Reconciliation can be defined as the restoration of friendship following an estrangement. It can also be defined as the bringing together of two opposing parties by a third party. Reconciliation is a very real thing. With it, we are free, but without it we are plunged into unforgiveness and a vicious cycle of replaying offenses over and over again in our minds.
The love of Christ will arrest you in your tracks if you allow it do so. It will turn you away from living a life marked by bitterness and vengeance to a life characterized by freedom, love, and compassion. If we do not allow the love of Christ to arrest us, we will eventually be held captive to the memories of offenses, assaults, and unfairness that life inevitably brings our way.
The Apostle Paul tells us that in the course of human events, we can be road blocked from expressing the love and grace of Jesus Christ by our own carnality. Even in an advanced, mature Christian state, we can become prisoners to the desire to wreak vengeance upon our brothers and sisters in Christ. God wants to bring reconciliation to our lives through Jesus Christ. Christians should view their lives as an entrance ramp to the narrow path, expediting the route for others through reconciliation in Jesus.
The Bible emphasizes that unity in the Christian church is a crucial element to the world understanding and accepting the Gospel. Jesus said in John 17:21 that we must draw together in unity. We must draw together around the essentials in the Gospel and disregard things that tend to separate and divide us. This does not mean uniformity. The Bible gives great latitude in the kind of community of believers we become. There is no need to be "cookie-cutter" Christians -- there is diversity in the body through unity in Jesus Christ. God gives us this freedom for us to enjoy.
When we hold tightly to the things others have done to hurt or disappoint us, we exclude God's work and eliminate the possibility of change, growth, forgiveness, grace, and mercy in the lives of others. Forget the shortcomings of others and forgive. The Bible gives us practical ways to keep unity and peace. We should expect people outside the church to behave in a carnal fashion, but there is no place for this in the life of the believer.
Believers become new creatures in Christ with the option to dwell in the new man with new priorities, new capacities, new powers, a new destiny, and a new heart. The problem is that we do not always choose to dwell in the new man. This creates conflict within us. Do not lower yourself and dwell in carnal conflict. This type of conflict is never resolved. The flesh is never satisfied and is never pleasing to God. The flesh loves controversy, anger, revenge, and the cycle of human emotions that are counterproductive. It does not want resolution. On the other hand, the Spirit brings peace, longsuffering, patience, gentleness, and meekness. This is what we must dwell in if we are to fulfill the great calling God has for our lives.
God has given each believer the ministry of reconciliation. If we are going to walk in this gift and explore the boundaries of what it means to be a minister of reconciliation, we cannot engage in carnal measures. Carnal measures are only temporary, built around man and his level of success, wealth, beauty and so on. The wealthiest person around is the one who is winning souls and investing in eternity. This person possesses wisdom. Only Christians possess the ability to overcome offenses, forgive in the face of unfairness, and walk in love when others have hurt us deeply. We expect earthly institutions to have conflict, but the Bible says that this should not be the case among believers. God expects so much more from His children. See part 3.
Ephesians 4:1-3 reminds us to walk in a worthy manner.
The missing element in so many of our human transactions is humility. God is always pleased by humility and always insulted by pride. Jesus, a humble servant, had every reason to be driven by pride, yet He laid His life down for us. Think of the way you forgive others and see if you would like God to forgive you in like fashion. Discard all cheap excuses and do not be shallow in the way you forgive others. Seek out others and ask for forgiveness. Romans 12:18 provides crucial insight into this topic as it tells us that as much as it depends upon us, we are to live peaceably with others. God doesn't judge us on how this ends up, but He is looking for our obedience in this area.
Steps needed for true forgiveness can be outlined in the following manner:
Glorify God. He is always glorified by sincere humility.
Get the log out of your own eye.
Gently restore, remembering your former state.
Go and be reconciled. Do not wait for others to come to you, but err always on the side of humility.
We are a people of fractured relationships. We have broken friendships and severed relationships with loved ones. We may have a long list of reasons for this, but the Bible has never accepted the concept of irreconcilable differences. God took the most irreconcilable problem of all time, our human sin, and fixed it. If He can solve this problem, He can solve any of your relationship problems.
The Bible tells us that we are to be ambassadors for Christ. An ambassador is a person chosen to represent others. Christ has chosen us to represent Him and His kingdom. Because ambassadors reside in a foreign land, they are protected. As ambassadors, we should know that we are protected also, in that wherever Christ's ambassadors meet becomes an oasis of Heaven. As ambassadors, our mission is to negotiate a peace treaty by the virtue of the cross of Jesus Christ. Be very careful not to misrepresent Heaven. We are not ministers or ambassadors of condemnation, but ministers of reconciliation. Through us, God is beseeching the world to come to Him. Through us, He is offering a solution to the problems of the world. Ambassadors must also be citizens of the country they represent. To be an ambassador for Christ, we must be believers. Ambassadors are called home before war is declared. God has not yet declared war on this world, we are still living in an age of grace. As ambassadors, we are offering His friendship. But realize that the clock is ticking toward the end of this age. The wrath of God is coming, but we will be called home prior to its arrival. In the meantime, we are to offer, plead, and beg others to come into the grace of God.
The message of the church today is reconciliation, bringing people to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. To be involved in this work, we must be willing to release carnal attitudes and relationships that are impeding our service as an ambassador of the King. The place to go to reconcile any problem that is standing in the way is the foot of the cross. As we consider the work that was done there, the price that was paid on the cross, what Jesus did to pay for our sins, how He reconciled us to the Father, it will be very difficult for us to hold onto any grudge. See part 5.
The foot of the cross levels the playing field as we are all guilty of sin. Forgiveness is dispensed freely at the foot of the cross and we have the opportunity to share this forgiveness with others who may have hurt us, as well as with those who we have offended.
God knows every sin we have committed against Him. On our own, there is nothing we can do to reduce this number. The blood of Jesus is the only thing that can accomplish this and His blood will wash it all away. What we need to try to do is reduce the number of sins we commit in the future. Our responsibility is to go to the foot of the cross frequently. Outside of the shadow of the cross, we can easily begin to deceive ourselves. The foot of the cross is where we need to be as we seek to restore broken or damaged relationships with others.
If you are willing to kneel at the foot of the cross, He will allow you to stand in His righteousness. This is the only way we can have a right standing with God. Righteousness is not based on anything we have done.
It is time for all of us to move on in grace, peace, mercy, and love.
To be an Ambassador of Christ suggest you are in a foreign land doing the business or representing Christ.
Meaning the land is occupied by those who don't represent Christ.
( Unbelievers.)
Ministry of reconciliation is believers who's been reconciled.
Part 1.
Reconciliation can be defined as the restoration of friendship following an estrangement. It can also be defined as the bringing together of two opposing parties by a third party. Reconciliation is a very real thing. With it, we are free, but without it we are plunged into unforgiveness and a vicious cycle of replaying offenses over and over again in our minds.
The love of Christ will arrest you in your tracks if you allow it do so. It will turn you away from living a life marked by bitterness and vengeance to a life characterized by freedom, love, and compassion. If we do not allow the love of Christ to arrest us, we will eventually be held captive to the memories of offenses, assaults, and unfairness that life inevitably brings our way.
The Apostle Paul tells us that in the course of human events, we can be road blocked from expressing the love and grace of Jesus Christ by our own carnality. Even in an advanced, mature Christian state, we can become prisoners to the desire to wreak vengeance upon our brothers and sisters in Christ. God wants to bring reconciliation to our lives through Jesus Christ. Christians should view their lives as an entrance ramp to the narrow path, expediting the route for others through reconciliation in Jesus.
The Bible emphasizes that unity in the Christian church is a crucial element to the world understanding and accepting the Gospel. Jesus said in John 17:21 that we must draw together in unity. We must draw together around the essentials in the Gospel and disregard things that tend to separate and divide us. This does not mean uniformity. The Bible gives great latitude in the kind of community of believers we become. There is no need to be "cookie-cutter" Christians -- there is diversity in the body through unity in Jesus Christ. God gives us this freedom for us to enjoy.
See Part 2.
part 2.
When we hold tightly to the things others have done to hurt or disappoint us, we exclude God's work and eliminate the possibility of change, growth, forgiveness, grace, and mercy in the lives of others. Forget the shortcomings of others and forgive. The Bible gives us practical ways to keep unity and peace. We should expect people outside the church to behave in a carnal fashion, but there is no place for this in the life of the believer.
Believers become new creatures in Christ with the option to dwell in the new man with new priorities, new capacities, new powers, a new destiny, and a new heart. The problem is that we do not always choose to dwell in the new man. This creates conflict within us. Do not lower yourself and dwell in carnal conflict. This type of conflict is never resolved. The flesh is never satisfied and is never pleasing to God. The flesh loves controversy, anger, revenge, and the cycle of human emotions that are counterproductive. It does not want resolution. On the other hand, the Spirit brings peace, longsuffering, patience, gentleness, and meekness. This is what we must dwell in if we are to fulfill the great calling God has for our lives.
God has given each believer the ministry of reconciliation. If we are going to walk in this gift and explore the boundaries of what it means to be a minister of reconciliation, we cannot engage in carnal measures. Carnal measures are only temporary, built around man and his level of success, wealth, beauty and so on. The wealthiest person around is the one who is winning souls and investing in eternity. This person possesses wisdom. Only Christians possess the ability to overcome offenses, forgive in the face of unfairness, and walk in love when others have hurt us deeply. We expect earthly institutions to have conflict, but the Bible says that this should not be the case among believers. God expects so much more from His children. See part 3.
part 3.
Ephesians 4:1-3 reminds us to walk in a worthy manner.
The missing element in so many of our human transactions is humility. God is always pleased by humility and always insulted by pride. Jesus, a humble servant, had every reason to be driven by pride, yet He laid His life down for us. Think of the way you forgive others and see if you would like God to forgive you in like fashion. Discard all cheap excuses and do not be shallow in the way you forgive others. Seek out others and ask for forgiveness. Romans 12:18 provides crucial insight into this topic as it tells us that as much as it depends upon us, we are to live peaceably with others. God doesn't judge us on how this ends up, but He is looking for our obedience in this area.
Steps needed for true forgiveness can be outlined in the following manner:
Glorify God. He is always glorified by sincere humility.
Get the log out of your own eye.
Gently restore, remembering your former state.
Go and be reconciled. Do not wait for others to come to you, but err always on the side of humility.
We are a people of fractured relationships. We have broken friendships and severed relationships with loved ones. We may have a long list of reasons for this, but the Bible has never accepted the concept of irreconcilable differences. God took the most irreconcilable problem of all time, our human sin, and fixed it. If He can solve this problem, He can solve any of your relationship problems.
see part 4.
part 4.
The Bible tells us that we are to be ambassadors for Christ. An ambassador is a person chosen to represent others. Christ has chosen us to represent Him and His kingdom. Because ambassadors reside in a foreign land, they are protected. As ambassadors, we should know that we are protected also, in that wherever Christ's ambassadors meet becomes an oasis of Heaven. As ambassadors, our mission is to negotiate a peace treaty by the virtue of the cross of Jesus Christ. Be very careful not to misrepresent Heaven. We are not ministers or ambassadors of condemnation, but ministers of reconciliation. Through us, God is beseeching the world to come to Him. Through us, He is offering a solution to the problems of the world. Ambassadors must also be citizens of the country they represent. To be an ambassador for Christ, we must be believers. Ambassadors are called home before war is declared. God has not yet declared war on this world, we are still living in an age of grace. As ambassadors, we are offering His friendship. But realize that the clock is ticking toward the end of this age. The wrath of God is coming, but we will be called home prior to its arrival. In the meantime, we are to offer, plead, and beg others to come into the grace of God.
The message of the church today is reconciliation, bringing people to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. To be involved in this work, we must be willing to release carnal attitudes and relationships that are impeding our service as an ambassador of the King. The place to go to reconcile any problem that is standing in the way is the foot of the cross. As we consider the work that was done there, the price that was paid on the cross, what Jesus did to pay for our sins, how He reconciled us to the Father, it will be very difficult for us to hold onto any grudge. See part 5.
part 5.
The foot of the cross levels the playing field as we are all guilty of sin. Forgiveness is dispensed freely at the foot of the cross and we have the opportunity to share this forgiveness with others who may have hurt us, as well as with those who we have offended.
God knows every sin we have committed against Him. On our own, there is nothing we can do to reduce this number. The blood of Jesus is the only thing that can accomplish this and His blood will wash it all away. What we need to try to do is reduce the number of sins we commit in the future. Our responsibility is to go to the foot of the cross frequently. Outside of the shadow of the cross, we can easily begin to deceive ourselves. The foot of the cross is where we need to be as we seek to restore broken or damaged relationships with others.
If you are willing to kneel at the foot of the cross, He will allow you to stand in His righteousness. This is the only way we can have a right standing with God. Righteousness is not based on anything we have done.
It is time for all of us to move on in grace, peace, mercy, and love.
To be an Ambassador of Christ suggest you are in a foreign land doing the business or representing Christ.
Meaning the land is occupied by those who don't represent Christ.
( Unbelievers.)
Ministry of reconciliation is believers who's been reconciled.
God bless.
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