[Pastor Ralph]

Q3. (Matthew 5:23-24) What's wrong with worshipping while a brother has something against us (or us against a brother, Mark 11:25)? What is the appropriate action for us to take? How far should we go to bring about reconciliation with someone whom we have offended? Are there any situations that we shouldn't try to resolve? Or that we can't resolve?

[Tabatha]

Q3. (Matthew 5:23-24) What's wrong with worshipping while a brother has something against us (or us against a brother, Mark 11:25)? What is the appropriate action for us to take? How far should we go to bring about reconciliation with someone whom we have offended? Are there any situations that we shouldn't try to resolve? Or that we can't resolve?

Broken relationship can hinder our relationship with God . If we have a problem or grievance with with a friend, we should resolve the problem as soon as possible. We are hypocrites if we claim to love God while we hate others. Our attitudes toward others reflect our relationships with God. ( 1 John 4: 20 ).

( Mark 11: 25 ) And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in Heaven may forgive you your sins. We must be sensitive to the situations these matters must be addressed quickly. To God, reconciling a relationship is important, it not only frees you but it frees the person in bondage to unforgiveness.

Have the offender confess specifically to the offended what was done or said wrong caused the offense. ( 1 John 1:9 ), demonstrates to the party the offender's godly sorrow, the offender's knowlegge of the sin committed, and the offender's willingness to accept responsibility and consequences for their actions. They are willing to repent and forgive in order to restore the relationship.

If at any time an offender is unwilling to listen to how the offended brother was sinned against, or if the offender is not willing to ask for forgiveness and be reconciled, the offender must be confronted with his unwillingness to change. If the offender persists in a wrong attitude, then you must proceed according to the biblical principles in ( Matthew 18: 15-20 ) If the offender is unwilling to listen or begin the forgiveness process and be reconciled. In that case, the offended must be confronted with his unwillingness to forgive. If the offended does not repent of an unforgiving heart, he must be taken through the next step in the ( Matthew 18: 15- 20 ), process.

If the offender cannot state specifically what he did or said that was wrong, his confession is complete. If the offender finds he cannot remember enough of the facts of his offense, he should ask the offended, ( be sure the offender has the correct spiritual attitude to hear ) to help the offender recall from the offended's perspective, what was done or said wrongly. If not able to remember then best to leave it alone and pray the Holy Spirit will reveal what ever it was.

If the offended is not willing to share how he was sinned against by the offense, he may be acting as a Pharisee ( Not really wronged, but only interested in being judgemental in a unbiblical way ( Matthew 7:1-5 ). Or, if the offended is not willing to seek reconciliation and is hanging on to his bitterness and resentment, the offended should be confronted with his " unspiritualness" and if unwilling to change, should be taken to the next step in the ( Matthew 18: 15-20 ) process.

[Eudora]

Why does Jesus treat calling someone a fool in the same classification as murder?

My first guess would be that it is foolish to break the law and it is like a fool to break Yahweh's law. The law was written: Thou shalt not kill. (Exodus 20:13 and again the same in Deuteronomy 5:17) Yah’shua was reiterating the law, stating it again, but Yah’shua knew that Yahwey Himself sent folks to kill the enemy. But they did not do so in anger. They did so by His command. Jesus cleared up any misunderstanding for those to know that they shall not kill in anger, with out a cause. (like a command by God) To do so would be in violation of the commandment, thou shall not kill. I think Yah'shua goes on to say that it is better that we do everything we can to clear up any misunderstanding by first laying our gift on the alter then going to that person and see if we can’t rectify the situation and then coming back to receive the gift of forgiveness so that we are not in danger of the judgment.

Does this mean that murder is no worse than an angry insult in God's eyes? I don’t think so. An angry insult can actually would so deep that a person may take their own life. I have actually witnessed this type of pain. While the person who may have insulted did not kill, their powerful tongue did wreck havoc.

How would we act differently if we actually believed that angry attitudes towards others are viewed by God as murder? We would never be angry.

Q3. (Matthew 5:23-24) What's wrong with worshipping while a brother has something against us (or us against a brother, Mark 11:25)?

We learn this lesson early on in the book of Genesis. We can not commune with a Holy God if we have committed a sin against Him. He will not forsake us, but we can not commune with Him, while we are in violation of His law. We must repent right away and not delay. We must rectify the situation before it has time to fester. We as Christians must know one thing for sure and that is we are ‘GOOD SOIL”

Sin will grow fast and furious in good soil because it is such good soil. It’s like a weed and a weed will grow in any soil, but you put a weed in the best soil and it will thrive so profusely. If you don’t believe me, dig up a weed, any kind and plant that in your best soil. You will see and understand what I am saying.

What is the appropriate action for us to take? We must first dig out that sin of unforgiveness and repent and ask for forgiveness. In order for us to be forgiven, we must first forgive.

How far should we go to bring about reconciliation with someone whom we have offended? It is my opinion that we should never give up. We might have to give up in the physical if someone is not willing to forgive us our trespass, but honestly, we have a God who is bigger than anyone's desire to hold on to sin. Greater is He who is in us, than he that is in the world.

Are there any situations that we shouldn't try to resolve? Or that we can't resolve? maybe, but God can resolve anything. He gets us out of our mistakes all the time. He is not only faithful, but He is gracious.

[UncleBlake]

Q3. (Matthew 5:23-24) What's wrong with worshipping while a brother has something against us (or us against a brother, Mark 11:25)? What is the appropriate action for us to take? How far should we go to bring about reconciliation with someone whom we have offended? Are there any situations that we shouldn't try to resolve? Or that we can't resolve?

If we worship whilst a brother has something against us, or we have something against a brother, our worship is in vain. Unless we repent, seek forgiveness and are willing to forgive, our worship doesn't mean anything. If there is something against us, or we have something against someone, we must seek ammends, be willing to make ammends and be willing to forgive. In doing so, should there be a barrier to it, we should at least have a willing heart in making those ammends. Sometimes there are indeed situations where we cannot or it isn't appropriate to make ammends directly...these situations include ones where attempting to make ammends would cause a further rift, or further injury to someone.

[Cee]

Q3. (Matthew 5:23-24) What's wrong with worshipping while a brother has something against us (or us against a brother, Mark 11:25)? What is the appropriate action for us to take? How far should we go to bring about reconciliation with someone whom we have offended? Are there any situations that we shouldn't try to resolve? Or that we can't resolve?

If we are trying to attempt to worship God and had something against a brother/sister and don't ask God to forgive that person, it is impsssible to think that God will forgive you. The appropriate action to take is when you are praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him so that our Father in heaven may forgive you your sins (v25). We should ask that person to forgive you if you have offend them. Not there are not any situations that we shouldn't try to resolve.

[Elwood C O'Dell]

When there is something between us and another brother that thing needs to be cleared up before we can truly approach God in an attitude of worship. If it is left undone it will drain us spiritually and usually will widen the gap between the two parties involved. The appropriate action is for us to first seek God in prayer and then go and try to make it right as soon as we learn or are aware of the offense. We must make and effort to seek forgiveness and bring peace to the situation. We must do all within our power to right the situation so that we can stand before the Lord with a pure heart, a clear mind, and a clear conscience . Even if we cannot resolve the situation we still should make the effort to be Christ-like by making the offer to try and bring peace.

[Bonnie Nelson]

Q3. What’s wrong with worshipping while a brother has something against us? What is the appropriate action to take? How far should we go to bring about reconciliation with someone whom we have offended? Are there any situations that we shouldn’t try to resolve? Or that we can’t resolve.

If we are worshipping in the true since of the word, God will convict our hearts to confess sin. If we have offended someone, but just brush it off, we will not gain the blessings that God has in store for us. Harboring resentments tend to eat away at a person’s soul—and you begin to see a bitter, unhappy person. God does not want us to be bitter or unhappy, but we have to recognize that Pride keeps us from falling on our knees and asking forgiveness. God has a plan for us---and He will humble us in His time, especially if we can’t forgive.

There are many ways of doing arbitration. If one is not able to talk to the other, a third person should be present--Someone to mediate the situation. If satisfaction cannot be gained, and you have tried to resolve the issue---you have done what you can? It takes two to tango---and two to make up. If the resolution attempt is one-sided, you have tried. The only thing you can do is keep that person in prayer, and pray that God will convict their heart.

There are always instances that cannot be resolved. You have an argument with a friend—they leave—then a tragedy happens. A family member dies and you weren’t able to resolve differences. It hurts when this happens, and we think—If only I had….
Again, the Bible says in Proverbs 15:1 “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Try not to let a day go by without resolving an issue. It always grows larger the next day and becomes a sore.

[charisbarak]

We are not worshipping God with a clean heart if we know someone has something against us. The appropriate action to take is to initiate reconciliation with our brother or sister. We are to do whatever we can to heal the relationship.

We are to go as far as possible in the reconciliation process. If we humbly approach the person and they don't want to be reconciled, then you leave it with God. There are no situations you shouldn't try to resolve if you can. Ask God for His leading. Sometimes there are broken relationships & the other person is not alive. You do what you can with the help of the Lord & let Him heal you.

What I thought was interesting, is that our pastor, our last communion day, while we were in prayer before receiving communion, he was confronted by God about a relationship he had to mend. So he shared with us that he was not going to take communion with us for that reason. After that service, he made a call to try to mend that relationship with the person God had laid on his heart. Wow! That really spoke to me about how important those relationships are to God & should be to us as well.

[jjj]

If our heart is dealing with an issue it is not fully focused on loving God. This contamination makes it impossible for us to be open to worship. When we seek forgiveness from God and man we have processed 'the event' and allowed the other person, and more importantly God's perpective into the scenario.
The process (with God's consultation) needs to be initiated and the heart set on reconcilliation, however this does not always happen. The need is to keep the physical and spiritual intent on alert to bring the reconcilliation - this might not eventuate, however our part is to love.

[Stan]

Q3. (Matthew 5:23-24) What's wrong with worshipping while a brother has something against us (or us against a brother, Mark 11:25)? What is the appropriate action for us to take? How far should we go to bring about reconciliation with someone whom we have offended? Are there any situations that we shouldn't try to resolve? Or that we can't resolve?

We are trying to worship with unclean hearts, we need to seek forgiveness for any sin inour hearts before trying to worship a pure and Holy God.
We should first seek God in prayer asking forgivness for any sin in our hearts, then we should seek to bereconciled to whomever we have sinned against.
We should go as for as it takes to seek them out and offer our humbleness and heart fealt offering of reconcilation. We are to purify our hearts and that comes as we seek forgiveness from anyone we sin against and then a heart felt seeking of the forgiveness of God.
There are some that we can't resolve these must beleft for Godto deal with inHis time He aloneis our creater. He alone directs the steps of men andin His timing reeconcilation will come about. We can't change someone's heart who is angry with us and refuses to accept our apoligy but God in His time can soften the hardest of hearts if it be His will for them.

[masika]

Q3. (Matthew 5:23-24) What's wrong with worshipping while a brother has something against us (or us against a brother, Mark 11:25)? What is the appropriate action for us to take? How far should we go to bring about reconciliation with someone whom we have offended? Are there any situations that we shouldn't try to resolve? Or that we can't resolve?
When we worship we must worship Him with pure heart, this can never be done when you are in wrong with someone else.
Broken relationship can hinder our relationship with God. If we have a problem or grievance with a friend or brother, we should resolve the problem as soon as possible. We are hypocrites if we claim to love God while we hate others. Our attitudes toward others reflect our relationship with God.
To pray while bearing a grudge, is like a tree sprouting leaves and bearing no fruits

[Rosemary NoVA]

Q3. (Matthew 5:23-24) What's wrong with worshipping while a brother has something against us (or us against a brother, Mark 11:25)? What is the appropriate action for us to take? How far should we go to bring about reconciliation with someone whom we have offended? Are there any situations that we shouldn't try to resolve? Or that we can't resolve?

My worship would be vain repititions trapped by the sin of the offense. If I am aware that I have offended someone, and dismiss it as inconsequential, I have not understood my Lord's instruction to love one another. To quote Francis Frangipane, "Pride is the armor of hell". And an indifference to my brother's pain definitely smacks of pridefulness. Humility is the antidote. I can't control how the person receives my apology, but I can control how I approach him to seek his forgiveness.

I have experienced situations that were potentionally volatile and I knew "we" couldn't bring it to a healthy resolution but would be wholly dependent on God.

I believe I heard the Lord call us out from a beloved church. I presented my discernment to my husband. He confirmed it. We loved our church family but the time had come to leave. I knew this action of leaving could easily be perceived as an "offense" against the church by some of the leadership. (Based upon struggles others had when they left the congregation).

And so I prayed and prayed for Godly timing and expression and for the church leadership's protection from the deceits of the enemy. I prayed there would be no rending or tearing in the relationships. God is good and faithful. He guided our words and actions and he guarded our hearts. We still managed to hit some rough patches but that was due to all those pesky flesh-natures still in play.

The enemy was persistent and even five months after the separation, the enemy was still at work trying to drum up hurt between some of the church leadership and this family.

So, is this a situation that can be resolved? I believe so with prayer and petition and forgiveness, forgiveness, forgiveness.

I know I must be resolved to seek Christ's heart for the situation. His Holy Spirit has brought me up short several times for entertaining resentment for the "skirmish" we endured because we tried to separate. I am now often called to pray blessings for this church leadership. (I probably pray more for the leadership now than I ever did as a member of the congregation.... go figure. Praise God!)

The reconciliation will come when the Holy Spirit is "allowed" to bring healing and our being called away is viewed through the light of God's truth rather than the darkness of that leader's personal woundings.

And so can this ever be resolved? With God's help, YES! AMEN!

[JustJeff]

If Jesus commands us to do a thing and we do not do then we are in sin. If we are in sin, God cannot hear us therefore our worship is in vain.
Whenever possible it is necessary to make amends before we offer our worship.
I feel that we must go the mile and the twain to reconcile with a person that we have offended, even if that person will not receive it. As God discerns our hearts He knows when a sincere effort has been made on our part.
If we are the offending party we should attempt reconciliation in any situation, if possible. If we can't resolve the issue at the very least, the Lord knows that we've tried our best.

[lulu 1931]

When we hold something against someone or they against us we have an" unclean "heart so we need to "cleanse" our hearts before we seek worship with God.
We should seek God in prayer and ask for forgiveness and then try to reconcile with whomever we have wronged or whomever has wronged us.
We should go as far as needed to work out our differences. Sometimes it will not happen so we should let God through our prayers work with us and the person whom was affected. God softens the hardest hearts if it is his will. He works in many ways to answer our prayers.

[JanMary]

Q3. (Matthew 5:23-24) What's wrong with worshipping while a brother has something against us (or us against a brother, Mark 11:25)? What is the appropriate action for us to take? How far should we go to bring about reconciliation with someone whom we have offended? Are there any situations that we shouldn't try to resolve? Or that we can't resolve?

1) It's impossible to worship God in Spirit & in truth, when we have a guilty conscience.....we're distracted by the issue which takes our focus off of God and onto either our offense against someone, or theirs against us.

2)to go to the person in humility and seek to be reconciled through confession and repentance and forgiveness if it will be given by the offended party.

3) As far as we can take it as long as the other party is willing to discuss it.

4)I think there are. If the offended party refuses to forgive and to be reconciled, or if the offending party is unwilling to be reconciled. We can only do our part, and leave the matter in the Lord's hands.

[JTDeVoe]

I find this question most interesting and how it relates to a current situation that is taking place in the County I live in. We have a local church that has been very outspoken and strongly opposed to the building of an Islamic Mosque in the same township that they recently built their new church. The Senior Pastor states that those people don't worship the same God as we worship. Unless something has changed Jews, Christians and Muslims all worship the same God just in different methods. This attitude goes against every aspect of the message that Jesus was addressing in this question.

[Loisb]

Q3. (Matthew 5:23-24) What's wrong with worshipping while a brother has something against us (or us against a brother, Mark 11:25)? What is the appropriate action for us to take? How far should we go to bring about reconciliation with someone whom we have offended? Are there any situations that we shouldn't try to resolve? Or that we can't resolve?

1. We are supposed to love our brother and forgive them if there is bitterness between us. We are supposed to turn the other cheek, but if we can't forgive our brother, how can we say that we are worshipping with a pure heart. Our heart is not where God wants it to be. We are mocking God if we are worshipping and we haven't repented of our sins.

2. We should go to our brother and reconcile our differences and repent of our sins.

3. We should do anything that is possible to reconcile the differences even if it takes more than two or more tries and do it as soon as possible.

4. No, we should humbly try to resolve any issues that are causing issues with you and your brother.

5. I'm sure that there are some situations that no matter how hard you try, a person will not reconcile, but after you do your part, just leave it in the hands of God.

[Loisb]

Q3. (Matthew 5:23-24) What's wrong with worshipping while a brother has something against us (or us against a brother, Mark 11:25)? What is the appropriate action for us to take? How far should we go to bring about reconciliation with someone whom we have offended? Are there any situations that we shouldn't try to resolve? Or that we can't resolve?

1. We are supposed to love our brother and forgive them if there is bitterness between us. We are supposed to turn the other cheek, but if we can't forgive our brother, how can we say that we are worshipping with a pure heart. Our heart is not where God wants it to be. We are mocking God if we are worshipping and we haven't repented of our sins.

2. We should go to our brother and reconcile our differences and repent of our sins.

3. We should do anything that is possible to reconcile the differences even if it takes more than two or more tries and do it as soon as possible.

4. No, we should humbly try to resolve any issues that are causing issues with you and your brother.

5. I'm sure that there are some situations that no matter how hard you try, a person will not reconcile, but after you do your part, just leave it in the hands of God.

[sisterlily]

Greetings in His name, God wants us to worship Him with PURE HEART and if we have something against someone we can't worship with a sincere heart, it holds us back from true worship. I just heard my sister tell me that "we live in the real world and God can't help us" I pray for her and lift up her cares and needs to the Helper that I know that has not left His throne nor did He give His authority to anyone else, so when we go to Him and give it all to Him He for sure trades us for much better and beautiful things. The mentality of the world is not trusting in Jesus, we who do trust in Him set the example thaat His trust is true and worthy. Everything can be resolved with Jesus.There is nothing He can not do. Praise God.

[Patricia A]

Q3. (Matthew 5:23-24)



What's wrong with worshipping while a brother has something against us (or us against a brother, Mark 11:25)?

What is the appropriate action for us to take?



When we are at prayer, we must remember to pray for others, particularly for our enemies, and those that have wronged us; now we cannot pray sincerely that God would do them good, if we bear malice to them, and wish them ill. If we have injured others before we pray, we must go and be reconciled to them; Mt. 5:23, 24. But if they have injured us, we go a nearer way to work, and must immediately from our hearts forgive them. [1.] Because this is a good step towards obtaining the pardon of our own sins: Forgive, that your Father may forgive you; that is, "that he may be qualified to receive forgiveness, that he may forgive you without injury to his honour, as it would be, if he should suffer those to have such benefit by his mercy, as are so far from being conformable to the pattern of it." [2.] Because the want of this is a certain bar to the obtaining of the pardon of our sins; "If ye do not forgive those who have injured you, if he hate their persons, bear them a grudge, meditate revenge, and take all occasion to speak ill of them, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." This ought to be remembered in prayer, because one great errand we have to the throne of grace, is, to pray for the pardon of our sins: and care about it ought to be our daily care, because prayer is a part of our daily work. Our Saviour often insists on this, for it was his great design to engage his disciples to love one another.



How far should we go to bring about reconciliation with someone whom we have offended?



If we are worshipping and remember that our brother has something against us, we are to leave our gift behind and first be reconciled to our brother.







Are there any situations that we shouldn't try to resolve? Or that we can't resolve?

Reconciliation may be possible if we will humble ourselves. And even if it is not possible, we must make a sincere attempt if we would seek to fulfill the spirit of the Law. After all, the Law is not really about murder and stealing. It is about love and reconciliation. That is the spirit of the Law.