Relationships: The Reconciliation Factor - 2 Corinthians 5:11 – 7:2-4

The study of relationships in this lesson refers to the condition that exists between two or more people. Generally it refers to the conditions that are present within a family between parents and children or within a church between the church and pastor or among the members of the church. Some individuals are difficult to know and love and then there are issues that arise, moral or otherwise, that causes conflict among those involved in the situation. The end result is always destructive unless there is room for the reconciliation factor to operate. Hearts are broken and friends are lost when the individuals are unwilling or unable to reconcile their differences.

The satanic powers that operate on earth search for and find the differences that can be stirred between two or more people and use them to drive wedges of division between friends, family members and among the members of the church. These problems have always existed. The problems that arose in the Corinthian Church are the examples used by Paul, but they are the same kinds of problems that arise within families that drive them apart. Anyone that chooses to be a peacemaker in these situations must have a heart capable of reconciliation and cannot be prideful or selfish, but must always be willing to give as well as take.

Have you ever really centered you mind and soul on what Paul meant when he said that “if you are in Christ” meaning, if you are saved, “you are a new creature?” Your original sinful nature is changed, and you now have a new bodily nature. This change comes directly from God who reconciled you [and me] to himself [God] through Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. Your ability to be reconciled to others is a ministry; it is your ministry to others. The bible teaches us that our ability to say that we forgive our enemy will heap coals of fire on their heads but when we are able to demonstrate by our actions that we truly forgive them it speaks an even stronger message. It is better to give than to receive; however it is even better to forgive our adversaries than to be forgiven by them.

Only Christ and Jesus only can truly forgive; man alone cannot. Therefore when you are able to forgive and demonstrate that you have, it is not you alone but Christ makes it happen. That means that your ability to forgive others indicates that Christ is in you and you are in him. In times past Christ died to prove he had forgiven us and in our lives our act of forgiveness proves that he is now living in us and furnishes us with the power of forgiveness. The story of the Prodigal Son is a human example of how the Holy Father is able to forgive, welcome the son home, and restore him. The other son [the brother] is a human example of how forgiveness is impossible without the love of Christ in you.

You and your family may have experienced a difference of opinion and you are separated. Someone has sinned against you—and now through your ability to reconcile—you are able to no longer count their sins against you. You do not have to ‘agree’ but you must forgive their sin.

In Verse fourteen Paul reminds us that Christ’s love compels us. He loved us so much that he died for us. Included in this thought we must realize that one died [Jesus on the cross] to save [all] of us from the penalty of sin—therefore all of us died. All have sinned and come short of the Glory of God. He paid our penalty. When we believe; accept his death as the price for our sin, through our belief we die to our self and sin and live for Him.

It is sad to think about; but the other side of this truth is that if we refuse to accept his death and believe in him—his death seems to point to our physical and spiritual deaths which will result in eternal separation from Him. Dear friends, apart from the Cross of Christ, life is but a few days and full of trouble. Apart from the Cross of Christ, nothing else matters.

I am concerned about our ability to reconcile our differences with other Christians that we deal with today. The bible is clear regarding the matter. It teaches us that if we have differences that are straining our relationships, with a Christian attitude, we are to go to the one who has offended us and through reconciliation, we are to seek restoration. If you go to an offender and they refuse to discuss the matter or refuse to reach a solution, then you are to take a brother or sister of the church with you and talk to them. In eighty seven years, I have heard of very few instances where two or more have tried to settle their differences in the biblical way.

In cases where a family is divided because on has chosen to sin against the family or another member of the family one must be very careful how they approach the problem. An outright demand that the person ‘change or else’ is a sure way to close the bargaining door. There is a good example in the scripture. Several Christians found a woman who had committed adultery and ask Christ if she should no be stoned to death as the law commanded. Christ agreed and suggested that the one among them who had no sin in their own life should cast the first stone. According to the scripture—one by one they all bowed their heads and walked away from the scene. When they were gone, Christ asked her, “Where are your accusers”? Then he said, “Neither do I condemn you, go your way and sin no more.” I believe that the strong message here is simply that we should make sure our life is ‘right with God’ before we condemn others for their sins. If our love ones are willing to ‘go their way and sin no more’ we should be willing to forgive them just as Christ forgave the lady that had been accused.

In the beginning, when man sinned against God, it required one who was perfect [Jesus Christ] to reconcile sinful man to God. Today, when a person sins against you it requires a person who is “Christ Like” to bring about Christian reconciliation. Therefore we must know that we are worthy of reconciliation before we ask our brother to be reconciled.

The scriptures say that one man owed his lord a huge debt that he could not pay, and ask that the debt be forgiven. His lord forgave him. Soon the man demanded that a small amount of money that he had loaned to a friend be repaid, and when the friend could not pay the loan on time, he was punished. His lord heard about the injustice, and brought charges against him. The moral is that we should do unto others as we would that they do to us—and that we must practice what we preach before we preach.

If you are dealing with a problem where some other person has hurt you be sure that you pray to God that you will approach it in a Christian manner and never ask more than you would be willing to give. Look at your face in a mirror and make very sure you do not see a “better than thou attitude”.

Especially in my later years, I worry that I will slip along life’s way and ask you to do for Christ something that I am failing to do. I pray that God will not permit me to make this mistake.