Matthew 5:23–24 | Reconcile Before the Altar: Jesus' Teaching on Anger, Gifts & Debt
Memory
Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar and if you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go first thoroughly reconcile with your brother, and then come bearing your gift (Matthew 5:23–24).
During the Millennial Kingdom, the Kingdom of the Heavens, the Jews will be required to maintain righteous conduct in their dealings with their fellow countrymen. After warning them concerning expressing anger without a cause or disregarding their fellow countryman as worthless and a fool, Jesus spoke about their offerings. If they bring a gift to the altar while their brother has something against them, they are to first thoroughly reconcile the situation before offering the gift.
The Jews are to repay what is owed before the matter goes before the judge. If they do not agree on the terms of repayment before appearing before the judge, they will be sent to debtor’s prison until they pay the entire amount (Matthew 5:25–26).
These statements by Jesus are not applicable to a Christian because He is not addressing the Church. In the Millennial Kingdom, the world system will be crushed. There will no longer be a system that uses the strong desires of the flesh and eyes, and the pride of biological life, to manipulate men into following its constantly changing desires (1 John 2:16–17). Thus, the temptation to borrow money and manipulate the situation to avoid repayment will no longer exist. Payment in full will be required, whether on your own through agreement with the lender, or in prison until the debt is paid in full.
When it comes to debt for a Christian among other Christians, we are to owe nothing but to love one another (Romans 13:8). We live in the world system, but we are not to abuse it (1 Corinthians 7:31). This world is passing away, but God’s desirous will abides into the age (1 John 2:17). Therefore, rather than seeking the things this world has to offer, or even being willing to sacrifice for what it offers, is to be rejected by Christians. Their focus is on doing God’s will, not the will of Satan through the design of his world system to pacify the sin nature of unsaved humans (1 John 5:9).
The priesthood of the grace believer does not involve gifts because it pertains to Spiritual things (1 Peter 2:5). As the elect of God, Christians are to put on tender compassion, kindness, humility, objectivity of mind, long-suffering, and bear with one another. Our attitude is to be a gracious attitude towards other saints (Colossians 3:12–13). Therefore, even if a person owes us a debt, we are to give them the benefit of fellowship without consideration of their merit. It is better to be wronged than to use the unbelievers to cheat a fellow saint due to a debt owed (1 Corinthians 6:6–8).