Reconciliation

17. February 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Today, Jesus deals with reconciliation.   This is a prominent theme throughout the gospels yet so difficult for us to practice on a daily basis. 

Here is the text:

Matthew 18: 15 ”If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. 16 But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector. 18 ”I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 19 ”Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”

The text opens up with the offense being done towards you.  Jesus says if your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault.  There is a major point that I want to address.  The text says if your brother.  This text is dealing with reconciliation between two Christians.   As Christians, we are all supposed to follow the same guidelines which we find in God’s word. 

Another key point that I want to acknowledge is that according to the text you are not suppose to wait until that person comes to you but you are to go to them.  A lot of times we take the attitude that I wasn’t the one that did something wrong so they need to come and apologize to me.  Jesus says If your brother has sinned against you then you are to go and show him his fault just between the two of you.   The first step is to try and discuss and resolve the issue among yourselves.  If he listens to you then you have won him over.   If that person refuses to reconcile then Jesus goes on to say then you are to take one or two others along so that you will have witnesses.  Sometimes an issue can be so difficult that you need an outside non-biased party to help you resolve the issue.  

Jesus is quoting Deuteronomy 19 where it says that every matter must be established by two or three witnesses.   This is very difficult for us to do.  Most of us will never involve other Christians in our conflicts for resolution’s sake.  It is funny how we will gossip to other people about the situation and about the wrong but we want talk to them about helping us resolve the matter and repair and restore the relationship.

This may be a forgotten theme, but we are one body and the body is designed to stay connected and not divided.

The last resort is to take it to the church.   WOW!!!!!!!  Who is really going to take it that far?  When is the last time you heard about someone bringing an issue before the church to help resolve it.  WOW!!!!!!!!  Seems like such a foreign concept but it is biblical.   If we cannot resolve the issue amongst ourselves and with other people helping then we are to take it to the leaders of the church for counseling and reconciliation efforts. 

Jesus says if that person still does not want to forgive and reconcile then you do not have to put anymore effort into the matter.  Jesus says that are to be treated as a pagan or a tax collector.    A person that refuses to submit to the word of God and obey after several attempts of counseling should be left alone.    You do not have to constantly be in somebody’s face begging them to “get right” if they refuse the help.  

It is in this context that Jesus says that “whatsoever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven and whatsoever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven and if we touch and agree on earth as anything you ask for it will be done for you by my father who is in heaven.  

Please let me address this.   This is not a “get whatever I want” from God formula.   The bible works as a whole and must be interpreted as a whole and not in isolation of other texts.   The bible clearly says that what we must ask must be the will of God.  The issue then becomes how do we know what the will of God is; That my friends come from a life of study and prayer.

We’ll continue our study on tomorrow and we’ll talk about the “binding and loosing” issue.     Let’s work on reconciliation, restoring and healing relationships.  It is the will of God that we be united. 

Stay encouraged!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

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