On Reconciliation // 2 Corinthians 5:18

Reconciliation. There are some rich meanings to the idea of reconciliation from the biblical Greek (καταλλάσσω with katallassó as the transliteration).

• The first point is to come to an agreement. Essentially, it’s to recognize that God is God and we are not. God then wants us to be convicted of our sinfulness and need for a Savior.
• Next, we see the need for a decisive change. God wants us to live transformed lives, and brings the change to us in the Holy Spirit through Christ Jesus.
• There is a marital connotation in the Greek as well, where the two become one. As a side note, it’s good to remember that the Bible refers to the Church as the Bride of Christ.
• Also, we see the word for reconciliation can have economic terms, from exchanging coins to balancing a leger. This really speaks to the gift of redemption from Jesus who exchanged His life for ours to pay our sin-debt and balance our leger in eternity.
• And then the primary meaning, which is to change from enemies to friends.

Romans 5:10 helps to bring all of those various connotations into one amazing truth: “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” (NIV)!

ALL of this comes from God. It is His initiative. His work. His gift. His love. But it also comes with a responsibility. We are to live into the ministry of reconciliation and help others know about God. Will you?

Photo Credit: YouVersion Bible App