There are few verses about "reconciliation" in the Bible, but "reconciliation" is an essential topic. Humans were separated with God because of Adam's sin, and later the relationship between humans was broken. The tragedy that Cain killed Abel happened.
God always wants us to reconcile with him and others. Here're ten Bible verses on reconciliation to meditate on salvation he gives to us.
Proverbs 16:7 When the Lord takes pleasure in anyone's way, he causes their enemies to make peace with them.
What reconciles our relationships with others and even enemies is rooted in our relationships with God rather than our feelings for each other or personal loss.
Ecclesiastes 3:8 A time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.
The book of Ecclesiastes full of wisdom of life tells us that people experience different stages and times. There may be a period of youth and immaturity and a time for conflicts and wars, but there is also a time for peace.
Matthew 5:21-24 "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, 'Raca,' is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell.
"Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift."
The law in the Old Testament teaches us not to murder while Jesus engraved the law in our hearts. He gave a higher law: don't hate others for anyone who hates others is a murderer. When we offer gifts before God, go to church or worship God, we should first reconcile to our brothers and sisters, which pleases God.
Romans 5:7-11 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if, while we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Paul uses the word "peace" to explain salvation, which is the core verse of "reconcile theology". Reconciliation stems from salvation through Jesus Christ. His blood and death on the cross became a peace offering that reconciles us with God and through which we're saved.
Corinthians 5:17-21 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We 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. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
God reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. As Christians, our mission or the purpose of evangelization is to spread the reconciliation to more people who can make peace with God through Christ. Christians are ambassadors of reconciliation and peacemakers.
Ephesians 2:12-17 Remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.
Paul mentioned reconciliation to the church at Ephesus again: we used to be enemies of God, but we have been brought near God by the blood of Christ. He destroyed the dividing wall of hostility and made peace. We have become messengers who spread the gospel of peace.
Colossians 1:20-22 ... and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.
Peace is made and all things reconcile to God through Jesus Christ's blood, shed on the cross. We who were alienated from God and his enemies are holy and approach the throne of grace with confidence through the righteousness of Jesus Christ.
Translated by Karen Luo
