Reconciliation Is Victory

Wouldn’t you just love to be in an argument and there were no losers? What if I told you there was a way that every disagreement could be resolved without us vs them or me vs you? There is a way, and it is blessed by God.

Brethren, Christ died for all, that those who live might live no longer for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once regarded Christ from a human point of view, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. So we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

2^nd Corinthians 5.15-21

We normally think of reconciliation as agreeing to disagree ‘so that’ we can move forward with a relationship or a business deal. Today’s lesson from Saint Paul changes our perspective when he writes, “Christ reconciled us to himself.” Clearly this is more than just winning an argument.

For Christians, reconciliation is about unity with God. It is the goal of our daily existence. We cannot be saved, we cannot experience theosis, we cannot love God without first being reconciled to Him. This should teach us something about our human relationships.

Over the many years of couples coming to me for advice, I have figured out that when we disagree, we struggle for victory. The problem with victory is it leaves defeat in its path. Reconciliation is about unity in love, or at least in respect. Reconciliation leaves no defeat.

The key isn’t giving up our rights. The key is for us to stop thinking in human terms. As Saint Paul writes, “We regard no one from a human point of view.” When we see other human beings from God’s point of view, they are each deserving of reconciliation instead of defeat.

The only defeat in reconciliation is the devil and that’s ok with me. The devil wins when there is division. When we fight for victory, the result is always division into winners and losers. Whether it is global politics, the office at work, or at home with our family, victory loses every time.

Summer is coming to an end, and soon the Church will change seasons. The New Church year on September 1^st will be a chance for us to take Saint Paul’s advice and leave the old life behind. This is our chance to Live A New Life In Christ.

Of course, we don’t know if we will ‘see’ September 1^st, so don’t wait. Begin today to change the parameters of your relationships. Stop regarding your human relationships from a human point of view. Start looking at them from God’s point of view. You will win every time.