Reconciliation and Unity: The Goal of Christian Ministry Plammoottil V. Cherian, M. Div., Ph. D., Chicago For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight. (Colossians 1:19-22)
Reconciliation [rekənˌsilēˈāSH(ə)n] is defined as the restoration of friendly relations. In the Bible, reconciliation involves a change in the relationship between God and man and man and man. (man here means humanity not the male gender) It is the broken relationship that has created disharmony, enmity and alienation from God and fellow brethren, but now through a change of heart enters into harmony, unity and fellowship with God and one’s brothers and sisters. The word reconciliation comes from the Greek word καταλλάσσω [(Strong’s 2644, kat-al-las'-so], meaning a proper decisive change from the previous nature of enmity to friendship, honesty and harmony. In a Biblical sense it is the redemptive process of a sinner reconciling to God through the mediation of Lord Jesus Christ. Reconciliation is a powerful word, which becomes part of life of many individuals, in families, between ethnic groups, political parties and nations in a general sense. Though it happens daily, it is not an easy process to reconcile unless the heart and souls of both parties that are being reconciled involve. Honesty, sincerity, and a will power to forgive and forget are the true ingredients needed for reconciliation and these elements are the gifts of the Holy Spirit in true reconciliation. At the end, the process of reconciliation must bring out the awfulness, the wrongs, the abuses, the pain it caused and the hurt. Unless the Holy Spirit is involved, it is a risky business. I have watched politicians after bickering over party issues, even during national calamities, but may come together and make a show of reconciliation and unity, have a prayer and handshaking but then go back to their chambers, to carry on with politics as usual placing party ideology over the people, country and God. An honest confrontation with reality can only bring lasting peace and healing. Reconciliation without the mediation of the Holy Spirit can bring only superficial (face saving) healing and the wound will grow. The Process of Reconciliation Unless we are first reconciled to God, we cannot reconcile with fellow humans. In today’s culture we often hear phrases like “I am sorry,” “I take full responsibility,” by politicians, churchgoers, and non-churched people which do not mean much, except the mere expression of the words. Without reconciliation with God, the process is powerless, vain and meaningless and we do not achieve true harmony and fellowship with others. One who has not reconciled with God is still in enmity with God, and we are under God’s wrath. In Romans Paul vehemently explains how God paved a way for the reconciliation with a fallen and disfigured world. He elected and ordained Abraham to be the father of all as a
covenant family in the kingdom of God, and the blessings promised to Abraham, “all the families of the earth shall be blessed through you,” became fulfilled through the ultimate Son promised to Abraham, Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. For those who put faith in Jesus, he becomes the Mediator between God and man, the Redeemer and Savior. Thus we become partakers of the Abrahamic covenant. Because God is gracious, loving and merciful, all people on earth are not automatically reconciled to Him and declared right, but it is granted to all who accept the ultimate sacrifice and the atonement God made for us through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Thus Abraham was elected to be the channel of blessing to all families on earth, which Jesus completed. All redeemed people collectively form the Bride (the Church) of the Bridegroom, Lord Jesus Christ, who purchased us by his precious blood on Calvary. That is the essence of reconciliation, the substance of the Gospel of God (Rom. 1:1) and the eternal Gospel (Rev. 14:6). Paul teaches us that before reconciliation with God we were powerless, wild, ungodly, sinners and enemies of God, and were under the wrath of God (Rom. 5:6-11). Reconciliation with God will change these conditions through the mediation of Christ. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 2:5:17-19). What the verses convey is Christians are brand new people once they accept Christ, in their mind, heart and intellect—a transformed heart and mind, and transformed way of thinking and acting. Paul instructs that we are made new, joined with the heavenly Father when we are reconciled to God. This we achieve by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within us. By the works of the Holy Spirit, we become new creatures with new features. Reconciliation with God does not mean we are reformed, rehabilitated, or re-educated, but we are recreated to become new creature and live-in vital union with Christ (Col. 2:6:7), as Jesus himself taught, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. (John 15:4). By reconciliation with God, we are beginning a new life under a new Master. Christians Ambassadors of Christ for Reconciliation
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