“If a brother sins against you, go to him and speak about it.”
Matthew Chapter 18, verses 15 to 19
If we were to get the impression that being close to Jesus meant that you were perfect, chapter 18, verses 15 to 19 of Matthew would dispel it. Like any community people rub up against each other, and if we don't deal with it, resentment forms. Jesus is pretty instructive here “If a brother sins against you go to him and speak about it.”
You, like me, may wonder what a sin against a brother would be. A quick search reminds me that sin could be doing something that harms another, such as stealing from them, lying about them, and the like. Often I think of sin as something I have done against God, yet of course, if I can sin against God, I can sin against a fellow human. Similarly, I think of Jesus dying for my sin against God yet it was also for my sins against fellow humans. When I see it like that, I see the peacemaker in Jesus in that he took all our sins against each other and dealt with them through his death. If I fully grasped it, I wouldn't hold resentment against another.
Ok, I have just admitted that I hold resentments, but I also know there is a reason ‘The Lord’s Prayer’ says, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”
There is no one-way street with God; if you are forgiven you have to forgive. It comes up in the next section, ‘The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant.’ To not forgive means you stop the flow and stagnate.
Jesus goes on to say, “And if the brother doesn’t listen, take two or three others and speak to him again.” He goes on, “If he still doesn't listen, bring the matter to the community and if he doesn't listen, treat him like you would a pagan.”
The last bit seems harsh and against forgiveness, yet maybe there is forgiveness yet also protection. I accepted a while ago that Jesus is contrary; he says different things in different contexts.
What I hear in this passage is to ensure I have resolved as far as possible any sin I may have committed against another, brother or sister.
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