What’s the Deal with Reconciliation?
I recently visited a relative with whom I have had long-standing serious struggles. Lots of hurt, injustice, ongoing insult, and an unwillingness to own much of anything. The easiest, and often default choice, is to cut off people who hurt you.
But God is a god of reconciliation. His first choice always is to restore. Now, granted, there are definitely times when toxic relationships need to be cut off, or strict boundaries enforced. Forgiveness does not mean automatic reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:18 (NIV) says:
All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:
Remember, Love has endured more treachery and betrayal than any of us. But He made Himself vulnerable to us and reconciled the entire human race back to Himself, having died for the sins of the entire world (1 John 2:2). The picture is one of Love gathering us close to His heart – open, vulnerable, and receptive, even if we continue to reject and rebel.
The issue is not whether God accepts and receives us. He provided that as the lamb slain before the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8), and then in the form of man 2000 years ago. The issue is whether we reconcile Him to ourselves. Will we “take Him” to ourselves?
Colossians 1:20-22 (ICB) says:
20 And through Christ, God decided to bring all things back to himself again—things on earth and things in heaven. God made peace by using the blood of Christ’s death on the cross. 21 At one time you were separated from God. You were God’s enemies in your minds because the evil deeds you did were against God. 22 But now Christ has made you God’s friends again. He did this by his death while he was in the body, that he might bring you into God’s presence. He brings you before God as people who are holy, with no wrong in you, and with nothing that God can judge you guilty of.
This scripture always blows me away. God does not see you as His enemy. Humankind saw/sees God as their enemy and that only “in their minds” because of their twisted deeds.
I love the way The Passion Translation puts it:
20 And by the blood of his cross, everything in heaven and earth is brought back to himself—back to its original intent, restored to innocence again! 21–22 Even though you were once distant from him, living in the shadows of your evil thoughts and actions, he reconnected you back to himself. He released his supernatural peace to you through the sacrifice of his own body as the sin-payment on your behalf so that you would dwell in his presence. And now there is nothing between you and Father God, for he sees you as holy, flawless, and restored…
His heart is totally open to you.
So, in your grappling with relationships, I urge you to let Him minister wisdom to you.
Forgiveness for sure.
Reconciliation? Well… let Him lead you.
But first, let Him lead you back to His heart – robust, open, vulnerable and passionate towards you – right where you are!
For more on how God can take broken relationships and situations, and bring restoration, download my free mini-book, “Rare and Beautiful Treasures”.
Dear Katie,
I just LOVE that question and your heart! It depends what you mean by saved. Most people mean that a person is going to heaven not to hell. I do believe there is undeniable scripture pointing to a real hell and that people have and will go there. It was created for rebellious angels not people (2 Peter 2:4). The Bible is not clear if that is eternal or if people can actually be saved after they die. Peter talked about people having the gospel preached to them which were already dead (1 Peter 4:6) – so that might be possible. The truth is that no one really knows what how that works and to pretend that we do I think is arrogant.
I think that if it were hugely important it would have been made super super clear – like the gospel; like God as Love; like everything being about Christ and His finished work on the cross., and the grace of God and not being under the Law – except the law/commandment to love, which fulfills it.
If we major on those things, we are safe for eternity and won’t get lost in a theological ditch.
However, there is hell on earth for sure as well. The word saved is the word “Sozo” or “Soterion” which better translated means “saved, healed, delivered, made whole” – all of that is what we need on earth. We get confused it because John talked about eternal life or life everlasting,. But Jesus did not define that as going to heaven, but as knowing God and Christ.
John 3:16 New International Version (NIV)
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 17:3 New International Version (NIV)
3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
Certainly this includes going to heaven, but as a believer you are already seated in heavenly places in Christ – so heaven is where you are at spiritually right now.
God wants all men to come to the knowledge of Him.
The truth is Christ dies for the sins of the entire world – but not everyone chooses to participate and if that continues I do believe they will go to hell.
But the offer is universal.
Unconditional love is universal.
That does not mean universalism the way people talk about it – usually without knowing what they are talking about.
There are 2 types of universalism – neither of which I subscribe to:
1. Unitarianism or secular universalism = all roads lead to savior – Christ not necessary. This can’t be true because Christ said He was the way truth and life and no one comes to the Father except by Him (John 14:6)
2,. Christian universalism = lip service to Christ, but what is emphasized is that somehow later everyone will go to heaven regardless. It doesn’t focus on the salvation that need now on planet earth and makes no allowance for hell – at least not for an eternal one.
Hope that answers your question.
This is really an involved question and really challenges a lot of pre-suppositions.
I did a teaching on this actually today: In and Out – How Are We Looking at People? and you can find it on my video resources.
Thanks for asking – so appreciate it. So sorry it took me so long to answer! I just got the notification today – weird.
Bless you dear one!!! You are VASTLY loved!
Catherine
I’m gueniualley asking if you beleive all men are saved? Thanks 🙂
Dear Katie,
I just LOVE that question and your heart! It depends what you mean by saved. Most people mean that a person is going to heaven not to hell. I do believe there is undeniable scripture pointing to a real hell and that people have and will go there. It was created for rebellious angels not people (2 Peter 2:4). The Bible is not clear if that is eternal or if people can actually be saved after they die. Peter talked about people having the gospel preached to them which were already dead (1 Peter 4:6) – so that might be possible. The truth is that no one really knows what how that works and to pretend that we do I think is arrogant.
I think that if it were hugely important it would have been made super super clear – like the gospel; like God as Love; like everything being about Christ and His finished work on the cross., and the grace of God and not being under the Law – except the law/commandment to love, which fulfills it.
If we major on those things, we are safe for eternity and won’t get lost in a theological ditch.
However, there is hell on earth for sure as well. The word saved is the word “Sozo” or “Soterion” which better translated means “saved, healed, delivered, made whole” – all of that is what we need on earth. We get confused it because John talked about eternal life or life everlasting,. But Jesus did not define that as going to heaven, but as knowing God and Christ.
John 3:16 New International Version (NIV)
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 17:3 New International Version (NIV)
3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
Certainly this includes going to heaven, but as a believer you are already seated in heavenly places in Christ – so heaven is where you are at spiritually right now.
God wants all men to come to the knowledge of Him.
The truth is Christ dies for the sins of the entire world – but not everyone chooses to participate and if that continues I do believe they will go to hell.
But the offer is universal.
Unconditional love is universal.
That does not mean universalism the way people talk about it – usually without knowing what they are talking about.
There are 2 types of universalism – neither of which I subscribe to:
1. Unitarianism or secular universalism = all roads lead to savior – Christ not necessary. This can’t be true because Christ said He was the way truth and life and no one comes to the Father except by Him (John 14:6)
2,. Christian universalism = lip service to Christ, but what is emphasized is that somehow later everyone will go to heaven regardless. It doesn’t focus on the salvation that need now on planet earth and makes no allowance for hell – at least not for an eternal one.
Hope that answers your question.
This is really an involved question and really challenges a lot of pre-suppositions.
I did a teaching on this actually today: In and Out – How Are We Looking at People? and you can find it on my video resources.
Thanks for asking – so appreciate it. So sorry it took me so long to answer! I just got the notification today – weird.
Bless you dear one!!! You are VASTLY loved!
Catherine