Reconciliation

Reconciliation occurs when two parties that have been separated are reunited. Reconciliation can be an easy process or a complicated one. Much depends of the extent of the depth and distance of the separation. Severely alienated parties have more difficult reconciling than those who have merely lost contact over time. An extended period of alienation can make reunion more joyous, with time itself being a healing factor.

The case of Esau and Jacob informs us that time can be a healer. Esau was intent of murdering his brother Jacob. The account of their reunion and reconciliation is found in the book of Genesis.

3 And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the country of Edom, 4 instructing them, “Thus you shall say to my lord Esau: Thus says your servant Jacob, ‘I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed until now; 5 and I have oxen, asses, flocks, menservants, and maidservants; and I have sent to tell my lord, in order that I may find favor in your sight.’”

6 And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau, and he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men with him.” 7 Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed; and he divided the people that were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two companies, 8 thinking, “If Esau comes to the one company and destroys it, then the company which is left will escape.” (Genesis 32:3-8)

.... And Jacob lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, Esau was coming, and four hundred men with him. So he divided the children among Leah and Rachel and the two maids. 2 And he put the maids with their children in front, then Leah with her children, and Rachel and Joseph last of all. 3 He himself went on before them, bowing himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

4 But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. 5 And when Esau raised his eyes and saw the women and children, he said, “Who are these with you?” Jacob said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” 6 Then the maids drew near, they and their children, and bowed down; 7 Leah likewise and her children drew near and bowed down; and last Joseph and Rachel drew near, and they bowed down. 8 Esau said, “What do you mean by all this company which I met?” Jacob answered, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.” 9 But Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself.” 10 Jacob said, “No, I pray you, if I have found favor in your sight, then accept my present from my hand; for truly to see your face is like seeing the face of God, with such favor have you received me. 11 Accept, I pray you, my gift that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.” Thus he urged him, and he took it.

12 Then Esau said, “Let us journey on our way, and I will go before you.” 13 But Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are frail, and that the flocks and herds giving suck are a care to me; and if they are overdriven for one day, all the flocks will die. 14 Let my lord pass on before his servant, and I will lead on slowly, according to the pace of the cattle which are before me and according to the pace of the children, until I come to my lord in Seir.”

15 So Esau said, “Let me leave with you some of the men who are with me.” But he said, “What need is there? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.” 16 So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. 17 But Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built himself a house, and made booths for his cattle; therefore the name of the place is called Succoth. (Genesis 33:1-17)

More that twenty years had passed from the time Jacob had fled from Seir to near the Euphrates river before the above encounter happened. When the two brothers encounter each other for the first time in over twenty years, Jacob was overwhelmed by the expression of love Esau showed towards him (Gen. 33:4). He compared seeing the face of Esau with seeing the face of God (Gen 33:10). Still, Jacob declined Esau's offer to accompany him or have any of his men do so. Jacob was not yet trusting of his brother or any of his men. Esau may have forgotten about his desire to kill his brother, but Jacob hadn't. Rather than travel to his brother's abode he went in another direction and went to Succoth instead of Seir (Gen. 33:14-17).

What reconciliation that had occurred between Jacob and Esau was not complete. Jacob obviously wasn't prepared to completely trust his brother. He needed to restore his relationship with Esau, so that he could live in the land that God had promised him without the fear that drove him to a far off place, but clearly something within prevented him from enjoining his brother, so that they could live together. The extent of the reconciliation between the two was restricted to a reunion and a peace offering made by Jacob, who gave some of his livestock to Esau.

In respect to God and humans being reconciled, there are two aspects to this. One is the need for God to make reconciliation possible. The other is what is required of the human. Unfortunately, people talk about humans having to make atonement, when it is God who had to make this possible. 

The tribes of Israel were given numerous ceremonial rites to perform. Some of these were peace offerings, which a form of extending a hand of friendship. We saw this with Jacob when he sent advance parties each with droves of goats or sheep or cattle or camels as peace offerings ahead of himself  and his immediate family (Gen. 32:13-21).

God had chosen Israel to be a nation to be a light to the world. More than this, God required that they lived in accordance to His ways. In the event that any fell short of His requirements, the ceremonial rites would enable them to find ways to practice justice, mercy, faith, righteousness and experience peace among themselves within the lovingkindness and favor of the Lord God Almighty. 

These rites were required because of the tendency for humans to give into selfish desires and shaft their neighbor. In doing this they would also alienate themselves from God. Not that the rites and their accompanying sacrifices and rituals possessed inherent efficacy of any sort, but that the instruction concerning the reasons for performing them provided knowledge of reconciliation being possible through the righteousness that brings justice, mercy, goodwill, faith, and peace, rather than the adversarial hostilities that are accompanied by hatred, anger, anxieties, sullenness, despondency and depression. 

Unlike other nations and the people who formed them, Israel had standing with God. When any member of the nation violated this standing in some form, they had the means by which this could be restored through acts of reconciliating that essentially required an acceptable sacrificial offering provided for within the ceremonial law. The Bible being written by Israelites (apart from the Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts) reflects this understanding. 

Esau was going to kill Jacob. Jacob produced the peace offering fearing that he might be killed. In earlier days Esau had sold his birthright to Jacob for some vittles (Genesis 25:32-33). Then Jacob later tricked his father Isaac into giving the blessing that was meant for Esau. Consequently, Esau had it in his heart to murder his brother. Their mother got wind of this and warned Jacob to flee to her uncle's residence in Haran (Genesis 27:1-45), east of Euphrates, in what is present-day Turkey.

Jacob was the one who committed the offence. He was the one who needed to make amends with his brother. As far as Esau was concerned, Jacob had disappeared and he received what was his inheritance after his father's death. Twenty-one years later when Jacob appears on the scene, Esau has his own wealth and army to protect it. He is not afraid Jacob is going to steal anything. Besides his brother has also gotten wealthy and has a family. In this example, time has been the healer and circumstances have been the healer of Esau's heart. The brother's reconcile but not to the extent that Jacob trusts Esau.

God permitted every human being to be born after Adam and Eve sinned, and he placed a spirit within each child at birth. Because of this, God is our Heavenly Father, but not in the sense that He is the Father of the Son of God. Adam is also called the son of God (Luke 3:38), even though he is a created being and not procreated or forthcoming from  God the Father.

However, what needs to be noted when Adam and Eve sinned is there is no attempt by him to reconcile with God. Instead, when God confronts him, Adam immediately blames the woman for eating the forbidden fruit and giving him some. Then before Adam and Eve are expelled from the Garden of Eden, God had clothed them (Genesis 3:8-24).

Therefore as sin came into the world through one man and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all men sinned— 13 sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come (Romans 5:12-14).

The Apostle Paul informs us that sin came into the world through Adam, who was a type of the one to come, the Son of God.  He makes a very poignant statement when saying "sin is not counted where there is no law". 

When talking about sin, we need to understand that this is a violation of a faithful relationship. These violations can have serious consequences if they are not remedied.

When the Ten Commandments were written by the Finger of God on stone tablets at Mount Sinai, from that time sin was defined. People violated relationships with other humans when it come murder, adultery, stealing, bearing false witness, dishonoring parents, and with God by disregarding any of these, but specifically the first five, which all have a reference to God. Of course, when it comes to coveting this is a heart condition of the inner person and cannot be seen by other people. However, God can see the covetous heart and this is the same as idolatry (Colossians 3:5), which is putting something or someone else before Him as more worthy of one's devotion.

Adam violated his relationship with his Heavenly Father by not refusing to eat the forbidden fruit given to him by Eve. How was this violation remedied? There is no record of Adam seeking reconciliation. Instead, we see the Lord God clothing the Man, expelling them out of the Garden of Eden but not from His presence, as indicated from what we read about Cain leaving the presence of the Lord (Genesis 4:16). Evidently, the infringement by the Man was no severe enough to warrant exclusion from the presence of God; this is possibly due to mitigating circumstances.  With Cain it was different.

Cain knew what he was doing when he killed Abel. His action was premeditated. Murder is a premeditated matter. Cain even had a conversation with the Lord God about where he stood in relation to his heart's condition. Even though he had not yet sinned, he was thinking about murdering his brother.  The Apostle Paul says all have sinned, but there is no record of Abel having done so. Sin is the violation of a relationship. 

The difference between the sin of Adam and his son Cain is significant. Adam ate the forbidden fruit on the spur of the moment. This was not a premeditated action. Eve, on the other hand, preformed a premeditated act, but only because she was deceived by the Devil. There was no conversation with Lord God in Eve's case. Adam and Eve were reconciled to God because He forgave them, knowing the circumstances were such that mercy was warranted rather than judgment. However, they were expelled from the Garden of Eden lest they ate the tree of life. The consequence was that they would eventually one day die physically.

Since no one has asked to be born the onus for reconciliation with Adam's posterity is God's responsibility. This what the Apostle Paul says:

But God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we are now justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 Not only so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received our reconciliation. (Romans 5:7-11)

God has remedied the alienation that has occurred between us and Himself by reconciling us through the death and resurrection of Lord Jesus Christ. However, a historical event is not something that can have relevance to anybody who is not present to witness it. This is why read:

All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18-19).

The plan and purpose of God is to reconcile everyone to Himself rather than have anyone become angry about being born only to suffer and die. The Bible informs us of God's plan to bring about the salvation of everyone, but those who reject the call to be reconciled to our Heavenly Father. 

Adam and Eve sinned but they were not alienated from God. Cain sinned. Surprisingly he did not seek reconciliation with God but chose to alienate himself and left the presence of God. The Devil did the same. Jesus said that He saw him fall from Heaven (Luke 10:18). 

We can choose to distance ourselves from God or we can draw near to Him through the reconciliation that has been made available through Lord Jesus Christ. Although, there comes a time when irreconcilable sin can occur. We may know there are irreconcilable differences when it comes divorce and breakups of partnerships. While we can forgive someone 4900 times (seventy times seventy) as Jesus said we ought to do (Matthew 18:21-22), there still exists an unforgivable sin that can occur. Jesus said that this was blasphemy of the Holy Spirit (Mathew 12:31). Many believe this is speak evil of those who are doing good, or against the work of the Spirit of God. 

Going from what happened to Sapphira and her husband, lying to the Holy Spirit is cause for death, which could mean the unforgivable sin. 

A man named Ananias with his wife Sapphira sold a piece of property, 2 and with his wife’s knowledge he kept back some of the proceeds, and brought only a part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the proceeds of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? How is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” 5 When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and died. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. 6 The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him.

7 After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 And Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.” And she said, “Yes, for so much.” 9 But Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Hark, the feet of those that have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” 10 Immediately she fell down at his feet and died. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. (Acts 5:1-10)

The writer of Hebrews informs us:

It is impossible to restore again to repentance those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 if they then commit apostasy, since they crucify the Son of God on their own account and hold him up to contempt. (Hebrews 6:4-6)

Apostasy, blasphemy and lying to the Holy Spirit appear to be similar in that the end result is rejection of reconciliation. This is the result of hardening the heart until it can no longer hear the voice of God. In other words, the conscience has been seared so much that, like scar tissue, it cannot heal or be rejuvenated and has lost its elasticity. There is no response to the call to reconciliation, just like old wine skins, the individual has become dried out, hardened, cracked and become impervious to the Spirit of God. 

Ananias and Sapphira promising to give the entire proceeds from the sale of their property to the people of God, but then reneging on their promise to share all things in common, amounted to lying against the Holy Spirit. The Apostles Creed, which is the only creed that truly agrees with Scripture, without interpretation or additional commentary, states: 

I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic [i.e. universal] Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.  Amen. 

The Holy Spirit is equated with the church universal and the communion of the saints through the forgiveness of sins. For if we walk in the light of God we have communion (i.e. fellowship) with one another and the blood of Jesus cleanses us from our sins (1 John 1:7). However, if we say we know God but walk in darkness, we lie and do not live according to the truth (1 John 1:6). 

This is what happened to Ananias and Sapphira. They publicly made out they were walking with God and were committed to walking in the light, except they had ulterior motives and this where they lied. Fabricating falsehoods and attempting to deceive the people of God is equivalent to lying to the Holy Spirit, because the Spirit of God indwells the Church universal and the saints who are part of it. 

Genuine Christians have repented from their wicked ways and are saints. They are no longer sinners, even if they are sinners who have been saved by grace through faith. Anyone who claims to have an deceptive and evil heart hasn't been truly reconciled to God. They may be in the process of reconciliation, but not completely reconciled. God expects his people to be holy as He is Holy (1 Peter 1:16). This, of course, is only possible if a new heart has been given:

Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Unfortunately, there are going to those who will claim to have served God in numerous ways, even to have performed mighty works and prophesied in the name of Jesus, who have not been fully reconciled, for they are still workers of iniquity (Matthew 7:21-23). 

Not all have been reconciled. Not all are desiring to be reconciled. Those who are fully reconciled, have become saints, because they are a new creation.

Unless otherwise indicated all Scripture quoted is from Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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