Numbers 5-8: Restitution Required

The LORD said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites: ‘When a man or woman wrongs another in any way and so is unfaithful to the LORD, that person is guilty and must confess the sin he has committed. He must make full restitution for his wrong, add one fifth to it and give it all to the person he has wronged.- Numbers 5:5-y NIV

Do we really grasp this concept?  If we wrong another in any way we are unfaithful to the Lord.  If we truly understand this, then all of our petty jealousies, our back-biting, our snide aside comments about another, our gossip, our haughty attitude, our white lies, our feelings of superiority would all take on a different meaning.  It's not just the colossal, great, obvious, sins against each other that God sees.  He sees it all.  He even sees our hearts and we are guilty.  We are unfaithful to the Lord.  We are guilty and restitution is required. 

The Twelve Steps of AA recognize the concept that restitution is required much better than a lot of Christians today.  In order to have a right relationship with God, we have to take care of any of the wrongs we have committed against each other.

2010 Post - Leviticus 5-8:  Dedication