Thoughts On Reconciliation

Glenn on Discipleship

BASIC THOUGHTS ON RECONCILIATION- -glenn kaiser-

First, a few commonly held definitions- reconcile: [F. r['e]concilier, L. reconciliare; pref. re- re- + conciliare to bring together, to unite. See Conciliate.] 1. To cause to be friendly again; to conciliate anew; to restore to friendship; to bring back to harmony; to cause to be no longer at variance; as, to reconcile persons who have quarreled.

-reconciliation: The act of reconciling. The condition of being reconciled. See penance.

Middle English reconsiliacion, from Old French reconciliation, from Latin reconciliti, reconcilitin-, from reconcilitus, past participle of reconcilire, to reconcile. See reconcile.]

reconciliation \Rec`on*cil`i*a"tion\ (-s?l`?*?"sh?n), n. [F. r['e]conciliation, L. reconciliatio.] 1. The act of reconciling, or the state of being reconciled; reconcilenment; restoration to harmony; renewal of friendship.

Syn: Reconcilement; reunion; pacification; appeasement; propitiation; atonement; expiation.

reconciliation n 1: the reestablishing of cordial relations [syn: rapprochement] 2: getting two things to correspond.

Scripture and comments:

Interestingly enough, the first mention of the word reconciliation in the N. Testament (NASB) is found in Acts 7 where Stephen is lecturing Pharisees, religious political leaders, many of whom did not clearly have a right relationship with God, certainly not in Jesus Christ. He recounts to them Moses trying to get two people to reconcile...

Acts 7. 26 "And on the following day he appeared to them as they were fighting together, and he tried to reconcile them in peace, saying, 'Men, you are brethren, why do you injure one another?' 27 "But the one who was injuring his neighbor pushed him away, saying, 'WHO MADE YOU A RULER AND JUDGE OVER US?

Seems like "who gets to be the leader" is an old and perhaps the oldest game in relationship breakdowns.

The second mention of that word is found in Eph. 2: 15 by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, 16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. 17 AND HE CAME AND PREACHED PEACE TO YOU WHO WERE FAR AWAY, AND PEACE TO THOSE WHO WERE NEAR; 18 for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, 20 having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together is growing into a holy temple in the Lord; 22 in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.

Of course, this is about peace with God through Jesus shared between Jews and gentiles under the Lordship of the Messiah Himself, not contextually a command for all Christians to literally all serve in one local church, etc..

The next selection quotes Paul speaking of our individual reconciliation to God in Christ as well.

Col.1. 18 He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; so that He Himself might come to have first place in everything. 19 For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fulness to dwell in Him, 20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven. 21 And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, 22 yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach-- 23 if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.

More on "reconciliation"- Rom.5.11, Rom.11.15, 2Cor.5.11-20- perhaps the most key verse re. the people of God being agents of reconciliation, "ministers of reconciliation", reminding us of our Lord's words, "Blessed are the peacemakers". But again, Paul is mainly reminding the Corinthian believers to share the Good News for unbelievers to be reconciled to God Himself.

A few of my personal conclusions:

Within 2Cor.5 seems to be a key factor that may be overlooked, namely that because of Jesus' sacrifice for our sins, and through His gift of faith for us to believe- and repent...- v.19 "namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them". This means that God does not overlook our sin, but that He chooses to forgive it.

Yet from my study and experience, it seems (my view mind you, not Gospel) that many for many reasons do not WANT biblical reconciliation, but rather what might be termed "justice". That is, they want something they believe rightfully to be theirs in a dispute. It is not untypical of both sides to deeply believe people or the person on the other has sinned, and sinned against God and them, usually others as well. Therefore, reconciliation seems impossible at any deep, real level only if there can be a meeting of minds and SHARED agreement on what is and is not sin, and what must be done about it as well, to rectify the done or undone deed constituting that sin.

In other words, cosmetic reconciliation (I will call it "surface peacemaking") seems to be a bit of a sham and in the end, probably doesn't serve (at least in their view) all parties in a conflict.

It further seems quite clear that true biblical reconciliation involves the deep and genuine extending of grace and forgiveness of God for those who repent and truly WANT close fellowship with Him. The problem with this concept when placed in context of human beings is at least that:

a. What if we don't agree on what the sin WAS/IS?

b. What if we don't agree regarding biblical interpretation of texts speaking to the issue(s)?

c. What if we don't honestly respect the church authorities involved in the process (i.e., your pastor's Lutheran and mine Catholic)?

d. What if we are rather arguing and not truly committed to working/serving together, but rather desire to foist our own view of how church/ministry/YOU should "do things" upon the other party?

It seems to me reconciliation between people in this life- including true Christians- becomes impossible until such issues are dealt with and ultimately enough ground is shared that the two (or more) parties can then move forward to biblically reconcile.

Yet it is clear that continued fighting and arguing neither promotes nor accomplishes biblical reconciliation, neither does it reflect the Word of God, the Gospel of Christ or demonstrate His love to the often self-centered, immature church or the vast, lost watching world.

Posted 11/21/01