Implacable

The Apostle Paul ends the first chapter of Romans in 1:28-32

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

Because those Paul describes "did not like to retain God in their knowledge" and were given over by God to and with "a reprobate mind," they "committed such things" "worthy of death," as a practice.  This is why in the list of "such things," we read adjectives, because it describes a lifestyle, not individual acts.  One in the list in verse 31 is "implacable."  Saved people will not be "implacable."  So what's that?  Who is "implacable"?

BDAG, foremost New Testament lexicon, says the Greek word, aspondos, means:  "of one who is unwilling to negotiate a solution to a problem involving a second party, irreconcilable."  Louw-Nida Lexicon agrees:  "pertaining to being unwilling to be reconciled to others "  John Gill in his commentary writes:  "when once offended there was no reconciling of them."

"Implacable" is an English word I have never used in my vocabulary except when I have read aloud Romans 1:31 and explained the word.  I have used "placate" rarely, but I have heard it more too.  It's a related English word.  Merriam Webster says "placate" means:  "to soothe or mollify especially by concessions."  Someone implacable can't be mollified, will not be placated, has decided to stay resentful, unforgiving, and irreconcilable.  This is unchristian behavior, no matter what the proponent says about himself and his belief in Jesus Christ.  No one, who says he wants to grow as a Christian and is close to Christ, remains implacable.  It relates to a lot of other biblical teaching.

The Lord Jesus preached about "implacability" in His Sermon on the Mount.  He was illustrating a lost condition manifested by irreconcilability.  In Matthew 5:21-26, Jesus says that not reconciling with someone is hateful and as much as being guilty of murdering someone.  The foundational point of this is the second table of the law.  If someone loves God, He loves His neighbor.  Love for God manifests itself in loving the neighbor.  A person is required to attempt reconciliation, even looking for mediation if necessary (cf. Philemon).

Other related truths are forgiveness and then the negative traits that are found in the same verses in Romans 1:  "maliciousness," "despiteful," "without natural affection," and "unmerciful."  If it is children with parents, it is "disobedient to parents."  Other passages list similar traits, such Ephesians 4:31-32:

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

People hang on to bitterness and anger and their implacability is often a form of malice.

When God created man, He created man in His image.  He said, "Let us make man in our image," which shows the relationship within the Godhead -- "let us" and "our image."  The Persons in the Godhead wanted men to be like them.  Jesus brings in this teaching in His prayer in John 17 to the Father.  A fundamental violation of God's purpose of mankind is an unwillingness to reconcile based upon the truth.  It isn't just "getting along," but a surrender to align with God in a relationship with others.

Why does someone remain "implacable," in rebellion against God and His Word?  He loves himself.  He's a lover of his own self (2 Timothy 3:2).  His lust or love for the world supersedes his love for people.  He doesn't want to be hemmed in or pent up or held back from anything that he wants or likes.  He is unthankful.

Implacability should not be allowed in a true church.  It isn't allowed in ours.  People have to reconcile with one another.  It is at the root of Christian behavior, to both get things settled with other people and to want others to get things settled with you.