Reconcile
Reconcile- to renew friendship with one
In other words, there was a relationshipthat was once healthyand thriving but now is need of mending.
Reconcile, by Reconciling with God
One of the firstrelationshipsthat need to be reconciled is the relationship between you and your heavenlyFather.
When God createdthe world, He made man in His imageand in His likenessand then placed him in the garden of Eden, it was good. Everything was perfect. Adam and Eve were in perfect relationship with God. That is until they sinnedin Genesis 3. At that moment mankind’s relationshipwith God wasbrokenand needed to be reconciled.
Adam wasthe offender. His sin offendeda perfect, Holy and Righteous God. It was because of his sin that the relationshipwas broken. Being we are descendants of Adam, we have inheritedthis thing called a sinful nature.
Romans 5:12
12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—
Through Adam’s sin, sin enteredthe world and subsequently deathentered. Not only that our relationshipwith God is brokenbecause of this inherited sin.
To bring His creationback into a right relationshipwith Himself, God implementsHis plan of redemption. Which involved giving up His only Son Jesusto die as a sacrifice for the sins of mankind once and for all.
Colossians 1:19-22
19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the bloodof his cross. 21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him,
Vs 19 says the fullness of Godwas pleased to dwell in Jesus. It was the bloodof Jesus which provides peacebetween you and Godand it is through faithin Jesus by which we are reconciledback into a right relationshipwith our heavenly father. It is through Jesus that our friendshipwith God is renewed.
Reconciliationof our relationship with Godmust first take place before we can begin to think about reconciling with others. Because ultimately it is through God’s lovethat we will be able to love others in the reconciliation process.
1 John 4:7-8
7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is fromGod, and whoever loves has been born of Godand knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
To reconcile to one anotherwe must walk in the love that only comes from being born of Godand knowing God’s love. We have mentioned howChrist’s bloodhas made a way that we can have peace with God. Now we want to look at how we can have peace with others.
Reconcile by Being a Peacemaker
Reconcilingrelationships with others always starts by looking at ourselves. We must ask ourselves the question, “Are we peacemakers?” or “Are we a pot stirrer?
Matthew 5:9
9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Peacemaker is someone who actively seeksto reconcilepeople to Godand to one another.
This implies that peace does not just happennaturally. But rather someone must work towardmaking peace.
Also, being a peacemaker does not mean avoiding conflictor pretending that the conflict does not exist. The person who glosses over problems, acting as if everything is alright when it is not is not a peacemaker.
But it iseasy to pretendthe conflict does not exist, and being a Peacemaker is messyand takes a lot of work. It takes time and a lot of emotional energy. Sometimes peace is not possibleas there are some people who are just hostilewith everyone.
But as Christians, we have a God given responsibilityto pursue peace. It does not mean that we agree with everythingthat others say, sometimes we must agree to disagree.
But as peacemakers we need to be the ones who take the initiative. Such initiative is described:
Matthew 5:23
23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
Matthew 18:15
15“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.
To act in a Christlike manneris to take the initiativeas a peacemakerandresolve conflictwith others to the best of our ability. Remember the words of Solomonas you take the initiative to be a peacemaker
Proverbs 15:21A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
Consider their situationand how they are feeling. Attack the problem not the person. Ask for clarification. Cooperate as much as possible. Reconciliationis more crucialthan being right.
Stop talking aboutthat person but go talk tothat person.
One last thought about being a peacemaker, is that the oppositeof being a peace maker is being a troublemaker. Troublemakers make trouble for the sake of trouble. They lieand assaultthe characterof others, they gossipand destroypeople with their words, they are fault findersgoing about looking for trouble. This is not Christ-like.
If we are to be “sons of God” which implies that we are not only His children, but also, we exemplify His characteras we represent Him in the earth. We accomplish this as we work to become peacemakers.
Reconcile Through Forgiveness
The bible talks a great deal about forgiveness. Jesustalked a great deal about forgiveness.
Matthew 6:14-15
14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
We risk not being forgivenof our sins which results in losing heavenif we harbor a spiritof unforgiveness.
Forgiveness is an important elementin reconciliation. For the victim, forgiveness means ‘lettinggo’ of resentmentbecause of the pain that has been caused them. It involves finding reliefin Christas the one who bears our pain.
Colossians 3:12-13
12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
Just as we have been forgiven, we too must forgive.
It is important to remember that forgiving does not pardonan evil act. But rather by forgiving another, is saying that I am trusting that God’s justiceis far better than mine is.
Look at David. When he committed the sin of adulteryand murder, he was then confronted by the prophet Nathan. David was broken because of his sin and confessed “I have sinned against the Lord.” The prophet Nathan tells David that the Lord forgavehim, but he would still have to suffer the consequencesfor his sin.
The childthat was conceived through his adulteress affairdied according to the word of the Lord. In addition, David’s son Absalomwould later rebelagainst David and tried to dethronehim. This all took place because of his sin. David was forgivenbut would suffer the consequencesfor his sin for many yearsto come.
But the idea is that God is a just God, and when we forgive people, it releases usfrom our rightto get evenand leaves all issues of fairness and justice for Godto work out.
Forgiveness leads to reconciliationif the victimand offendercome face to face to talkabout how they feel. There must be forgivenesson the part of the victim, and repentanceon the part of the offender.
But what if they don’trepent, if they don’t acknowledge their wrong, can you still forgive them.
What did Jesus’ example teach us?
Luke 23:34
34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
Acts 7:60
60 And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
Also, to illustrate forgiveness the bible requires us applying these following scriptures to our lives.
Romans 12:19
19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”
1 Thessalonians 5:15
15 See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.
Luke 6:28
28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.
Proverbs 24:17
Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,
Matthew 5:44
44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
Jesusshows through his examplehow to forgiveothers even when the offenders do not repent.
- Reconcile, by Reconciling with God
- Reconcile, by being a peace maker
- Reconcile through forgiveness
