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“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you,
leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.”
— Matthew 5:23–24
The central theme of this song is clear: God requires reconciliation before He accepts our worship. God is not impressed by religious activity if our hearts are wrong toward our brother or sister. In the Kingdom of God, broken relationships are not a side issue; they are a worship issue.
Many believers attempt to worship, to pray, to give, to serve, while carrying unresolved offense, bitterness, or estrangement. Jesus confronts this directly in the Sermon on the Mount. He places reconciliation before worship. Not as a suggestion, but as a command.
Let us look at what the Word of God says and allow it to search us:
The song echoes this message:
> “God wants our hearts more than our offerings…
> True worship flows from a reconciled heart…
> Reconciliation first—then worship pure.”
This is not a minor adjustment to our religious practice. It is a radical reordering of priorities: relationships before rituals, repentance before offerings, reconciliation before worship.
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The key text, Matthew 5:23–24, appears in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7), Jesus’ foundational teaching on Kingdom righteousness. Jesus is speaking to Jews who were very familiar with Temple worship, sacrifices, and offerings.
### The setting
Into this context Jesus speaks a shocking requirement:
> “If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you…”
Note: It is not that you remember you have something against them, but that they have something against you. The focus is on what your actions may have caused in another.
Then He says:
> “Leave your gift there… First go and be reconciled… then come and offer your gift.”
This would have sounded extreme to His hearers. Leave your sacrifice. Interrupt the most sacred religious act. Walk away from the altar. Go find the offended party. Make peace. Then return.
Jesus is teaching that God will not be satisfied with external worship while internal and relational sins remain unaddressed. It is hypocrisy to stand before a holy God while refusing to face the damage we have caused in human relationships.
He goes on in the same chapter:
> “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court…” (Matthew 5:25)
This introduces another scenario: a legal conflict. Again, the emphasis is on urgency—deal with relational issues quickly, before they escalate into judgment.
So, the context is:
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To understand this teaching more deeply, we will look at two key words: reconciled and peacemaker.
### 1. “Be reconciled” — Greek: *diallássō* (διαλλάσσω)
In Matthew 5:24, “be reconciled” is *diallássō*. It means:
This is not a superficial apology. It implies a real change in the relationship. Something broken is restored. Hostility is replaced with favor.
The verb is in the passive form: “be reconciled.” It suggests that you must open yourself to a process, submit to what reconciliation requires. It will cost something—humility, repentance, perhaps restitution.
So when the song says:
> “First go and make things right with that person
> Only then come back with a heart that’s free”
It captures the sense of *diallássō*: not just saying “sorry,” but making things right to the point that genuine peace is restored as far as it depends on you.
### 2. “Peacemakers” — Greek: *eirēnopoioí* (εἰρηνοποιοί)
In Matthew 5:9:
> “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”
The word *eirēnopoioí* means:
It is derived from *eirēnē* (peace) and *poieō* (to make, to do). It is active, not passive. It does not describe those who merely avoid conflict, but those who enter into broken situations and labor to bring reconciliation.
In Hebrew thought, peace is *shalom*—wholeness, completeness, well-being in every dimension. So, a peacemaker is one who works toward shalom: relational wholeness, emotional healing, restored fellowship.
This deepens the lyrics:
> “Blessed are the peacemakers
> For they will be called children of God
> If it’s possible, as far as it depends on you
> Live at peace with everyone”
To be a child of God is to carry the family likeness. God Himself is the great reconciler. Through Christ, He reconciles us to Himself (2 Corinthians 5:18–19). When we actively pursue reconciliation with others, we demonstrate our lineage. We show that we truly belong to Him.
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We will walk through the themes expressed in the lyrics and show how Scripture interprets them.
### A. “Reconciliation before worship”
> “If you’re about to place your offering on the altar
> And suddenly remember that someone has something against you
> Don’t go on with your worship just yet…”
This is a direct paraphrase of Matthew 5:23–24. Two key theological truths emerge:
1. God sees the heart behind the gift.
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