CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE DAILY DEVOTIONAL ON YOUTUBE
Matthew 18:15
Jesus has begun a teaching in Matthew 18 that has continued from lesson to lesson, and He brings forth yet another lesson in Matthew 18:15 that will contain three lessons within Matthew 18:15 through Matthew 18:17. In Matthew 18:15 Jesus teaches, “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.” Jesus makes a good point here that the matter is between the person that has been wronged and the person that has done the wrong, no one else. It is a private matter between the two parties and should be addressed as such – no one else is needed at this point of seeking resolution.
Jesus states in Matthew 18:15a, “if your brother sins against you, to go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.” Jesus intends that brothers and sisters in Christ will be open to receiving one another through His Holy Spirit that dwells within all who put their faith in Him. This means to seek to resolve issues that may/will arise with a loving heart that mends, not slanders or attacks. If the one that has done the wrong has this heart as well, the conflict will be resolved and a deeper relationship of the body of Christ will be gained.
This is a command to love your neighbor as yourself (Leviticus 19:18, Matthew 22:39).
We all have issues to deal with between our brothers and sisters in Christ, and we should act and react to each other as Jesus teaches us, however, we are prone to sin and we fall to it. Jesus forgave us and we should always keep in mind that we are to forgive others as He forgave us and gave us a new life. This is a time of victory in Christ as we put aside the sinful nature’s attack of pride, arrogance, and self-centeredness. The victory is in Christ Jesus, and it is Him that we need to strive for in these tough situations, and if we do, His blessing will be on us – in Christ!
Dear LORD,
We will have conflict. We will have disagreements. We will have altercations. But Jesus taught us to forgive and to show the love that You have first shown us in saving us from sin that we did not deserve to be forgiven of. Please help us to reflect Christ in our lives and forgive those who sin against us – in Christ. In Jesus name I pray, amen.