Matthew 5:21-26
"You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' 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.
"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.
"Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. I tell you the truth, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny."
In this section of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus makes it very clear that sin is a heart issue. The Law speaks to the outward manifestation of sin, but all sin begins in the heart. Actions merely follow thoughts. Anger makes us "subject to judgment" because it causes us to sin in so many other ways. The examples Jesus gives are: insulting and belittling our brother. This can lead to hatred which is murder (1 John 3:15).
Have you ever noticed how sin is the result of pride, arrogance, and selfishness? Think of any sin. At it's root, you will find one of these three culprits. Not coincidentally, all three of these attributes are closely related, though not quite the same. Eve certainly displayed all three in her interaction with Satan in the Garden of Eden. Ultimately, these three demons are the root of all sin because all sin is first and foremost a sin against God. All sin is a sin against the First Commandment. Anger and hatred are absolutely idolatry, because we have placed ourselves in the position of God. We have decided that we are qualified to judge our brother.
For example, we are most prone to anger when it comes to others' actions. Now, in most instances their actions aren't sinful. Many times their actions don't even affect us directly, but we arrogantly appoint ourselves as judge over them. Most of the time when we get angry at someone it is because their actions simply are not preferable to us. They don't do things the way we would do it. This leads to thinking, or saying, things like: "They are so stupid, why didn't they...?" or how about this one, "Every time they do ..., it makes me so angry! Why can't they just do it the way that makes sense?"
Do you see where this way of thinking about others is leading? Statements and feelings like this certainly don't help us love our brother more. How much does saying and thinking those things make us want to build our relationship with that person? Anger and a judgmental spirit destroy relationships. Often, judging can prevent us from even having a relationship with someone, because once we've judged we are no longer open to connecting with that person. How helpful is this attitude for living The Great Commission?
Now, before you begin to think that I am being self-righteous, I am speaking to myself first and foremost when I write this commentary. I am guilty of all three: Pride, Arrogance, and Selfishness. I have to battle them every single day, and because of them I have to constantly fight my judgmental nature. I am not naturally gifted at connecting with people and building relationships, and being judgmental only makes it that much tougher.
So what are we to do about all of this anger and hatred; all of this pride, arrogance, and selfishness?
We are to work constantly on having a spirit of reconciliation and love. When we find ourselves in the middle of a quarrel, especially with a Christian brother or sister, we need to lovingly seek to resolve the problem. We need to have the courage to sit down with the other person and address the problem; not to show them what they have been doing wrong, but to resolve the conflict and save the relationship.
Let's review Orrin Woodward's 5-step process for conflict resolution:
"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.
"Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. I tell you the truth, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny."
In this section of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus makes it very clear that sin is a heart issue. The Law speaks to the outward manifestation of sin, but all sin begins in the heart. Actions merely follow thoughts. Anger makes us "subject to judgment" because it causes us to sin in so many other ways. The examples Jesus gives are: insulting and belittling our brother. This can lead to hatred which is murder (1 John 3:15).
Have you ever noticed how sin is the result of pride, arrogance, and selfishness? Think of any sin. At it's root, you will find one of these three culprits. Not coincidentally, all three of these attributes are closely related, though not quite the same. Eve certainly displayed all three in her interaction with Satan in the Garden of Eden. Ultimately, these three demons are the root of all sin because all sin is first and foremost a sin against God. All sin is a sin against the First Commandment. Anger and hatred are absolutely idolatry, because we have placed ourselves in the position of God. We have decided that we are qualified to judge our brother.
For example, we are most prone to anger when it comes to others' actions. Now, in most instances their actions aren't sinful. Many times their actions don't even affect us directly, but we arrogantly appoint ourselves as judge over them. Most of the time when we get angry at someone it is because their actions simply are not preferable to us. They don't do things the way we would do it. This leads to thinking, or saying, things like: "They are so stupid, why didn't they...?" or how about this one, "Every time they do ..., it makes me so angry! Why can't they just do it the way that makes sense?"
Do you see where this way of thinking about others is leading? Statements and feelings like this certainly don't help us love our brother more. How much does saying and thinking those things make us want to build our relationship with that person? Anger and a judgmental spirit destroy relationships. Often, judging can prevent us from even having a relationship with someone, because once we've judged we are no longer open to connecting with that person. How helpful is this attitude for living The Great Commission?
Now, before you begin to think that I am being self-righteous, I am speaking to myself first and foremost when I write this commentary. I am guilty of all three: Pride, Arrogance, and Selfishness. I have to battle them every single day, and because of them I have to constantly fight my judgmental nature. I am not naturally gifted at connecting with people and building relationships, and being judgmental only makes it that much tougher.
1 John 4:19-21
We love because He first loved us. If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And He has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.
So what are we to do about all of this anger and hatred; all of this pride, arrogance, and selfishness?
We are to work constantly on having a spirit of reconciliation and love. When we find ourselves in the middle of a quarrel, especially with a Christian brother or sister, we need to lovingly seek to resolve the problem. We need to have the courage to sit down with the other person and address the problem; not to show them what they have been doing wrong, but to resolve the conflict and save the relationship.
Let's review Orrin Woodward's 5-step process for conflict resolution:
- Affirm the relationship.
- Genuinely seek to understand the other person's position.
- Lovingly seek to be understood. State your side of the problem.
- Own responsibility, where possible, and sincerely apologize.
- Seek agreement.
This process can only work when you truly love and care about the other person and the relationship. Ultimately, love is the only way to defeat the three-headed monster: Pride, Arrogance, and Selfishness. That happens by loving others and focusing on serving them, instead of looking to serve ourselves. Read that passage from 1 John again (above).
We also defeat our sinful tendencies by embracing the attributes of love that Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.
Love is the way that we protect ourselves from sinning against our brother. If our hearts are full of love, there won't be room for anger or hatred or any other sinful, malicious thoughts and desires. If our hearts are full of love for the Lord, His love will pour out of us. As John wrote, "We love because He first loved us." The way we love everyone God has placed in our lives is by staying focused on Christ's love for us. It is only through the precious gift of the Holy Spirit that we are able to love anyone other than ourselves. To God be the glory!
May the Lord bless you and keep you.
Jason Fredrick
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