You Can't Stand Before A Holy God With Sin In Your Heart

My Utmost For His Highest

 

If you…remember that your brother has something against you… —Matthew 5:23

 

“This verse says, “If you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you….” It is not saying, “If you search and find something because of your unbalanced sensitivity,” but, “If you…remember….” In other words, if something is brought to your conscious mind by the Spirit of God— “First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:24). Never object to the intense sensitivity of the Spirit of God in you when He is instructing you down to the smallest detail.[…]  Jesus does not mention the other person— He says for you to go. It is not a matter of your rights. The true mark of the saint is that he can waive his own rights and obey the Lord Jesus.” CHAMBERS

 

It’s all about the heart.  Loving God with all your heart (Matthew 22:37).  The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin.  You cannot present yourself before God, Jesus has given you access through the Cross, but you cannot stand before a holy God with unclean hands and an unclean heart.  (Psalm 24:3-4) “Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart …” Jesus saves, but that does not give you freedom to sin as you will and approach God with an expectation that He will ignore your heart.  If you think that and do that, you have lost an appreciation for who God is and who you are.  If you have offended someone, it wasn’t because you were demonstrating the love of God toward them.   But there may be an occasion when others are offended because of your faith, it is not you, but the “rock of offense” (1 Peter 2:7-8) “This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, “The stone which the builders rejected, This became the very corner stone,” and, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”;”  If that is the case, it is they who must be reconciled to God.  The point is this … don’t trivialize your sin … get your heart right before you approach God .. whatever that means in your circumstance.  ELGIN