Reconciliation in Paul’s Theology and Churches in Thai Society.
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Abstract
During this decade Thai society has experienced quite a number of various conflicts. These conflicts could be resolved via reconciliation in Paul’s theology through
Thai Churches, who have to initiate reconciliation in
the society. Reconciliation in Paul’s theology was influenced by Greek and Jewish cultures including Christ’s ministries in the Four Gospels. Reconciliation in Paul’s Theology can be summarized as follows: 1) God is the one who initiated reconciliation to humans, who have betrayed Him by means of Christ, His only Son being crucified to atone for humans’ sins and redeemed us to be reconciled with God. (Rom. 5:10). Reconciliation by means of atonement was derived from Greek and Jewish cultures. However, for the atoner Paul derived the ideology from Jewish culture that the right-side initiates reconciliation. 2) Reconciliation is based on God’s righteousness. 3) Reconciliation is both vertical - God reconciles with humans, and horizontal - humans reconcile with humans. (Eph. 2:5-22) 4) Horizontal reconciliation includes humans reconciling with nature. (Col. 1:19-20) 5) humans who have been reconciled with God should cooperate with Him in initiating reconciliation both vertically and horizontally. (2 Cor. 5:17-21) The following are suggestions for applying reconciliation in Paul’s theology: 1) Churches in Thai society should set a model as an initiator for reconciliation. 2) Thai churches, who have been reconciled by God should reveal the fruits of reconciled lives by living with others in the society with peace and love. 3) Thai churches should not only reconcile vertically - receiving salvation from God or bringing others for salvation but also horizontally - respecting others in the society no matter how different our social statuses are. 4) Thai churches should reconcile with nature so that we can live with it joyfully and peacefully like the Garden of Eden; also to set a model of the new system or God’s Kingdom to come on the Last Days. 5) Thai churches should cooperate with God in the ministry of reconciliation devotedly and wholeheartedly until the Second Coming.
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