Do you preach reconciliation?

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Hello there,

A fellow-member asked a question in the thread entitled 'Annihilationism', and it was suggested that he begin a new thread on the basis of it. The question was, 'Do you preach reconciliation?' This interested me, and I hope I do not cause offence to that member by introducing it myself.

*The words of the angel's to the shepherds at our Lord's birth (Luk 2:10-14) gives us the 'germ' of the message of reconciliation, don't you think?:-

And the angel said unto them,
.. Fear not: for, behold,
.... I bring you good tidings of great joy,
...... which shall be to all people.
........ For unto you is born this day
.......... in the city of David
............ a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you;
.. Ye shall find the babe
.... wrapped in swaddling clothes,
...... lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel
.. a multitude of the heavenly host praising God,
.... and saying,
...... Glory to God in the highest,
........ and on earth peace, good will toward men.'

* The same note is struck by Simeon in Luke 2:30-34:-

'For mine eyes have seen Thy salvation,
.. Which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
.... A light to lighten the Gentiles,
...... and the glory of Thy people Israel.
And Joseph and His mother marvelled
at those things which were spoken of Him.
And Simeon blessed them,
and said unto Mary His mother,
Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel;
and for a sign which shall be spoken against; ... '

* Considering the time of year, these references are very topical. However the question remains:-
'Do you preach the gospel of reconciliation?' - and - 'How do you perceive it?'

In Christ Jesus
Chris

 

[complete]

Hello again,

The word 'reconciliation' is used three times in the New Testament, in:-

'And all things are of God,
Who hath reconciled us (Paul and his fellow-workers) to Himself by Jesus Christ,
and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
To wit, that God was in Christ,
reconciling the world unto Himself,
not imputing their trespasses unto them;
and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.'
(2 Corinthians 5:18-19)

'Wherefore in all things
it behoved Him to be made like unto His brethren (Hebrews),
that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest
in things pertaining to God,
to make reconciliation for the sins of the people (Israel).'
(Hebrews 2:17 )

* The word 'reconcile' twice:-

'And that He might reconcile both (Jew and Gentile) unto God
in one body by the cross,
having slain the enmity thereby: ... '
(Ephesians 2:16)

'And, having made peace through the blood of His cross,
by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself;
by him, I say,
whether they be things in earth,
or things in heaven.'
(Colossians 1:20)

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

 

[B-A-C]

All reconciliation means, is an account has been paid, the checkbooks are balanced.
While you're paying for your house or car, the bank owns your car or house, until you pay it off. Once it's paid off it's yours.

1Cor 6:20; For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.
1Cor 7:23; You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.

Jesus purchased us. He paid off our debt. We are His property now.

However, perhaps the major difference between Calvinism and Arminianism, is what Jesus does with you now that He owns you.
From a Calvinist (grace alone) perspective, you don't really have to do anything. God has you covered.

From and Arminian point of view, now that Jesus owns... you have to change your life. You have to obey God.
Just because Jesus/God is with you, it not guarantee that you are saved. Just because you have been reconciled doesn't mean you
can't go back to living a worldly life. God was with the Jews while they wondered around the desert for 40 years, but most of them
didn't make it to the promised land.

Even Christians have to face the judgment. Yes Jesus bought us. All of us. All authority has been give to Him now.

Matt 28:18; And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.

This was of course, after the cross. This includes the judgment as well.

John 5:22; "For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son,

Rom 2:2; And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things.
Rom 2:3; But do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God?
Rom 2:5; But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,

So now that Jesus "reconciled" you (purchased you, paid off your debt). It's still up to you to live according to His will.

2Cor 5:10; For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

The plain and simple fact is... most won't it escape eternal punishment.

Matt 7:12; "In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
Matt 7:13; "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.
Matt 7:14; "For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Not even everyone who thinks they are a Christian... this includes this purchased (bought with the blood).

Matt 7:21; "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.
Matt 7:22; "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?'
Matt 7:23; "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'

So now that He reconciled you, paid for you... He can do whatever He wants with you. What He does with you, may not be what you want or expect.

 

[B-A-C]

You often here Calvinsts say phrases like one day we will "safely be with Jesus". Some say "we are already safe with Jesus". But Just because you are with Jesus
doesn't necessarily mean you are safe.

Matt 25:20; "The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, 'Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.'
Matt 25:21; "His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.'
Matt 25:22; "Also the one who had received the two talents came up and said, 'Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more talents.'
Matt 25:23; "His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.'
Matt 25:24; "And the one also who had received the one talent came up and said, 'Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed.
Matt 25:25; 'And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.'
Matt 25:26; "But his master answered and said to him, 'You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed.
Matt 25:27; 'Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest.
Matt 25:28; 'Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.'
Matt 25:29; "For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away.
Matt 25:30; "Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Three slaves in the masters house. The master bought them paid for them. Two of them were good investments. The third one... not so much.

 

[Primordial Light]

All reconciliation means, is an account has been paid, the checkbooks are balanced.
While you're paying for your house or car, the bank owns your car or house, until you pay it off. Once it's paid off it's yours.

1Cor 6:20; For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.
1Cor 7:23; You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.

Jesus purchased us. He paid off our debt. We are His property now.

However, perhaps the major difference between Calvinism and Arminianism, is what Jesus does with you now that He owns you.
From a Calvinist (grace alone) perspective, you don't really have to do anything. God has you covered.

From and Arminian point of view, now that Jesus owns... you have to change your life. You have to obey God.
Just because Jesus/God is with you, it not guarantee that you are saved. Just because you have been reconciled doesn't mean you
can't go back to living a worldly life. God was with the Jews while they wondered around the desert for 40 years, but most of them
didn't make it to the promised land.

Even Christians have to face the judgment. Yes Jesus bought us. All of us. All authority has been give to Him now.

Matt 28:18; And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.

This was of course, after the cross. This includes the judgment as well.

John 5:22; "For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son,

Rom 2:2; And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things.
Rom 2:3; But do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God?
Rom 2:5; But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,

So now that Jesus "reconciled" you (purchased you, paid off your debt). It's still up to you to live according to His will.

2Cor 5:10; For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

The plain and simple fact is... most won't it escape eternal punishment.

Matt 7:12; "In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
Matt 7:13; "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.
Matt 7:14; "For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Not even everyone who thinks they are a Christian... this includes this purchased (bought with the blood).

Matt 7:21; "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.
Matt 7:22; "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?'
Matt 7:23; "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'

So now that He reconciled you, paid for you... He can do whatever He wants with you. What He does with you, may not be what you want or expect.

In the end, the mercy of God rules.

I am a Minister of the Reconciliation (II Cor 5:18-19) = The Abrahamic Covenant =The Gospel of Jesus Christ = The Restoration of All Things, as outlined in Acts 3:20-26, which ALL THE PROPHETS SPOKE OF :

20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:


21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.


22 For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.


23 And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.


24 Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.


25 Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.


26 Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.

 

[B-A-C]

I am a Minister of the Reconciliation (II Cor 5:18-19) = The Abrahamic Covenant =The Gospel of Jesus Christ = The Restoration of All Things, as outlined in Acts 3:19-26, which ALL THE PROPHETS SPOKE OF :

Those are great verses. But they don't change what reconciled means.

Acts 3:23; Then Moses said, ‘Anyone who will not listen to that Prophet will be completely cut off from God’s people.’
Acts 3:24; “Starting with Samuel, every prophet spoke about what is happening today.
Acts 3:25; You are the children of those prophets, and you are included in the covenant God promised to your ancestors. For God said to Abraham, ‘Through your descendants all the families on earth will be blessed.’
Acts 3:26; When God raised up his servant, Jesus, he sent him first to you people of Israel, to bless you by turning each of you back from your sinful ways.”

You don't listen and obey Jesus, you will be cut off. Jesus came to turn them back from their sinful ways.

 

[Primordial Light]

Those are great verses. But they don't change what reconciled means.

Acts 3:23; Then Moses said, ‘Anyone who will not listen to that Prophet will be completely cut off from God’s people.’
Acts 3:24; “Starting with Samuel, every prophet spoke about what is happening today.
Acts 3:25; You are the children of those prophets, and you are included in the covenant God promised to your ancestors. For God said to Abraham, ‘Through your descendants all the families on earth will be blessed.’
Acts 3:26; When God raised up his servant, Jesus, he sent him first to you people of Israel, to bless you by turning each of you back from your sinful ways.”

You don't listen and obey Jesus, you will be cut off. Jesus came to turn them back from their sinful ways.

You missed that little "RESTORATION OF ALL THINGS" part.

You need to start seeing the Big Picture.
Romans 9:16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

God is Love, and Love Never Fails (I Cor 13:8).

Time to start knowing God never fails.

 

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@Primordial Light
@B-A-C

Hello there,

Thank you both for responding to the OP. I realised in the night that the one verse I failed to record containing the word reconciliation was, 2 Corinthians 5:20, where Paul said:-

'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 to God.
For He hath made Him to be sin for us, Who knew no sin;
that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.'
(2 Cor, 5:20-21)

I do praise God, as I am sure you do too, for this wonderful provision for sinners such as we are. For we are powerless to save ourselves. Only the provision of God's Own righteousness, which is imputed (or reckoned) to us by His grace, makes it possible for us to be reconciled to Him.

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
The Name above all other.
Chris

 

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@B-A-C
@Primordial Light

Hello again,

You have both given grounds for discussion, but I confess to being overcome by the amount of points of possible dispute raised, and fail to see where to begin to respond to them. I will print off both and consider them offline, and come back (God willing) when, and if, I feel equipped to respond adequately. The problem is that each point will probably require a thread of it's own to fully explore them, and to raise them here would derail this one.

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
our risen and glorified
Saviour, Lord and Head.
Chris