07/03/18 - Romans 14

July 3, 2018

Make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Romans 14:19

Do what reduces the gap between each other and God.

Reconciliation.  It’s a big theological word, and one that is brought up throughout Scripture as the primary result God is looking for in relationships.  Reconciliation means: to close the gap.  It is bringing together two objects or people that are separated by something.  When you reconcile the books of a business, you are closing the gap of difference between what is recorded and what is actually in your accounts.  When you reconcile a relationship, you are closing the gap of anger or difference between two people.  And when you reconcile with God, you are closing the gap between a Holy God and an unholy people.  Ever since the sin of Adam & Eve in Eden, God has been about the business of reconciling mankind back to Himself, and Jesus was the sacrifice that permitted it to happen.

So now that God has given us the ability to close the gap between Himself and us, how can we continue to be fine with the gaps in our relationships with others?

You probably have some gaps, just like all of us.  Maybe it is a gap with a parent, or a child, or a sibling, or a past friend, or even your boss, spouse or neighbor.  Some have gaps with groups of people, and surprisingly enough, many have a gap in the relationship between their own heart & soul.  Paul tells the Romans to not be satisfied with ANY gap, but just like Jesus came to end the gap between God and men, we are to do whatever it takes to end the gap between ourselves and others.

Paul instructs us to do that in two ways:

1)      Bring peace to the person – that doesn’t mean cover over a gap, it means to figure out how to close the gap through a peace-making spirit.  Many try to simply be peace-keepers, Paul calls us to be peace-bearers, and peace-makers.

2)      Edify the person – Edification means to build someone up (instead of tearing them down).  Encourage the person, honor their good qualities, raise their spirits.  Find ways to be a positive deposit in their spiritual bank account.  That doesn’t mean flattery, it means giving grace.

Just as reconciling the gap between God and man takes both parties to accomplish, so it will be with the gaps in your relationships.  You are only responsible for your part in closing the gap.  The other person must decide what they want to do in the matter as well.  But as far as we are concerned, make every effort to close the gap on our end.  We will not only sleep better at night, we might just open the door for some gap-closing conversations, rebuilding relationships in our families, and even creating the potential for a gap-closing between them and God.

So whomever is on the other side of the gap from you today, make the effort to close it by one step.