RECONCILIATION

                                                                    Reconciliation

Picture from Web

Reconciliation is at the heart of the Bible. It is a long dissertation about three warring parties – God and humans, humans and humans, humans and their own consciences – being reconciled by Jesus Christ. The Gospel is the good news about this reconciliation. “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 word of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:18-19).

God forgives all our sins when He converts us. This is what is meant by Him “not imputing their trespasses to them.” For the conscience, this means that as God “pours oil on troubled waters” our war with our guilty conscience ceases. Thus, I am reconciled with myself. And I am reconciled with others, yes, those whom God also has reconciled to Himself. To be sure, even as Christians our conscience will accuse us at times (with Satan’s ready help!) if we wrong God and/or our neighbour. That’s why we are to confess our sins to Him. And, then there are those disputes among Christian that sometimes cause division. However, for the Christian his/her war with God, war with fellow believers, and with his/her conscience ceases, albeit imperfectly until Christ’s return.

Rainbows appear in puddles because oil and water do not mix. Oil, water, and light. Minus the oil, the rainbow in the water cloud in the sky after rain is a sign of God’s covenant, His covenant of grace. Another name for God’s covenant of grace is the Gospel, the gospel of reconciliation. We see a picture of this reconciliation every time we witness the water being sprinkled or poured on someone’s head at their baptism in church.

Rebellious humanity has corrupted His “very good” creation. So, God poured out His wrath in the global Flood and as it were started again with all that was in the ark with Noah. The ark is a type of saviour, the Saviour, the GodMan, Jesus Christ. Like oil and water that never mix, the two distinct natures of Christ are the perfect picture of reconciliation. Jesus is God and Man in one divine Person forever. He is God the Creator and man the creature united forever. He is our covenant with God (Isa. 42:6, 49:8), our rainbow in the cloud. “Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen” (Rev. 1:7). How wonderful is it to see a rainbow in the cloud? How much more wonderful to see the One to whom every rainbow points to coming with the clouds! – but only if God has reconciled you to Himself beforehand. Otherwise, it’s His wrath not His blessing that will be poured out on your head.

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12) and that the Holy Spirit is the “living water” (John 8:39). Light and Water make up the covenant rainbow. On the Day of Pentecost, the Father and the Son poured out Their Spirit, as per the promise to “sprinkle many nations” (Isa. 52:15). The gospel of reconciliation is brought to the nations in accordance with the Great Commission. Jesus said, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen (Matt. 28:18-20).