‘R’ Words: Redemption, Restoration, Reconciliation and Relationship

Redemption in literature is classic. Who doesn’t love a heart warming redemptive story? We are drawn to stories that take us from bitter brokenness to vibrant renewal. What novel, or movie comes to mind when you think of redemption? For this theme I think of Victor Hugo’s classic, yet depressingly-dark tale, Les Miserables. There’s The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis which has lots of adventure along with a redemptive climax. Another well known classic journey of redemptive analogy is of course, Pilgram’s Progress by John Bunyan. These stories along with multitudes of others take us to the heart of the human experience. Inspiring rags to riches stories continue to draw our attention. We crave happy endings, even more so if the obstacles along the way have been insurmountable. Observing the determined human spirit overcoming unfavorable, even impossible circumstances has a way of granting hope, however fleeting. The greatest and deepest desire of mankind is that of redemption whether or not it is individually acknowledged.

What is redemption? Simply put, it is the recovery of ownership by paying a price. Redemption is the most crucial theme of the Bible. Once all of creation became corrupted by man’s rebellion God’s plan for His greatest act of love and redemption was set in motion. Unlike the progressive journey of all the other redemptive literature ever written God’s plan does not depend even one iota on the determined spirit of mankind to rescue themselves. God’s provision for our redemption does not require that we pay the price. The price for our redemption is 100 percent paid for by the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s precious son. God’s work of redemption is instant and durable, there is no journey of progression to obtain or determination of self will to retain God’s redemption.

Redemption and restoration are closely interconnected, but not exactly the same. True redemption is dependent solely on God’s provision. Our predicament of willful separation from God has only one solution. We cannot recover good standing with God in spite of our deepest desire or our most sincere effort to do so. God’s plan for our redemption cost Him the precious life of His beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Having bought and paid in full the debt for our liberty we now have the opportunity to be restored into relationship with our Creator. Redemption is a one time act of God. Restoration is the ongoing process that brings us into a cherished, personal, ongoing relationship with our Redeemer.

For many years my husband worked as a painting contractor. He often worked in the restoration of decades old homes that had lost their functionality, charm and beauty. Customers who appreciated the charm of these old houses would purchase their “dream home” fully intending to renovate and modernize the home into a condition even better than the original. These projects were tedious and labor intensive. Several contractors would ply their expertise in the process, plumbers, roofers, electricians, painters and more. However, all of these crews were preceded by the demolition workers who tore out the outdated, useless, ugly, even dangerous elements of the old house. In my husband’s work he would often tear out old stained wall paper and/or scrape and sand off the ugly cracked and peeling paint from years gone by. What would be the point of slapping a coat of paint on top of the decay? It might make the house look okay for a while but the newness would be an illusion, the decay would quickly become evident.

That being an imperfect comparison of God’s work in our lives we can more easily see the process. First of all He redeems us, in a sense buys back ownership of our life with the life of His Son. Within that act of love we become His possession, His sons and daughters. This begins the process of restoring the coveted relationship between the Creator and His creation. Relationship with Him, the restoration of the intimate fellowship that is not only possible between God and man, it is the ultimate prize. This relationship is attainable primarily through God’s work of redemption which leads us to not only cooperate in the work of restoration but to deeply desire it.

Just as an expertly, beautifully restored old home becomes a desirable, comfortable and useful place to live, we then may enjoy a desirable, comfortable and useful relationship with God. The renovated home becomes a testament to the expertise of many skilled laborers. God’s personal work in our individual lives becomes a testimony of His love.

The last ‘R’ word in this list came to me as an after thought, but not really. I have thought about the concept of reconciliation a great deal over the last 5 years or so. Similar to restoration, even quite interchangeable, the word speaks of renewal. (Another ‘R’ word, LOL!) Reconciliation is the English word used in the following passage of Colossians 1; 21, “And you who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled.” This relational concept had become very personal to me during an especially difficult time in our marriage.

It came to the point that I felt that the only way we were going to make it was to require a time of separation. I left my husband with the clear motive and desire of bringing about reconciliation. It was so hard to convince him that I still loved him and wanted to be with him. It took several months but he did finally concede to seek help for his addiction, a year and a half later we actually were able to reconcile. I won’t go into anything specific at this time but I really saw the Lord’s hand in teaching us the truth about how sin separates. It separates us from God and it separates us from one another. True love isn’t a cozy touchy-feely kind of emotion. “God demonstrated His love own towards us, in that while we were still sinners, [separated from God] Christ died for us.” Nothing easy or touchy-feely about that. God is truly in the business of redemption, restoration, reconciliation and relationship.

II Corinthians 5:17 -19 makes it clear, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things are passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.”