WHAT'S BINDING AND LOOSING?

A lot of you I imagine attend churches or have been in churches where you’ve heard either a preacher or parishioner say, “ DEVIL I BIND YOU IN THE NAME OF JESUS!” After which you may hear something like, “I LOOSE THE ANGELS OVER MY SITUATION!” The situation can be a variety of things: money, healing, job etc. Sounds spiritual and powerful. But, is this practice biblical? Let’s review two passages and find out.

In Matthew 16:15 Jesus asked the question, “But whom do you say I am?” In verse 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son the living God. Verse 17; and Jesus answered and said unto him, “Blessed art thou Simon Bar-Jona (i.e. Son of Jona): for flesh and blood has not revealed it unto you, but my Father which is in heaven.”

And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatsoever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven”.

Now, let’s define some terms.

The word keys in the Greek is kleis. Keys here is used metaphorically of the authority Jesus gave to Peter regarding opening the door to the faith. Peter used this authority on the day of Pentecost when he preached the very first gospel message in Acts 2 and three thousands souls were saved. This was also the birth of the Church.

By the way, these keys belong to every born again believer for we’ve been given the same charge; to lead people to saving faith through the preaching of the gospel message; the only way to salvation. This is a most sacred trust and must be treated with the greatest of care. How do we do this? Through continuing steadfastly in the Apostles’ doctrine like the early church did (Acts 2:42). Doctrine in the Greek is the word Didachē; means the art of teaching, instructing, tutoring. Remember, the Apostles’ doctrine came directly from Jesus himself (i.e the keys of the kingdom of heaven) which means it’s exactly the same gospel; no variance. Make sure the doctrine you’re hearing and teaching is from this source or it will have no authority to lead anyone to saving faith.

The word bind or bound in the Greek is deo. It’s literal meaning means to tie up or fasten. In this passage it’s dealing with according to rabbinic tradition, to forbid, prohibit or declare to be illicit. The greek word for loose is luo which simply means to release, to dissolve. What is going on here is that The Church is the representation of the Kingdom of heaven on earth. So whatever we bind (or forbid) on earth as long as it’s in accordance with the word of God is already bound in heaven. Also whatever we loose (or release, or allow) on earth has to already been loosed or permitted in heaven. The Church on earth has to agree with the decrees in heaven in order for the binding and loosing to work.

In Matthew 18:18 the same Greek words for bind and loose are used in regards to sin and church discipline. There’s no reference to the Devil, demons being bound or angels being loosed in either of these passages; that is a unbiblical practice. We know this because the word whatsoever is an indefinite pronoun, it's neuter; not gender specific.

The only time Satan or the Devil is bound is in Revelation 20:1-3. An angel from heaven binds him with a great chain and unlocks the bottomless pit (i.e. the Abyss), and consigns him there for a thousand years during the Millennium reign of Jesus Christ.