What Does Reconciliation Mean?

The Day of reconciliation has its roots in the old Afrikaner “day of the vow” (related to the Voortrekkers victory over Dingaan and the Zulus at the Battle of Blood River) and the subsequent use of the December 16^th date by those fighting against oppression under the apartheid government, most notably the ANC’s formation of uMkhonto weSizwe on December 16, 1961. The Day was first celebrated as the Day of Reconciliation in 1995. A time of change in South Africa when great men like Nelson Mandela and others were calling for reconciliation in our land, seeing this as the only course to a better South Africa. But has it happened?

The Bible also talks about the subject of Reconciliation. And the truth is, in this area as in most areas, if we want reconciliation we first need to get the Biblical perspective on the subject.

The word reconciliation according to Websters’s 1828 Dictionary means: “To conciliate anew; to call back into union and friendship the affections which have been alienated; to restore to friendship or favour after estrangement; as, to reconcile men or parties that have been at variance.”

Reconciliation in the Bible deals primarily with our relationship with God. Colossians 1:21 says, “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled”. We have a wickedness problem. Sometimes we call it a sin problem. It is our sin, our wickedness that separates us from God. The Word of God says in Isaiah 59:2 “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.” Because of our sin, we are separated from God, yea according to Romans 5:10 we are enemies, “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” Because of our sin and our wickedness, we NEED to be reconciled to God.

However, we cannot reconcile ourselves to God. There is nothing we can do in ourselves that can settle the offense and make things right. The Bible says that our best efforts are just filthy rags before God, (Isaiah 64:6-7) We need help, we need someone to work on our behalf, to settle our offense and bring us into fellowship with God. And that person must be Jesus Christ.

We saw in Romans 5:10, that we are reconciled to God through the death of Christ. The Bible also says in Ephesians 2:16, “And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:” and also in Colossians 1:20, “And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.” The fact is there is only one way for man to be reconciled to God, and that is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ on Calvary’s cross. That is our only hope!

So as we celebrate the “Day of Reconciliation” as we celebrate the reconciliation that has happened in our Country and consider the need for and try to bring about further reconciliation, I would also say to you as Paul did in II Corinthians 5:20, “We pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.”