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 JUDGMENT─ A PART OF RECONCILIATION

"And having made peace by 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. And you, that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight: if ye continue in the faith grounded and settled." [Colossians 1:20-23].
          The Greek word for "reconcile" is "apokatallatto" meaning: TO CHANGE THOROUGHLY FROM. Apo―from; kata― thoroughly; allatto, allasso― change.
          One cannot bring about a permanent unity between two estranged parties without thoroughly removing the cause of the estrangement, and changing that person so that he will not respond to such a condition again. Without this THOROUGH CHANGE, sooner or later that buried difficulty will surface again and have to be dealt with. Thus in this blessed inworking of reconciliation, we find that HE IS changing us, it will be thorough and complete, so that we might be fully united to Him again, glorious ONENESS in His fulness.
          It soon becomes clear that in making this THOROUGH CHANGE, His judgments are a vital part of the inworking.  They are used to strip, purge out, bring to nought, till all self-will and rebellion have been dealt with, and we are ready  to receive Him as Saviour, Lord, and King.
          As God proceeds with this glorious ministry of reconciliation between Himself and creation, so totally will mankind be changed, that never again will man surrender himself to temptation to a defilement, or to anything that will corrupt. Man will be brought to a place where he cannot
sin, for his whole nature will become that of his Father, "'partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." [2 Peter 1:4]. A permanent union with Him.
          "And YOU, that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works...." Alienated, from the Greek "apallotrioo," to estrange from. Young's Concordance points out that the word literally means, "to give to others." When you give your mind, your allegiance, to something other than God, you are estranged from Him. Also, the margin reads, "BY YOUR MIND IN YOUR WICKED WORKS." The more our mind is entangled in these wicked works, the farther we are removed from the mind of Christ. And that is why we need to be "transformed by the renewing of our mind," [Romans 12:2], for when we have anew mind, the MIND OF CHRIST, it will no more be given over to the flesh.
          "God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." [Genesis 6:5].
          In the final analysis it will be found that, all sin originates in the mind. Whether it is ever carried out by an act, or not, it springs from the imagination and thoughts from within, and therefore must be dealt with. "For to be carnally minded (to mind the flesh) is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." [Romans 8:6].
          When God saw that the whole imagination, with the purposes and desires of the heart, was only evil continually, it became necessary for some CORRECTIVE ACTION, it was "judgment time." So God brought a halt to man's wayward course of self-destruction by sending a flood. This did not bring about a thorough change, it was merely a restraining action for a time. God has a purpose for the ages, and an appointed time for total restoration of all things. And He also has plenty of intermediate action to restrain things when necessary. There have been many "JUDGMENTS" along the way which have been used to put a bend in man's pathway, lest he stray ever farther and farther from his God.
          In due time, flood forgotten, previous judgments fading from memory, we read again, "And this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do." [Genesis 11:6].The mind of man was feverishly at work again, to build for self, to make a name for self, and totally ignoring his Creator. And so again God brought CORRECTIVE ACTION, as a restraining measure, confounded their speech, and scattered them abroad.
          Paul speaks of this desperate condition of waywardness from God, as "Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart;" [Ephesians 4:18].
          So there is a need of repentance. Again we note that the Greek word for "repentance" literally means: A CHANGE OF MIND, which includes "repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." [Acts 20:21].
          The most vital area wherein we need repentance, a change of mind, is TOWARD GOD: in our thoughts, in our feelings, in our concept of God! Everything we have known about Him, when it comes out of the carnal mind, is a distortion and a caricature of the truth. How we need to KNOW HIM AS HE IS! Not as He has been portrayed to be, by all the perverted theology of natural man, who has imputed to Him all the base emotions of the flesh, of anger, of wrath, etc. We definitely need a change of mind towards God, and a revelation of Him for who He really is, in His love, mercy, compassion, and righteous judgments─ love-motivated corrections unto righteousness.
          When there is an estrangement, there needs to be a thorough change to bring about union and harmony again.  But there is no need for change in God. "For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed." [Malachi 3:6]. Had HIS nature of love changed, and had He become the tyrannical despot that men have conjured up in their minds that He is, then with awesome wrath He could have utterly consumed the sons of Jacob. But He remains unchanged, ever-loving, filled with compassion, and with tremendous long suffering enduring His wayward creation, knowing that in due time HIS LOVE will draw all men back to Himself again. There will be action, there will be strong corrective measures, but every action springs from His love nature.
          "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever." [Hebrews 13:8]. Herein lies the hope for our change─ because He does not change, He abideth faithful, He cannot deny Himself, and will bring us back into oneness with His realm of holiness.
          We were reconciled to God by the death of His Son. God is ALREADY reconciled to us. But to make that reconciliation experiential, we have to become reconciled to God by becoming CONFORMED TO HIS DEATH. "He did, by the grace of God, taste death for every man." [Hebrews 2:9]. He did not experience this as a substitute for us, but on our behalf. HE BLAZED THE TRAIL THROUGH THE WHOLE DEATH PROCESS, not to absolve us from dying out to sin, but to enable us, as we follow in His steps, to go through the death process, and then come forth into the resurrection of His new life.
          Two men might be completely at odds with each other. One of them might later be so dealt with, so cleansed of all animosity, so filled with love, that he has only thoughts of good will for his once enemy. But that does not mean they are immediately reconciled to each other. There are no fences on the one part, he stands ready to receive into fellowship again with himself, but not until the other man also dies out to the enmity he felt, and all his fences also are removed, and he also is filled with love, can the two come together in true unity. There has to be a working on both sides.
          Christ revealed all that was in the Father's heart towards us, it is pure love and forgiveness. While the Father had nothing to die out to, in a sense, because HE IS HOLY, PURE, ALL RIGHTEOUS─ yet in another sense we do read that His wrath was kindled against us because of our disobedience, etc. and so.... "for a small moment have I forsaken thee....in a little wrath I hid My face from thee…," but with the death of Christ that has all been dealt with, and HE IS RECONCILED TO MAN. However, it remains that man must be reconciled to God, and therefore must be dealt with, however severely, until man dies out to all the self-will and rebellion which caused the estrangement. Then there can be a return unto Him, and we will love Him, because He first loved us."
          Paul spoke much of the greatness of God's love for His creation, and the very sovereignty of His grace in our reconciliation unto Himself, and all of it taking place while we were "enemies." It was while we were yet sinners, that Christ died for us." [Romans 5:8]. None of the action of reconciliation began on our part, in fact, man wanted nothing to do with it─ he would go his own way, do his own thing. But GOD SO LOVED that He initiated the action for a total reconciliation of the whole world. He exercised His love to us-ward, and all that He did was FOR US. He gave Himself for us, even though we weren't ready to receive Him. Indeed, "He came unto His own, and His own received Him not." [John 1:11]. But full well He knows that LOVE NEVER FAILETH," and in due time the resistance and barrier in us is broken down. How? By the application of the cross, by the inworking of His judgments, so that we die out to everything that caused enmity in our heart toward God.
          The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee." [Jeremiah 31:3].
          His love to us has never changed─ it is an everlasting love. All the change has been on man's part. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way." [Isaiah 53:6]. The wall of enmity was on our part, never on His. We can always call upon Him, and find Him.
          In-spite of what our natural mind tells us concerning good and evil, God's purpose to reconcile the world unto Himself is going right on schedule.
          It is GOD, not the devil, that is ending this age and bringing us into the new age of His kingdom. It is GOD, not the devil, bringing judgments to this present evil age, to put a bend in our road, turning us to the hour of the manifestation of His kingdom in the earth. Full well He knows that when His "judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness." [Isaiah 26:9]. The devil does not institute judgments─ judgments are CORRECTION UNTO RIGHTNESS, and the adversary of our soul does not want us to turn to righteousness. "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy." [John 10:10]. Yet, while His processings include these very necessary judgments, He says, "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."
          God is not in mortal combat with the devil. He has not lowered Himself to the role of eternal Janitor for the devil, to clean up his messes. God does not plan a perpetual repair program to handle all the human wreckage left in the wake of destruction. This has never been in the mind, plan, or purpose of God. Always HE has been in control of all events in His creation. Therefore we read, "Surely the wrath of man shall praise Thee: the remainder of wrath shalt Thou restrain." [Psalm 76:10]. Whatever God does not purpose to ultimately use, and work into good, He simply restrains it from happening. If it has happened, then somewhere, sometime, in His plan for the ages, He will have used it all to further His purpose, work it into good, and cause it to redound to His praise.
          In this outworking we see the JUDGMENTS OF GOD playing a vital role, as betimes along the way He uses His judgments to correct a situation, bring it into alignment with His working, so that at no time do things get out of hand, nor beyond His control. Thank God for His judgments which stand ever ready to fulfill His will, and to correct that which gets out of the way. What a mighty God we serve, and how great are His mercies to us-ward.
          We do not have to glorify the old slop-bucket which is used to carry off the dross. But we can recognize that there is a strong Hand which holds the bucket. "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save." [Isaiah 59:1]. No situation is too heavy, too corrupt, that He cannot handle it, and ultimately bring victory out of chaos. The adversary is  but as a "dog on a leash," and he cannot go any farther in his bedevilment than what our God allows. At all times our God remains in total control.
          God never did purpose a "repair job" just to keep things limping along. He can repair─ whether it be your physical body, your mental state, your wounded spirit─ whatever is broken, hurt, needs help, He can heal it. Full well He knows our frame and needs. He created us, and He can restore us. But He did not plan an "eternal repair job."  He said, "I will do cures today and tomorrow, and THE THIRD DAY I SHALL BE PERFECTED." [Luke 13:32].
          We thank God for the "cures to day and to morrow," grateful for every token of His love and care. But how we yearn for the hour when He initiates the PERFECTIONS. And because His JUDGMENTS are essential to that perfecting process causes us to welcome His judgments. Indeed, "I remembered Thy judgments of old, O Lord; and have comforted myself." [Psalm 119:52]. Just to remember how His judgments in the past worked to correct situations and bring victory, causes us to be comforted, knowing the end result is  for our good.
          "He hath torn, and He will heal us; He hath smitten, and He will bind us up. After two days will He revive us: in the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live in His sight." [Hosea 6:1-2].
          "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly." [Romans 5:6]. Because we were totally unable in ourselves, without strength, subjected to the bondage of corruption, and corruption can do nothing to inherit incorruption, we could not take any returning steps toward God. Therefore we read, "I HAVE LAID HELP UPON ONE THAT IS MIGHTY: He exalted One chosen out of the people." [Psalm 89:19]. Man could not approach God, SO GOD CAME TO MAN. The Almighty laid help upon His Son, sent Him to the rescue, sent Him to redeem us.
          What tremendous love, that He "took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men…. and humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." [Philippians 2:7-8]. All of this was FOR YOU─ you "hath He reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight." [Colossians 1:21-22].
          He died FOR us! "The veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom." [Matthew 27:51]. The temple building was but symbolic of His own body which was rent for us. And from the TOP to the bottom the veil was rent.
          In his building of the Tower of Babel, man would work his way up, "They said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven." [Genesis 11:4]. And God stopped all that nonsense, that whole "do-it-yourself" plan. No man, with all his imagination, is able to start at the bottom and lift himself up to the top.
          God started at the TOP, initiated the action from His throne, and gave ample demonstration of this when the veil was rent from top to bottom, as He blazed the trail all the way─ GOD ALL THE WAY, reaching out to us, to redeem us, so that, "He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world." [1 John 2:2].
          How marvellous, right from the Divine Throne, reaching out to man, to bring us again into fellowship with Himself. From the TOP to the BOTTOM, He bridged the span, How far to the bottom? "If I make my bed in hell,  behold, THOU ART THERE, " [Psalm 139:8]. There is One who waits to receive us at the far end of the line. "Behold, Thou art there!" With grace and love which shall enfold and Restore. True, there will be some purging and cleansing necessary― some JUDGMENTS to correct, but with  carefulness, for "A bruised reed shall He not break, and smoking flax shall He not quench, till He send forth judgment unto victory," [Matthew 12:20]. Yes, until "every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever." [Revelation 5: 13].
          When God reaches out to us "in our hell," He does not come to torment, or to accuse, or to increase our guilt-complex, but to reveal His love, to be our help, our strength, that we might be able to return to our Father. "For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved." [John 3:17].
          Well prayed the Psalmist, "Turn us again, O God, and cause Thy face to shine, and we shal1 be saved," [Psalm 80:3]. We have turned "every man to his own way," but now He can, and SHALL─ "every man in his own order," turn us again to Himself. And when we are turned towards Him, we find that He has never changed, He remains that PURE LIGHT that heals, makes whole, totally sound, Then, as we "walk in the light, as He is in the light," we find that "the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin." [1 John 1:7]. It is an active and continuous inworking until we are SAVED TO THE UTTERMOST!
          "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." [Romans 5:10]. It is obvious that the cross doesn't save, it crucifies. It is HIS LIFE that saves us. Yet the cross is essential for reconciliation, for it is by the cross that "the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world…. [Galatians 6: 14]. There must needs be a total identification with His cross until we die out to everything which causes the estrangement between us and our God. And then we are ready to receive that NEW LIFE, HIS, which brings us into fellowship with our Father.
          "He did by the grace of God taste death for every Man.... [Hebrews 2:9]. This was not to absolve us from dying, but to blaze a trail for us through death, to conquer death, and unlock the door into new life. HE has the KEY of death and hell, and HE is the Mighty One that goes with us through all of the processing, imparting of His strength to us, to ensure that we shall come through in victory. "In all these things we are more than conquerors THROUGH HIM that loved us..... [Romans 8:37].
          "For the love which Christ has for me presses on me from all sides, holding me to one end and prohibiting me from considering any other wrapping itself around me in tenderness, giving me an impelling motive, having brought me to this conclusion, namely, THAT ONE DIED ON BEHALF OF ALL, THEREFORE ALL DIED, and that He also died on behalf of all in order that those who are living no longer are living for themselves but for the One who died on their behalf."[2 Corinthians 5:14-15, Wuest Expanded].
          Jesus Christ did not go through this death of the cross so that we would not have to die─ He did it to ensure the fact that we all would likewise face the cross and die out to all self, in its rebellion and waywardness, and come through the death process into His new life. Man could not face this death in his own strength─ therefore "I have laid help upon One that is mighty" and He goes before us, helping us to "endure the cross" that we might also come into the "joy that is set before us" namely, HIS glorious life.
          Jesus did not go to the cross to pacify the anger of God, HE WENT TO REVEAL THE HEART OF GOD, for, we repeat, GOD WAS IN CHRIST reconciling the world unto Himself." Here was another "Divine Principle" in action, even as Jesus taught, when "thy brother hath ought against thee... go thy way; be reconciled to thy brother." [Matthew 5:23-24]. He had naught against us, but He knew that we had rebelled against Him─ so He initiated the action to bring about our reconciliation again. So great is His love to us-ward. "He hath not dealt with us after our sins nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us." [Psalm 103: 10-12].
          In the removing of transgression there is more than just the forgiveness of our sins, it is essential that the axe is laid unto the root of the tree." [Matthew 3:10]. And that is where HIS JUDGMENTS are involved in our process of reconciliation. Judgments do not save us; they are used to remove our transgressions from us─ to strip away the self-ego which demands its own will and way. And then we are ready, prepared, willing to receive His life, yea, with all our heart and soul we DESIRE and LONG for His life. Truly, "they that hunger and thirst after righteousness shall be filled." [Matthew 5:6].
          Love will forgive, but love will also go on to purge out the cause of sin, and thus ensure a new life that cannot sin. Out of His judgments shall emerge a new creation species which are totally of HIS NATURE, that cannot sin. Praise God, HE is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy." [Jude 24]. When there is nothing in us which responds to evil, for it has all been purged out, then shall He be able to give to us "the ministry of reconciliation," so that, as labourers together with God," we might minister His life to others, until "ALL shall know Me, from the least to the greatest." [Hebrews 8:11]. Praise His name!
 

 
Estranged from God, by sin oppressed.
Sick of all its bitter gall,
How we have groaned beneath the load,
Consequence of Adam's fall.
 
As enemies, and without strength,
We groped in death-land' s shadow,
We could not pay the debt we owed,
Nor yet our ways untangle.
 
Then mindful of our low estate,
Condescending to our need,
Our Christ came forth to reconcile,
Love and mercy to exceed.
 
Then by His cross He made our peace,
Tasting death for every man,
To cancel out the waiting score,
Heav'n to earth, He bridged the span.
 
Judgments in our now becoming
Unified as one in God,
Crucified to all earth's pleasure,
He transforms each yielded clod.
 
Not estranged, but glor'ous union,
Reconciliation ones,
By His life we have salvation,
Grace inworking in His sons.
 
Unto God be praise and glory,
For full well He knows our frame,
And in mercy-tempered judgments,
Unifies us in His name.

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(1)  Prinzing, Ray and Doris. WHISPERS OF HIS JUDGMENTS. (now out of print), Boise, Idaho 83705}

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