Waist Deep 2018 - October 20


II Corinthians 5: 20 We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. (NIV)


Sin has broken the friendship between God and man.*


Like a good mediator, Paul pleads for us to be reconciled to God. Our need for reconciliation implies the existence of certain conditions: that there was a former friendship; that there is now enmity on one or both sides; and that God is the initiator of the reconciliation process.*

In human affairs, there can be no reconciliation if only one party makes the effort. One person can forgive, be willing to forget and move on, but unless the other person makes the same effort, the relationship will remain broken. It works the same way in our relationship with God. While it is usually the vanquished who sues for a settlement, not the victor, God has assumed the inferior position as the petitioner in order to facilitate our reconciliation. He is the initiator, standing in “ready mode” in the reconciliation process, just waiting for us to step up to meet him there.

On his side, the job is done. On our part, we must comply with the terms that God offers. Just as God was in Christ when he was reconciling the world, we must be in Christ if we are going to be reconciled to him.*


Reconciliation is never accomplished without us.*


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