heaven.

3 For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present. 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and I with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses.

If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.

“The Church & Its Authority”