Remember that your brother has something against you

Matthew 5:23
Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you.

God is quite serious with this command in Scriptures. The scene is of a person, presumably a committed believer, who comes to offer gifts to God at the altar. However, God's command is that this act of worship does not count much if there is still unforgiveness. The command is to simply stop before reaching the altar, when we remember that someone has something against us. Instead go and be reconcile with that person first, then return to the altar of God.

First be reconciled to your brother

Matthew 5:23-24
Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

Before we can be of good use to God, we must be in the right state in our spirit. No matter how earnest our intention is for God, and no matter how useful our work will be towards others, God is also interested in our own person. So to work for God, is to go in His name, He requires us to be clean. In one particular aspect of this involves the forgiveness of others. So we cannot truly represent God if we have unforgiveness towards someone no matter how small that is.

Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?

Matthew 7:9
Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 

A commentator approached this particular verse which may stir some controversy. Nevertheless it is worthwhile examining this point. We are saved by the grace of God through our faith in Yshua the Masiach, and the faith itself is a gift from God. So it is clear we can do nothing to gain any kind of worthiness. Having said that, a view is that only those walking in the light, which means living a life of obedience, can be described as good children and hence receive good gifts from God. If we are not receiving the good gifts, then we should examine what we are doing wrong. Before jumping in accusation that this is a kind of prosperity gospel, we should be looking inwardly at ourselves. We are told to examine ourselves and correct any wrongs. These may be unforgiveness, anger, lust, and a variety of sins that afflict believers and non-believers alike. Constantly search and correct ourselves, and then ask for the good things according to His will, and the Father will supply and reward His children.

Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven

Jesus continues with His teaching which includes the following:
- Be humble like a little child and readily accept them - when we have that attitude, then we can enter the Kingdom of Heaven. This is not counter to salvation by faith but rather the attitude that is able to accept Christ by faith and obedience thereafter.
- It is a serious offence to cause another younger Christian to stumble.
- We should avoid sin so much to the extent that we should maim ourselves if we need to.
- To God, every person is precious. Jesus uses the parable of the Lost Sheep to show the analogy of the shepherd finding one lost sheep with God.
- Jesus teaches the steps in dealing with a brother or sister in Christ who have sinned.
- When two or more gathered and agree in prayer, their request will be granted and Jesus will be among them.
- Jesus taught about unlimited number of forgiveness towards any person. He used the Parable of the Unforgiving servant to teach that God gives unforgiveness extremely seriously.





Matthew 18
Who Is the Greatest?

1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

2 Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, 3 and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.

Jesus Warns of Offenses

6 “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!

8 “If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

10 “Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven. 11 For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.[a]

12 “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? 13 And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. 14 Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

Dealing with a Sinning Brother

15 “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’[b] 17 And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.

18 “Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

19 “Again I say[c] to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”

The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

21 Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”

22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. 23 Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. 26 The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ 27 Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.

28 “But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ 29 So his fellow servant fell down at his feet[d] and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’[e] 30 And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. 31 So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. 32 Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. 33 Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ 34 And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.

35 “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”[f]

What is Unforgiveness?

Author: Unknown
Instead of the usual bible study passage, this post brings to you a special topic - Forgiveness.
Essentially it explores what unforgiveness and forgiveness is. We can then compare this as a checklist for our own situation.

Results of Unforgiveness

A Challenged Tolerance to Stress

Unforgiveness will eventually affect us physically as it reduces our physical tolerance to stress. The body leaks headaches, digestive problems, aches, increased incidence of infection are some of the results.

Decreased Tolerance to Stress

Stress from previous events accumulates. When these are unresolved, it is like adding each event to a bucket. Eventually when a current issue arises, it causes the bucket to overflow. We are surprised at our reaction and wonder why an event that we felt we could or should handle has become overwhelming.

Inability or Unwillingness to Trust Others

Unforgiveness can cause us to become self-protective or unable to experience true intimacy with others. Intimacy demands levels of trust.

Self-inflicted Re-injury

Reliving the situation without resolution deepens the wound because all we are doing is nursing and rehearsing the offence.

Bitterness

Unforgiveness can develop into a root of bitterness in our lives. We harm not only ourselves, but the poison of unforgiveness seeps into other relationships; it flavours every aspect of our life. It gives the enemy legal grounds to exercise control over our lives and the lives of others.

Understanding What Forgiveness is Not

1.It is not simply forgetting.

Forgiveness means being able to focus on present and future events without intrusive thoughts from past events. Forgiveness is a problem when the behavior continues. We need grace and love beyond our own resources-to be able to overcome this challenge.

2. It is often not a one-off event, it is a lifestyle.

It means continually walking in grace. We need to remind ourselves that we need to forgive others as God has forgiven us

3. It is not based on feeling. It is an act of obedience.

I forgive because the Lord commands me to. Act first, as this exercises the will. Emotions will follow.

4.It is not earned nor demands that the other person change before we forgive.

“We forgive you when...." is not the language of forgiveness.

5. It is not pretending.

It does not-mean placing others or ourselves in physical or moral danger.

6. It does not mean the other person was or is right

Nor does it mean that they did not do something that was hurtful. Forgiveness does not mean to surrender the truth.

7. Forgiveness is not like wiping a computer file.

It does not mean the pain is instantly removed. You may still experience some emotional pain. But the intensity of it will be lessened.

8. It does not mean the other person controls you.

9. It does not mean that personal boundaries are surrendered.

What Forgiveness Is

1. Forgiveness means you are no longer attributing blame but are willing to try to understand the dynamics of events.

2. Jesus found a reason to forgive: "Father forgive them, for they don't know what they are doing." We need to be willing to reach out through the offence to demonstrate love.

3. Forgiveness is when love accepts - deliberately the hurts and abrasion of life and drops all the charges against the other person. We recognize that life is not always fair and we lay aside the right or need to seek revenge. This does not exclude criminal charges, which may be necessary in some situations.

4. Forgiveness means giving up defending yourself. No constant explaining or revisiting of the issues.

5. Forgiveness means you no longer see the offender as indebted to you. They will not or cannot repay you for your loss nor are they in greater debt to you because you have forgiven.

6. Forgiveness exercises God's strength to love and receive the other person without any assurance of complete restitution. We cannot control the other person's reactions or behavior, but we can take responsibility for our own. Forgiveness may not mean reconciliation or restitution, but rather closure to the events.

7. Forgiveness is freely given. The greatest example of forgiveness is the Cross of Jesus Christ.

8. Forgiveness is releasing the other person from our judgments.

9. Forgiveness needs to include breaking the ungodly tie between me and the other person.

Have I Forgiven?

The answers to the following questions will give you some idea of where you are on the journey to forgiveness. Remember, this is a journey and forgiveness involves a process, these questions are only indicators of where you are on your journey and should not be viewed as 'right or 'wrong' answers.

1 Have I stopped secretly hoping they will get what they deserve?

2. Have I stopped talking about them to others?

3. Have I stopped replaying my revenge?

4. Have I stopped frequently thinking about them and what they did?

5. Am I glad when something good happens to them?

6. Am I more open and trusting toward others?

7. Am I still angry, depressed or bitter?

8. Have I stopped blaming them for the outcome of my life?

9. Do I feel sorry when something bad happens to them?

10. Am I more at peace and comfortable with my feelings?