Beloved, I am glad to share with you today on the next window of the temple of truth, namely reconciliation. The Bible gives us a memorable example in Genesis 33, of the reconciliation of Esau and Jacob when Jacob returned to Canaan. We are going to look at the one of which the Lord Jesus Christ speaks, and where there is also a question of fraternal reconciliation, and which is developed by the Apostle Paul as an exhortation to the reconciliation between separated husband and wife, of the relationships of God and of man, with the illumination of the particular aspect of redemption.
The image of this man who, already occupied in the temple to prepare his offering, under the impression of sanctity of his act, remembers that his brother has some resentment against him, must be reconciled with him, even in the case where he would not have contributed to break with him. This is why the Lord Jesus does not admit that he can enter into communion with God through his offering, and through prayer, until he is reconciled with his brother.
- In a different form, he assumes two adversaries: a creditor and a debtor, the first of which brings the second to the judge for payment. The counsel that the Lord gives to the one who will be accused is to agree promptly with his creditor while they are still on the way, since there is still time. For if he does not do so, he takes the risk of being handed over to the judge, then to the usher to be thrown by him in prison.
Therefore, men are exhorted to be reconciled because of their responsibility to the Eternal God. For all men are on their way to the judge, who is God; they are all wrongs to each other, wrongs which will be asked them accounts that would suffice to condemn them.
- PRELIMINARY AND GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
Reconciliation is therefore unavoidable:
Matthew 18.15 “If your brother sinned, go and reprove him between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won your brother”. Romans 5.10 “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, still more, being reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.” ; Romans 11:15 “For if their rejection was the reconciliation of the world, what will be their reinstatement, if not a life from the dead?” ; 2 Corinthians 5.18 “And all this is from God, who has reconciled us to him by Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.” ; 2 Corinthians 5.20 “We therefore act as ambassadors for Christ, as if God were exhorting through us; we beseech you in the name of Christ: be reconciled to God!” ; Eph 1.10 “to put it into effect when the times are fulfilled, to gather all things in Christ, those that are in heaven, and those that are on the earth.” ; Ephesians 2:16 “and to reconcile them one and the other in one body, with God by the cross, destroying enmity with it.” ; Colossians 1.20 “He wanted to reconcile all to himself, both on earth and in heaven, making peace through him, by the blood of his cross.”
- As we speak of offering, let’s remember what the Word of God tells us about gifts, and especially its characteristics:
-according to the revenues : Deut 16.17 “Everyone will give what he can, according to the blessings that the LORD your God has bestowed upon him.” (Mat 5.42 “Give to him who asks you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.”)
-without ostentation : Mat 6.3 “But when you give alms, let not your left hand know what your right hand is doing,”
-free : Mat 10.8 “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You have received free, give freely”. (Luke 6.38 “Give, and it will be given to you: a good measure will be poured into your bosom, tight, shaken, and overflowing, for they will measure you with the measure that you have used. Sell what you have, and give it into alms, make purses that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in the heavens, where the thief does not come near, and where the moth does not destroy”.)
-with simplicity : Rom 12: 8 “and he who exhorts to exhortation. Let him who gives it do so liberally; let the presiding officer do it with zeal; let him who practices mercy do it with joy.”
-regularly every week 1 Cor 16.2 “Each one of you, on the first day of the week, set aside what he can, according to his prosperity, so that one does not wait for my arrival to collect the gifts”.
-with joy : 2 Corinthians 9:7 “Let everyone give as he has resolved in his heart, without sadness or constraint; for God loves him who gives with joy”.
- And as the Lord God Almighty loves us all, human forgiveness is ordained:
Luke 11.4 “Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive anyone who offends us; and do not induce us into temptation”.
Luke 17.4 “And if he sinned against you seven times in a day, and seven times return to you, saying, I repent, and forgive you”.
Eph 4.32 “Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another, as God has forgiven you in Christ.”
Col. 3.13 “Suppose one another, and if one is about to complain of another, forgive one another. As Christ forgave you, forgive you too”.
II. THE PROCESS AND ITS CONSEQUENCES ON THE BELIEVER
We have seen above the need to ensure the preparation of the reconciliation; it precedes blessings:
- the Bible teaches us the following:
-no reconciliation without repentance
Joel 2.12-13 “And now, saith the LORD, come to me with all your heart, with fasts, with weeping, and with lamentation. 13 Tear your hearts, and not your garments, and return to the LORD your God; For he is compassionate and merciful, slow to anger and rich in kindness, and repents of the evils he sends”.
-no vision without obedience
John 9.7 “and said to him, Go, and wash in the pool of Shiloh (name which means sent). He went there, washed himself, and went back seeing clear”.
-not resurrection until the stone has been removed
John 11.39 “Jesus said, Take away the stone. Martha, the sister of the dead, said to him, “Lord, he already feels, for he has been here four days”.
-no entry to heaven without purification
Rev 7.13-14 “And one of the elders answered and said unto me, These are they in white robes, and where are they from? 14 And I said to him, My lord, you know it. And he said to me, These are they that come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes, and they have whitened them in the blood of the lamb”.
-no oil before the containers are collected
2 Kings 4.3-4 “And he said, Go and ask for vases from all your neighbors, empty vessels, and ask not a few. 4 When you return, you will close the door on you and your children; you will pour in all these vessels, and you will put aside those who are full.”
-no cure until the leper has plunged seven times into the water
2 Kings 5.10 And Elisha sent to him by a messenger, saying, Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan; your flesh will become healthy, and you will be clean.”
-no Messiah until the path has been prepared
Isa 40.3 “A voice of cries, Prepare ye the way of Jehovah in the wilderness, and make a highway for our God in dry places.”
-not harvest until the soil has been cleared
Hosea 10.12 “Sow according to righteousness, reap according to mercy, clear up a new field! It is time to seek the LORD, until He comes, and spreads righteousness for you”.
- That is why love of peace approaches us near God and it is the just who cultivate the love of peace
Ecclesiastes 10.4 “If the spirit of him that rushes up against you, do not leave your place; because calm prevents great sins.”
Romans 12.18 “If it is possible, as much as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.
Titus 1.6 “if there be some irreproachable man there, the husband of a single woman, having faithful children, who are neither accused of debauchery nor rebels”.
Hebrews 12.14 “Seek peace with all, and sanctification, without which no one will see the Lord.”
James 3.18 “The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who seek peace”.
- Patience helps us in the search for peace:
It is ordered to us:
Ephesians 4.2 “in all humility and gentleness, with patience, supporting one another with charity,”
Ephesians 6.9 “And you, masters, do the same thing to them, and abstain from threats, knowing that their master and yours are in heaven, and that there is no acceptance of persons before him.”
Col. 3.12 “Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, put on the bowels of mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, patience”.
- The delay in action is sometimes disastrous:
-the foolish virgins, during their preparation for the coming of the husband
Mat 25: 11-12 “And when the other virgins came, they said, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12 But he answered, Truly I say to you, I do not know you.”
-Judas, when he repented of betraying Christ
Mat 27.3 “Then Judas, who delivered him, seeing that he was condemned, repented, and brought the thirty pieces of silver back to the chief priests and elders,”
– those who knocked on the closed door
Luke 13.25 “When the master of the house shall stand up and shut the door, and you, being outside, shall begin to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us! he will answer you: I do not know where you are from”.
-Esaü, when he repented of having sold his birthright
Heb 12.17 “You know that later on, wanting to obtain the blessing, he was rejected, though he solicited it with tears; for his repentance could have no effect”.
- Some judges are ruthless:
Luke 18.2 “And he said, There was in a city a judge that feared not God, and respecteth no man.”
Mark 3.14, 18 “And he said, There was in a city a judge that feared not God, and respecteth no man. 18 And you will see again the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between him who serves God and him who does not serve him.”
1 Tim 1.9 “knowing well that the law is not made for the righteous, but for the wicked and the rebellious, the wicked and the sinners, the irreligious and the profane, the parricides, the murderers,”
Psa 10.4 “The wicked says arrogantly, He does not punish! There is no God! -That’s all his thoughts.”
Psa 14.1 “The fool says in his heart, There is no God! They corrupted themselves, they committed abominable actions; There is none who does good.”
- For the punishment of sin is inevitable, and it’s impossible to escape
Pro 11.21 Surely the wicked will not go unpunished, but the seed of the righteous will be saved.
Jer 11.11 Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape. They will cry to me, and I will not listen to them.
Mat 23.23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you pay the tithe of mint, dill, and cumin, and leave what is more important in the law, justice, mercy, and faithfulness: this is what you should practice without neglecting other things.
1 Thessalonians 5.3 When men say, Peace and safety! then a sudden ruin will surprise them, as the pains of childbirth surprise the pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
Heb 2.3 how shall we escape by neglecting such a great salvation, which, first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard it,
- Fortunately there is a favorable time to seek God:
Psa 32.6 “Therefore let every godly man pray to you in due time! If great waters overflow, they will not reach it at all.”
Psa 69.14 “But I give you my prayer, O LORD! May it be favorable weather, O God, by your great goodness! Answer me, assuring me of your help!”
Psa 95.7 “For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, the flock that his hand leads … Oh! if you could listen to his voice today!”
Isa 49.8 “Thus saith the LORD, In the time of grace I will hear you, and in the day of salvation I will help you; I will guard you, and will establish you to make a covenant with the people, to raise up the land, and to distribute desolate inheritances”;
2 Corinthians 6:6 “For he says, In the good weather I have heard you; in the day of salvation I have helped you. Here is now the favorable weather, now is the day of salvation”.
- Finally, any dispute to avoid : Mat 5.40 “If anyone wants to plead against you, and take your tunic, leave him your coat.”
1 Cor 6.1 “Some of you, when he has a dispute with another, dare he plead before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?”
From the foregoing, it’s important to note that it’s highly recommended to prepare reconciliation with one’s neighbor for any disputes while there is still time. We should work for harmony, show impartiality, and above all put an end to personal conflicts. For forgiveness and the search for peace will be able to avoid being faced with an unfair judge who could throw us in prison from which it will be possible to leave it only after having paid all the debt. And as there will always be differences between humans, everything should be done so that peace and reconciliation take over. Our prayers for you will go in this direction, by the grace of God.
PRAYER OF ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS CHRIST AS LORD AND PERSONAL SAVIOR
I now invite anyone who wants to become a new creation by walking in the truth, to pray with me as follows :
Lord Jesus, I have long walked in the lusts of the world ignoring your love for humans. I acknowledge that I have sinned against you and ask forgiveness for all my sins, because today I have decided to give you my life by taking you as my Lord and personal Savior. I acknowledge that you died on the cross of Calvary and that you rose from the dead for me.
I am now saved and born again by the power of the Holy Spirit. Lead me each day to eternal life you give to all who obey your Word. Reveal to me and strengthen my heart and my faith so that your light may shine in my life right now.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for accepting me in your divine family so that I too can contemplate the wonders of your kingdom.
I will now choose a nearby waterpoint to baptize myself by immersion, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
To you all worship, power, and glory, now and forever and ever. Amen!
I would be glad to respond to your questions and comments as necessary, before sharing with you next week on inner purity.
May the Almighty God bless you profusely.
David Feze, Servant of the Lord Almighty.