WHERE TWO OR THREE ARE GATHERED

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V

VRJ

Guest
#1
#1
MATTHEW 18:20
"For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

Corrie Ten Boom's (book: The Hiding Place) sister said that 'no pit is so deep that the Lord is not there.'
I believe that when we go to God we are there with the Holy Spirit and Jesus. So, we have our gathering. He is there with us.

God may even have an office of 'Remembrance:'
Isaiah 43:26; "Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified."
Malachi 3:16; "Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name."
He's going to remember our prayers. They are with him now. This is all you need to do.
 
D

dmdave17

Guest
#2
#2
First of all, thank you very much for finding this verse for me! I have been looking for it for some time without success. (I think I have been plugging in the KJV version into an NIV search engine.) I think it is probably the most fundamental definition of "church" found in the entire Bible.

And while I do believe strongly that God hears and remembers all prayers (not necessarily answers), your reasoning may be a bit flawed. Matthew 28, verse 19, says "“Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.". (emphasis added) This would seem to preclude using Christ and the Holy Spirit as part of our gathering.
 
G

gb9

Senior Member
#3
Jan 18, 2011
11,756
6,336
113
#3
i heard a interesting take on this one time.Jesus ,knowing human nature,said this because he knew how hard it would be to get more than two or three people to agree on things, seems odd at first,but think about how many differant things we argue about all the time. something to think about.
 
S

Scotth1960

Guest
#4
#4
VRJ said:
MATTHEW 18:20
"For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

Corrie Ten Boom's (book: The Hiding Place) sister said that 'no pit is so deep that the Lord is not there.'
I believe that when we go to God we are there with the Holy Spirit and Jesus. So, we have our gathering. He is there with us.

God may even have an office of 'Remembrance:'
Isaiah 43:26; "Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified."
Malachi 3:16; "Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name."
He's going to remember our prayers. They are with him now. This is all you need to do.
Click to expand...
Corrie Ten Boom was a great woman of God and a friend of Israel. She did blessed things to rescue God's OT people from the prejudice and sin of the Nazis. We need such brave people in a violent world.

 
S

Slepsog4

Guest
#5
#5
Context please!!

Mt. 18:10 is not about an assembly for edification or worship. Read the context.
 
V

VRJ

Guest
#6
#6
Slepsog4,
I have always valued other opinions. Where I have missed content I know you will help us better understand if you would give us your opinion as to this scriptures meaning.
 
J

journey41

Banned
#7
Jul 30, 2010
882
4
0
#7
VRJ said:
MATTHEW 18:20
"For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

Corrie Ten Boom's (book: The Hiding Place) sister said that 'no pit is so deep that the Lord is not there.'
I believe that when we go to God we are there with the Holy Spirit and Jesus. So, we have our gathering. He is there with us.

God may even have an office of 'Remembrance:'
Isaiah 43:26; "Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified."
Malachi 3:16; "Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name."
He's going to remember our prayers. They are with him now. This is all you need to do.
Click to expand...
Yes, praise the Lord, and they are not considered a cult!
 
Jaynee

Jaynee

Banned
#8
Jan 16, 2011
85
0
0
#8
Slepsog4 said:
Context please!!

Mt. 18:10 is not about an assembly for edification or worship. Read the context.
Click to expand...
Unless I'm mistaken (because of the late hour and after all...it has been a looong day)...the OP reference was to Matthew 18:20, not Mt 18:10.

Not trying to be a nitpicker.....just pointing out an honest mistake (I make 'em all the time.)

That having been said, I've read a number of commentaries re Mt. 18:20, some of which I consider to be rather labored and somewhat contrived. "Exegetical gymnastics", for want of a better phrase. (Golly, I really like that alliteration, don't you?) And so, dear friends...I'm open. What is your interpretation of the context and meaning of Verse 20?
 
F

Forgiven66

Guest
#9
#9
Slepsog4 said:
Context please!!

Mt. 18:10 is not about an assembly for edification or worship. Read the context.
Click to expand...

Great post VRJ.

I think what Slepsog4 is trying to get at is Matthew 18:20 follows the famous passage of discipline of believers, Matthew 18:15-19. This passage dealts with how members in the church are to correct other members who trepass.

But myself I see this also as edification and even for worship. Especially when compare to Paul's message on correcting in Galatians 5:13-15; 6:1-6.
 
A

AnandaHya

Guest
#10
#10
when the early church was persecuted they could only meet in small gatherings or be slaughtered. We should praise God that we have the freedom to post on this site and worship in large churches freely because it is only through the grace of God that it is allowed.

there are many Christians who do not have the priviledge and are being imprisoned and killed for their beliefs. For example I read this today one this site.

Chinese Christians arrested for trying to hold open-air service | World news | The Guardian

we should stand together in prayer for our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ.
 
wattie

wattie

Senior Member
#11
Feb 24, 2009
3,054
1,032
113
New Zealand
#11
Where two or three are gathered in my name there I am with them

Okay.. have a look at the surrounding verses:


(Mat 18:15) Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.

(Mat 18:16) But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

(Mat 18:17) And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican.



(Mat 18:18) Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

(Mat 18:19) Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.

(Mat 18:20) For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.


So the context is about a sinning brother.. in how you deal with him.. in the context of a local church family. (Matt 18:15)

Then the process of how to do it:

go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother

So.. tell the fault intially between you and the person who has offended you.. privately.

(Mat 18:16) But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

So the next step is if the person will not hear you.. take with you one or two more people so that by their words the matter can be resolved (established).

(Mat 18:17) And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican.

And the next step.. is if the person neglects to hear from those two or three extra.. to go to the local church.. and tell it to them to resolve it.

Finally.. if he won't hear from the local congregation.. from his church family.. .. to excommunicate him (let him be a heathen man.. publican)



And THEN we come to the verse:

(Mat 18:20) For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.


READ THE CONTEXT PEOPLE!!

This is not about just a gathering of believers.. it is not just about 2 or 3 christians getting together..

It is about the process for resolving a sin issue with a sinning brother in the context of a local church family!


I don know how many times I have posted this in this site.. I keep having to re-post the same thing.

It is clear!

The verse is about Jesus being 'in the midst' of two or three people who are endeavoring to resolve a sin issue with a church brother!

It may have other applications.. but that is the primary one.

Nuff said.

Scripture and scripture alone, people!
 
phil36

phil36

Senior Member
#12
Feb 12, 2009
8,260
2,111
113
51
#12
Jaynee said:
Unless I'm mistaken (because of the late hour and after all...it has been a looong day)...the OP reference was to Matthew 18:20, not Mt 18:10.

Not trying to be a nitpicker.....just pointing out an honest mistake (I make 'em all the time.)

That having been said, I've read a number of commentaries re Mt. 18:20, some of which I consider to be rather labored and somewhat contrived. "Exegetical gymnastics", for want of a better phrase. (Golly, I really like that alliteration, don't you?) And so, dear friends...I'm open. What is your interpretation of the context and meaning of Verse 20?
Click to expand...

So, What is your exegesis of the text, and the Hermeneutic for an application today! Just interested?
 
A

AnandaHya

Guest
#13
#13
you guys can keep playing with the text but i'm more concern with the author's soul and if she is rooted in a local church or trying to be Christian alone.

those paying attention to that unlaying conversation in this website please pray with me.

Dear God help all your children find earthly sanctuary in which they can rest and read and be refreshed by your Holy Words and through the fellowship of your children. God help people find a good Bible based church with leadership that pray daily protection over their flock. Lord annoint and guide your chosen pastors with the Holy Spirit and protect them from the attacks of darkness. We lift up all who fight against things unseen for our enemies is not of flesh and blood but the principalities and forces of darkness, even darkness found in the high places and treachery in the heaven. Lord remind all your children to put on their Armor. Their helmet of Salvation, shoes of peace, Shield of Faith and help them learn to wield your Holy Sword which is the WORD of God. In Jesus name we pray, amen
 
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