This week we begin worship with:
In him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
Peace is not the fallen world’s natural state. Peace must be made. Peace is not the lack of war. It is a state of harmonious exchange. For example, North and South Korea are not fighting, but they are also not at peace.
To return to peace one must reconcile (apokatallassō). The word has as its root the idea of exchange (katallassō). That exchange must be of equivalent value, such as changing currency at the border, or the exchange of goods. But to that idea is added separation (apo). To reconcile, what must be mutually exchanged, is what separates.
In our verse today, our peacemaker exchanges his righteousness for our sin, and thus removing what divides us.
No comments:
Post a Comment