Lets Get Real About Reconciliation
The Outcome of Forgiveness and Repentance is Reconciliation between Offended and Offender.
Reconciliation is to restore understanding/peace after hostility, displeasure or disagreement.
Reconciliation is required when peace has been broken, when a seed of Hostility has been sown into a relationship. Seed of Sin results in Hostility / No Peace
Seed of Hostility in personal relationships may be there because of a minor comment action, major offence or personal violation
The “Seed” is a feeling / thought that is running round in your head, looking for a place to take root, establish an argument/pretension stronghold.
When Peace Broken Matt 5:9 PEACEMAKERS are required, Peace does not just happen, 2 Corinthians 5:18-20 18All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
Jesus Eph 2:14 Peace is Made, 1Pet 3:19 Seek & pursue Peace
1. Reconciliation begins in you thoughts, deal with them in your head, take it captive make it obedience 2Cor 10:5, and so you don’t need to go and talk it all over with the person who does not know they have hurt you.
2. Reconciliation may be that you deal with it by blessing rather that cursing with random acts of kindness…Rom 12 = share hospitality bless feed refresh, Jacob Esua Gen 32:20………. If doing it just to heap coals on their head don’t do any thing Make Hypocrite of Yourself
3. Reconciliation may be that you go and speak to the person as Jesus told us……don’t look for sympathy/sides ……. Not an opportunity to assonate the other person Just say “sorry” “you hurt me”
4. Reconciliation needs to be maintained in you head as there is often a Reconciliation hangover… Reconciliation is a process so you must keep doing the above 2Tim 2 22 Heb 12 14
But lets Get REAL about Reconciliation, in getting real there will be
Release from Those Resistant to Reconciliation
Release from Romantic Notions about Reconciliation,
1. Reconciliation is possible whatever the offence or violation but R is not always possible.
2. Romantic notions that Reconciliation means “Get back to The Way You Were before” promoted by; TV Soaps; Chat shows, Happy Ever After Stories
In Domestic Abuse, Adultery, it’s the exception for things to go back to the way they were before, In Christ we have power to go back to the way it was before and perhaps better, however, the Bible gives permission for people to separate or divorce after those situations, yet many fall under the Pressure & guilt from Church to Live happily ever after whatever the cost, lets get real.
3. Get real about Resistance to Reconciliation
Titus 3:10 Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him. See 3 John Diotrephes, Rom 12:18
You can go on Forgiving but if there is no repentance you cannot be Reconciled and so no peace between offender and offended by in Christ if you have don’t all you can to live at peace with them and they continue to resist then you can be at peace with Christ.
You can live in the power of forgiveness without reconciliation, free from harbouring, rehearsing, anger, depression.
You can Hug and kiss ,do Meals pray and say sorry but the person can still be resistant their in heart, but can be free.
Most Important is our Relationship with God, and we are at Peace there.
My challenge is to Live a Forgiving Life, make F you first response to Hurt.
Make every effort to live at peace, no Reconciliation then do all you can,
You can Listen to this message at www.preaching.co.nr
