How might the insights presented from Matthew 16 and 18 affect your spiritual friendships?

Knowing Christ is the foundation for our salvation and we all need His mercy, it established a safe and trusted platform for frank sharing and acceptance.

I think that above all else it would give me and others an anticipation of God showing up in our relationship and moving us forward in our spiritual growth. This would mean, I think, a desire to meet and the willingness to persevere when times get tough…God’s promise would sustain us.

We have the authority to live a certain way, as followers of Christ. If two or more are gathered in His name, then we can further the Kingdom of God, and blessings will flow here on earth. Spiritual friendship offers Christ-like passion to another that releases the mystical presence of Christ in the moment of interaction. God will bless our spiritual friendships.

When two or more Christians are gathered together in Jesus’ name, they experience they mystical presence of Christ. This makes the people athered become more alive as they interact with each other. Because of Jesus’ words in Matthew 16 and 18, we can be confident that when believers gather together in the name of Jesus, our purpose for gathering will be realized. This is the authority that God has given us in Christ, through the Spirit: whatever we decide as a group of gathered Christians is useful for spiritual formation.

The dynamics of our conversation when Jesus is with us – our words/agreement not only has impact/authority, but we are able to speak life to one another.
It is a reminder to center our conversations upon Christ Jesus, rather than on our fleshly gossips and opinions.

Knowing the Jesus is literally in the midst of me and another person as we are talking about Him and His word make the idea of spiritual friends more safe, exciting and attractive.