Matthew 18:15-20 NLT

15 “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. 16 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. 17 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.

18 Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

THE 7 C’s OF CONFLICT RESPONSIBILITY

1– CONVICTION |  2– CONFRONTATION |  3– CLARIFICATION |  4– CONFESSION | 5– CHECK-UP |  6– COMMITMENT |  7– COMMISSION

[RECAP]

PART 1) BEFORE THE CONFRONTATION

#1) CONVICTION: Present your heart to the Lord

PART 2) DURING THE CONFRONTATION

#2) CONFRONTATION: Deal With It

• Go privately first. Then bring 1 or 2 witnesses if needed. Then to the church if needed.

#3) CLARIFICATION: Seek Truth & Understanding

• Celebrate the courage it took for someone to be honest with you.

#4) CONFESSION: Own Your Part

• If you’ve done or said things sinfully, own it. Don’t minimize it.

PART 3) BEYOND THE CONFRONTATION

#5) CHECK-UP: Follow-up With Them

• After the confrontation, go back. Check in. See how they’re doing.

#6) COMMITMENT: Protect The Peace You’ve Made

• Protecting unity is everyone’s responsibility — including protecting it from those who would undo it.

#7) COMMISSION: Release Them To God

• When you reach this point, remember: You are not dismissing them. You are entrusting them to God.

Biblical confrontation is not human interference — it is participation with heaven.

PART 4) THE POWER BEHIND THE PROCESS

#1) AUTHORIZED — The Authority Behind Our Actions (v.18)

Matthew 18:18 NLT
Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Matthew 16:19 (ESV)
I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Bind — δέω (deō) (deh-OH) — to tie, fasten, prohibit, declare forbidden. In rabbinic usage: to declare something unlawful. Used for both physical and legal prohibition.

Loose — λύω (lyō) (LOO-oh) — to untie, release, permit, declare lawful. The exact opposite of deō. Together they represent the full range of the church’s authority to include or exclude, declare sin or forgive.

• The proper translation should read…

Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will have been loosed in heaven.

Matthew 18:12–14 (ESV)

12 What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray?

13 And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray.

14 So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

John 20:22-23 (NIV)

22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.

#2) AGREED — The Agreement Behind Our Prayers (v.19)

Matthew 18:19 NLT

Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.

Agree — συμφωνέω (sumphoneō) (soom-foh-NEH-oh) — the root of our English word ‘symphony.’ Not mere intellectual agreement but deep, Spirit-inspired harmony and alignment of purpose — different voices forming one accord.

Anything — πρᾶγμα (pragma) (PRAG-ma) — a matter of business, affair, or legal case. This connects directly back to the judicial context of vv. 15–17. Not every casual request — specifically the matters of church discipline and restoration.

Ask — αἰτήσωνται (aitēsōntai) (ai-TĒ-sōn-tai) — middle voice: they ask for themselves, personally invested. Not detached prayer — earnest, personal petition arising from deep concern for the brother or sister.

#3) ACCOMPANIED — The Presence Behind Our Assembly (v.20)

Matthew 18:20 NLT

For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.

Gathered/Assembled — συνηγμένοι (synēgmenoi) (syn-EG-me-noi) — a perfect passive participle: ‘those who have been gathered together.’

In My name — εἰς τὸ ἐμὸν ὄνομα (eis to emon onoma) — eis means ‘into’ — directional. They gather INTO His name, under His authority, for His purposes.

There I am — ἐκεṪ εἰμι (ekei eimi) (EK-ay EE-mee) — present tense, first person: ‘I AM there.’

Exodus 3:14 (ESV)

God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”

Isaiah 43:5 (ESV)

Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you.

Psalm 82:1 (NKJV)

God stands in the congregation of the mighty; He judges among the gods.

Deuteronomy 19:15 (ESV)

“A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established.

CONCLUSION

• You are not acting alone. You are not praying alone. And you are not walking alone. Heaven backs the process, the Father hears the prayers, and Christ Himself stands in the room.

• Go authorized. Go prayerfully. Go knowing He’s already in the room. 

• The Father doesn’t want to lose one. So He sends you.