Bible Study Seattle

“If your brother sins against you, go and rebuke him in private. If he listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he won’t listen, take one or two more with you, so that by the testimony of two or three witnesses every fact may be established. If he pays no attention to them, tell the church. But if he doesn’t pay attention even to the church, let him be like an unbeliever and a tax collector to you. I assure you: Whatever you bind on earth is already bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth is already loosed in heaven. Again, I assure you: If two of you on earth agree about any matter that you pray for, it will be done for you by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there among them.” Matthew 18:15-20

Why the link between heaven and earth? This shows how our earthly actions translate into heaven. There will be repentance and forgiveness in heaven. This also illustrates how restoration will take place. Small and private at first, then more and more public only if necessary. The extreme of this is illustrated in many of Jesus’ parables. “So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.” Matthew 10:26

God will give them every chance to repent, as he did for Pharaoh. The only thing to do after killing all of Egypt’s firstborn was to kill every Egyptian. But God spared the people. Then God let Pharaoh essentially commit suicide, since there was no repentance in him, only obstinance.