Murder Part 3 - Leave it at the altar.

But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell. Matthew 5:22 (NIV)

Christ’s words on murder and anger are very challenging. Everyone is guilty of one form or another. I think sometimes we read these verses and think, “It just goes to show how bad we are and how much we need God”. While that is certainly true there is definitely more to be taken from it than “we are all bad”. I think sometimes we are even tempted to say, “Well, there is nothing I can do about it.”. We can see the strict definitions of murder as license to continue. After all, we will never be able to stop, will we? Jesus asks more of this new definition of murder than to simply point us back to him, he also points us to the one we are angry with.

Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.Matthew 5:23-24 (NIV)

Before we even go to Him, he wants us to reconcile. In some ways this is more difficult. We are used to the fact that God is better than us and that we let him down. Going to another person and admitting that they hurt us or apologizing for hurting them is more of a hit to our pride. If we keep it on a spiritual level no one else ever needs to know. God won’t tell and we know he is going to forgive us. Humans on the other hand are unpredictable. Will they spread it around? Will they be confrontational? We have no guarantee. God wants us to get right with each other before we even come to him. This is a serious issue.

Even immediately after the “Lord’s Prayer”/”Our Father” Christ warns:

For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matthew 6:14-15 (NIV)

These words scare me. God is willing to forgive us anything. Are we both willing to forgive and to ask forgiveness from each other?

Mark Wallace