Reconciliation

Cortright's Homepage

Reconciliation

2 Corinthians 5:18-19
     And all things are of God, who hath reconciled [katallasso] us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation [katallage];
     To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling [katallasso] the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation [katallage].
     Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled [katallasso] to God.

     God was at work in Christ to change the standing of man from one of being enemies with Him to one of peace and unity with Him.

     Reconciliation is to bring back together that which has been separated.   Katallasso means for ONE party to act so that the opposite party may lay aside his enmity resulting in a changed standing. Katallage is a change on the part of one party in response to the action of the other. God acted in Christ to bring us back together with Him. He gave us His word of reconciliation that makes known HIS action. We accepted God's action and changed our standing with God.

     When we speak the word of reconciliation, those who are still separated from God and at enmity with Him are made aware of His action in Christ. They can then understand what God has done to remove the cause of separation and accept reconciliation. The word of reconciliation spoken by us makes it available for them to change their standing and be united with God.

     When Christ was here on earth he was reconciling men to God. He was carrying out God's action to make reconciliation available. NOW we have the ministry of reconciling men to God and we have God's word of reconciliation to carry out the ministry. NOW we present the word or reconciliation and plead in Christ's place that others also be reconciled to God.

Ephesians 2:13-16
     But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
     For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
     Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
     And that he might reconcile [apokatallasso] both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

Ephesians 2:17-19
     And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
     For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
     Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

     When Jesus Christ gave his life for ours he was carrying out God's will to reconcile the world unto Himself. God was acting to make it available for us to put aside the enmity that exists between us and to bring us back together with Him. Apokatallasso means means to fully reconcile. It is to put away ALL enmity so that a friendly, peaceful and united standing follows and there is nothing that remains to cause division or separation.

God acted in Christ and through him we both (Jews and Gentiles) have access by one spirit unto the Father. We were separated by the sin of Adam which resulted in man losing his spiritual connection with God. We were without God and without hope in the world. We were separated. We were enemies of God.

God's action in Christ made His gift of holy spirit available to us. Via holy spirit we have access to God our Father. God's gift makes us His children. All enmity is removed and nothing can separate us from Him ever again. We are no longer enemies. We are no longer strangers. We are no longer foreigners. Our standing has become that of members of God's household. We are now His children with complete access to our Father.

Romans 5:10-11
For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled [katallasso] to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled [katallasso], we shall be saved by his life.
And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement [reconciliation - katallage].

We were enemies of God. God's action in Christ - the death of His son - allowed us to put aside the enmity that existed between us and change our standing to one of unity with God. There is no action that we could have done that would bring us back together with God. God acted and we accepted His action. The action which allows us to lay aside the enmity and change our standing is from God's side alone. We simply accepted His action and received a unified standing. NOW, we rejoice that have received reconciliation. We do not need to seek it. We just need to enjoy it.

Colossians 1:20-22
     And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile [apokatallasso] all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
     And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled [apokatallasso]
     In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:

We WERE enemies. We WERE alienated. Yet, NOW we are reconciled. NOW we are holy. NOW we are unblameable. NOW we are unreprovable in his sight. Nothing can separate us ever again. We have received reconciliation!

Romans 8:38-39
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Nothing can separate us. Here, ten items are listed that we are to be persuaded about. The list is all inclusive - nothing is left out.

Nothing, in the dimension of the senses world, is able to separate us from the love of God in Christ: NOT LIFE - NOT EVEN DEATH!!!

Nothing, in the dimension of the spiritual world, is able to separate us from the love of God in Christ: NOT ANGELS, NOT PRINCIPALITIES, NOT POWERS!!!

Nothing, in the dimension of time, is able to separate us from the love of God in Christ: NOT THE PRESENT - NOT THE FUTURE!!!

Nothing, in the dimension of of space, is able to separate us from the love of God in Christ: NOT HEIGHT - NOT DEPTH!!!

Nothing, in ALL CREATION, is able to separate us from the love of God in Christ!!!

It is not a matter of our action to maintain our reconciliation. These things do not have the ABILITY to separate us! They are NOT ABLE to separate us. We have been completely reconciled through the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord!