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Binding Spirits And Taking Authority In Jesus

The concept of "binding spirits and taking authority in Jesus" relates to the spiritual power and authority that Christians believe they possess through their union with Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. This authority is understood to be exercised in various ways, including spiritual warfare, church discipline, and the proclamation of the Gospel.

The foundation for this authority is rooted in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Jesus himself commenced his ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit and performed miracles by this same power [6]. He promised his disciples that they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon them, enabling them to be his witnesses to the ends of the earth [2]. This power is described as the power of God [6].

The New Testament speaks of believers being "in Christ" and Christ being "in us," signifying a deep spiritual union [1]. This union is maintained by faith and abiding in Christ, with the Holy Spirit witnessing to it [1]. Through this union, believers are said to be adopted as children of God, an adoption evidenced by being led by the Spirit [7].

The authority to "bind and loose" is a key aspect often associated with this concept. In Matthew 18:18, Jesus tells his disciples, "Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." While this passage is often understood in the context of church discipline, Charles Hodge notes that this power, though granted to the apostles, is also extended to "every association of Christians which constitutes a Church" [9]. John Calvin interprets this passage as establishing the right of governance within the Church, transferring the authority previously held by the Sanhedrim [10, 12]. He emphasizes that Christ did not give the apostles the power of binding and loosing until he had endowed them with the Holy Spirit [11].

The exercise of this authority is intrinsically linked to the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is the agent through whom Christ acts, interceding for believers and working upon their minds and hearts [4]. The Spirit's influence is necessary for confessing Christ and is an evidence of union with God [5]. The miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as working miracles, were given for the confirmation of the Gospel and the edification of the Church [8]. Micah 3:8 states, "But as for me, I am full of power by the Spirit of Yahweh, and of judgment, and of might, to declare to Jacob his disobedience, and to Israel his sin," illustrating a prophetic authority rooted in the Spirit [3].

The early Church understood the Holy Spirit as promised by Joel and given by Christ, with its operations enumerated in Scripture [17]. Tertullian discusses the difference between discipline and power, noting that Peter was the first to be endued with the Spirit [16]. Augustine speaks of sacraments, such as baptism and communion, as binding God's people together under the new dispensation [14].

The power of the Holy Spirit is seen as overcoming all difficulties and making the Gospel efficacious [6]. It is through the Spirit's "secret efficacy" that believers enjoy Christ and his blessings [13]. The Spirit also brings to remembrance what Christ taught, providing the basis for the credibility and divine authority of the Gospel [15]. The authority to "bind and loose" can also be understood in terms of the apostles' role in opening the door of faith and pronouncing things lawful or unlawful within the church, as John Gill notes regarding Luke 22:28 [18].

Sources

  1. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Union With Christ — As Head of the Church -- Eph 1:22,23; 4:15,16; Col 1:18. Christ prayed that all saints might have -- Joh 17:21,23. Described as Christ being in us. -- Eph 3:17; Col 1:27. Our being in Christ. -- 2Co 12:2; 1Jo 5:20. Includes union with the Father -- Joh 17:21; 1Jo 2:24. Is of God -- 1Co 1:30. Maintained by Faith. -- Ga 2:20; Eph 3:17. Abiding in him. -- Joh 15:4,7. His word abiding in us. -- Joh 15:7; 1Jo 2:24; 2Jo 1:9. Feeding on him. -- Joh 6:56. Obeying him. -- 1Jo 3:24. The Holy Spirit witnesses -- 1Jo 3:24. The gift of the Holy Spirit is an ev”
  2. Acts “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth.” -- Acts 1:8”
  3. Micah “But as for me, I am full of power by the Spirit of Yahweh, and of judgment, and of might, to declare to Jacob his disobedience, and to Israel his sin. -- Micah 3:8”
  4. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Intercession of the Spirit — (Rom. 8:26, 27; John 14:26). "Christ is a royal Priest (Zech. 6:13). From the same throne, as King, he dispenses his Spirit to all the objects of his care, while as Priest he intercedes for them. The Spirit acts for him, taking only of his things. They both act with one consent, Christ as principal, the Spirit as his agent. Christ intercedes for us, without us, as our advocate in heaven, according to the provisions of the everlasting covenant. The Holy Spirit works upon our minds and hearts, enlightening and quickening, and thus determini”
  5. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Confessing Christ — Influences of the Holy Spirit necessary to -- 1Co 12:3; 1Jo 4:2. A test of being saints -- 1Jo 2:23; 4:2,3. An evidence of union with God -- 1Jo 4:15. Necessary to salvation -- Ro 10:9,10. Ensures his confessing us -- Mt 10:32. The fear of man prevents -- Joh 7:13; 12:42,43. Persecution should not prevent us from -- Mr 8:35; 2Ti 2:12. Must be connected with faith -- Ro 10:9. Consequences of not -- Mt 10:33. Exemplified Nathanael. -- Joh 1:49. Peter. -- Joh 6:68,69; Ac 2:22-36. Man born blind. -- Joh 9:25,33. Martha. -- Joh 11:27. Peter and John. -”
  6. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Power of the Holy Spirit, The — Is the power of God -- Mt 12:28; Lu 11:20. Christ commenced his ministry in -- Lu 4:14. Christ wrought his miracles by -- Mt 12:28. Exhibited in Creation. -- Ge 1:2; Job 26:13; Ps 104:30. The conception of Christ. -- Lu 1:35. Raising Christ from the dead. -- 1Pe 3:18. Giving spiritual life. -- Eze 37:11-14; Ro 8:11. Working miracles. -- Ro 15:19. Making the gospel efficacious. -- 1Co 2:4; 1Th 1:5. Overcoming all difficulties. -- Zec 4:6,7. Promised by the Father. -- Lu 24:49. Promised by Christ. -- Ac 1:8. Saints Upheld by. -- Ps 51:12”
  7. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Adoption — Explained -- 2Co 6:18. Is according to promise -- Ro 9:8; Ga 3:29. Is by faith -- Ga 3:7,26. Is of God's grace -- Eze 16:3-6; Ro 4:16,17; Eph 1:5,6,11. Is through Christ -- Joh 1:12; Ga 4:4,5; Eph 1:5; Heb 2:10,13. Saints predestinated to -- Ro 8:29; Eph 1:5,11. Of Gentiles, predicted -- Ho 2:23; Ro 9:24-26; Eph 3:6. The Adopted are gathered together in one by Christ -- Joh 11:52. New birth connected with -- Joh 1:12,13. The Holy Spirit is a Witness of -- Ro 8:16. Being led by the Spirit is an evidence of -- Ro 8:14. Saints receive the Spirit of -- Ro 8:15”
  8. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit — Foretold -- Isa 35:4-6; Joe 2:28,29. Of different kinds -- 1Co 12:4-6. Enumerated -- 1Co 12:8-10,28; 14:1. Christ was endued with -- Mt 12:28. Poured out on the day of Pentecost -- Ac 2:1-4. Communicated Upon the preaching of the gospel. -- Ac 10:44-46. By the laying on of the Apostles' hands. -- Ac 8:17,18; 19:6. For the confirmation of the gospel. -- Mr 16:20; Ac 14:3; Ro 15:19; Heb 2:4. For the edification of the Church. -- 1Co 12:7; 14:12,13. Dispensed according to his sovereign will -- 1Co 12:11. Were to be sought after -- 1”
  9. CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 79: loosed in heaven.” The first remark to be made on these passages is, that whatever power is granted in them to the Apostles, is granted in Matthew xviii. 18 to all Christians, 762 or, at least, to every association of Christians which constitutes a Church. “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. 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 establ”
  10. CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 93: excommunication, solemn admonitions, and everything of that description, we must, of necessity, give some jurisdiction to the Church. Let the reader observe that we are not here treating of the general authority of doctrine, as in Mt. 21 and John 20 , but maintaining that the right of the Sanhedrim is transferred to the fold of Christ. Till that time, the power of government had belonged to the Jews. This Christ establishes in his Church, in as far as it was a pure institution, and with a heavy sanction. Thus it behoved to be, sinc”
  11. CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 59: of Excommunication (Book 4, cap. 12). But what if I should cut off the handle for all such questions with one sword—viz. 552 that priests are neither vicars nor successors of the Apostles? But that also will be elsewhere considered (Book 4, cap. 6). Now, at the very place where they are most desirous to fortify themselves, they erect a battering-ram, by which all their own machinations are overthrown. Christ did not give his Apostles the power of binding and loosing before he endued them with the Holy Spirit. I deny, therefore, tha”
  12. CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 93: passage, in which binding and loosing are mentioned, is in the eighteenth chapter of Matthew, where Christ says, “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 an heathen man and 2441 a publican. 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” ( Mt. 18:17, 18 ). This passage is not altogether similar to the former, but is to be understood somewhat differently”
  13. CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 56: we see that all do not indiscriminately embrace the offer of Christ which is made by the gospel, the very nature of the case teaches us to ascend higher, and inquire into the secret efficacy of the Spirit, to which it is owing that we enjoy Christ and all his blessings. I have already treated of the eternal essence and divinity of the Spirit (Book 1 chap. 13 sect. 14,15); let us at present attend to the special point, that Christ came by water and blood, as the Spirit testifies concerning him, that we might not lose the benefits of”
  14. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 1: Augustine — Confessions, Letters — CHAP. I. -- 1. In regard to the questions which you have asked me, I would like to have known what your own answers would have been; for thus I might have made my reply in fewer words, and might most : bound His people under the new dispensation together in fellowship by sacraments, which are in number very few, in observance most easy, and in significance most excellent, as baptism solemnized in the name of the Trinity, the communion of His body and blood, and such other things as are prescribed in the canonical Scriptures, with the exception of”
  15. John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on John 14:25: he shall teach you all things, and bring all to . . . remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you--(See on Joh 14:15; Joh 14:17). As the Son came in the Father's name, so the Father shall send the Spirit in My name, says Jesus, that is, with like divine power and authority to reproduce in their souls what Christ taught them, "bringing to living consciousness what lay like slumbering germs in their minds" [OLSHAUSEN]. On this rests the credibility and ultimate divine authority of THE GOSPEL HISTORY. The whole of what is here said of THE SPIRIT is decisi”
  16. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 4: Tertullian IV, Minucius Felix, Commodian, Origen — CHAP. XXI.--OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DISCIPLINE AND POWER, AND OF THE POWER OF THE KEYS. (part 3): in his feet he "absolved" from his defect of health. Moreover, in that dispute about the observance or non-observance of the Law, Peter was the first of all to be endued with the Spirit, and, after making preface touching the calling of the nations, to say, "And now why are ye tempting the Lord, concerning the imposition upon the brethren of a yoke which neither we nor our fathers were able to support? But however, through the grace o”
  17. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 5: Hippolytus, Cyprian, Caius, Novatian — CHAP. XXIX. ARGUMENT.--HE NEXT TEACHES US THAT THE AUTHORITY OF THE FAITH ENJOINS, AFTER THE FATHER AND THE SON, To BELIEVE ALSO ON THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHOSE OPERATIONS TIE ENUMERATES FROM SCRIPTURE. (part 1): Moreover, the order of reason, and the authority of the faith in the disposition of the words and in the Scriptures of the Lord, admonish us after these things to believe also on the Holy Spirit, once promised to the Church, and in the appointed occasions of times given. For He was promised by Joel the prophet, but given by Christ. "In the l”
  18. Luke (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Luke 22:28: And I appoint unto you a kingdom,.... Not a temporal one, but a spiritual one; and either intends that they should have in the government of the church, peculiar to them, as apostles, they being set in the first, and highest place, and office, in the church; and have the keys of the kingdom of heaven, or the Gospel dispensation, and church state, committed to them, whereby they should open the door of faith to men, both to Jews and Gentiles; and have the power of binding and loosing, or of pronouncing things to be lawful or unlawful to be retained and used, and even of”
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