WORLDWIDE IMPLICATIONS
Today I want to talk about a sin that has worldwide implications. It knows no boundary, no time, and has a far-reaching effect. It can affect one or more generations.
Jesus said in 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.” Few of us Christians realize the significance of this verse, and why this verse is of great importance in our lives.
Here’s why this verse is of great importance:
“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” Galatians 6:7
“As I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same.” Job 4:8
What we sow, that we will also reap. This is the law of nature. This is God’s law. We might reap what we sow in five, ten, or fifty years from now. Or we might reap what we sow when we are 80 or 90 years old, we don't know. And what kind of trouble we will reap from our iniquity we don’t know either. And who will be the recipients of our iniquity that we sow can be anyone, us, our children, or even our grandchildren? No one can escape the law of nature.
My 85 years old aunt, a believer of an old Chinese religion that worships paper figures of holy men said that we should do good to everybody. And I think the reason why she believes that we should do good to everybody is so we can reap what we sow - the good.
What does Matthew 5:23-24 mean? First, let me quote again what Jesus said, "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.”
Saying sorry to our brother or sister whom we have offended is not sufficient. A mere apology is not sufficient. We have to reconcile and make things right to their original position. If we took someone’s else wife, return her to her husband, and then apologize. If he says to you that you can take her wife, then and only then can you take her with you after you have made peace with her husband. If you eloped with somebody’s husband, take him back to his wife and return him to her. Tell her that you are sorry. If she gives you the permission to take him with you, then and only then can you take him with you after you have reconciled with her. If you do that, neither you, your children nor your grandchildren will reap the iniquity that you sow.
As we can see sin hurts. Returning the women or the men to their husbands and their wives that we keep are the pain of sin. It hurts! If we cannot handle the pain of sin, we should avoid sin.
We don't know what we will reap from what we sow. We don't know what our children and our grandchildren will reap from the wrong that we sow.
Matthew 5:23-24 show us how we can redeem our sins. We must ask God to forgive our sins. Why? Because Jesus said that unless we have reconciled with our brother or sister whom we have offended, He would not hear our prayer and sin offering. How could we ask God for the forgiveness of our sins when He would not hear our prayer? And if He has not forgiven our sins, can we continue to live in sin under the false pretense that we are under "grace"? No, Brothers and Sisters. Don't believe in the devil's voice. Don't let Satan deceive any of us.
Did I hear someone say that we have no sin? Who taught us that garbage? Did Jesus ever say that?
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.” 1 James 1:8,9
Be sure that we understand what we read in the Bible. Matthew 5:23-24 states the minimal requirement that Jesus has set forth before us and that is that we must redeem our sins first when we have offended others if we want Him to hear our prayer. God bless.
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