Jesus said; Leave your gift there before the altar

a reply to: windword
Thank you for adding that.
That's one way of looking at things.

a reply to: guitarplayer
The "seventy times seven" is about the obligation of the person injured, but Jesus has also got something to say in this passage about the obligations of the person doing the injury.

a reply to: DISRAELI

Originally posted by DISRAELI
In other words, the instruction in Matthew has been co-opted into the service of the doctrine that “Christians should forgive everything automatically”.
I have great reservations about this doctrine, because it keeps company with the assumption that “God forgives everything automatically”, and I don’t think that one is true to the gospel.

This is Spot on IMO…and I totally agree…God is not just forgiving people for no reason, because God forgives those who seek/ask for forgiveness…

Originally posted by DISRAELI
The problem with the explanation I’ve just summarised is that it’s based on a careless misreading of the words of Jesus.
They are interpreted as, and even confidently quoted as, “if you have something against your brother”.
But look again at that quotation from Matthew.
The words In the text are the exact opposite; “If your brother has something against you”.

I think the latter is the correct version, i.e. “If your brother has something against you”. And just for clarity, it means that you have done something against your brother, which means you should go and seek his forgiveness…

And as as you rightly pointed out, God does not just forgive us for no reason, he forgives those who seek forgiveness; in other words, there’s a condition attached in that we must act, repent etc...and only then does God forgive us. And it’s the same with people, we should seek forgiveness from others, instead of just expecting forgiveness, without any action on our part…

Another big aspect about that verse (Matthew ch5 vv23-24) which many people seem to overlook, is that asking God for forgiveness first, is generally regarded as being more important in standard Christianity;

But in that particular verse, Jesus say’s “leave your gift there” etc…and FIRST be reconciled to your brother…in effect stating that seeking forgiveness from others first, is more important than seeking it from God first!

- JC

a reply to: Joecroft
Thank you for that contribution.

No-one has dropped in to defend the reverse interpretation which I criticised, so I don't know how widespread it is.
It might even be localised to churches which I have known!