Understanding Reconciliation
Reconciliation is restoring back to the original state. Before Adam fell, he had
fellowship with God, and worked along side with Him. Reconciliation is the process
by which God and people are brought together again. The Bible teaches that they
are alienated from one another because of God’s holiness and human sinfulness.
Although God loves the sinner (Romans 5:8) “God commends His love toward us, in
that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us”. Still it is impossible for Him not to
judge sin (Hebrews 10:27). Therefore in biblical reconciliation both parties are
affected. Through the sacrifice of Christ, people’s sins are atoned for and God’s
wrath is appeased. Thus a relationship of hostility and alienation is changed into
one of peace and fellowship.
The initiative in reconciliation was taken by God, while we were still sinners and
“enemies” Christ died for us (Romans 5:10) “for if, 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”. The vicarious atonement is the key to understanding
reconciliation as scripturally conceived and taught. Christ “became sin for us”, He
assumed the full obligations of the law, perfectly fulfilling it and fully bearing the guilt
and punishment. Sins and guilt were laid on Him; His righteousness attained under
the law was imputed to sinful humanity (II Corinthians 5:17-21). The human
predicament, simply and precisely, was the human inability to change and rectify in
any way the broken, hostile relationship existing between humanity and God. Christ
was the bridge. To carry our His substitutionary mission was the purpose of His
incarnation. His sacrificial suffering and death, sealed by His triumphant
resurrection, achieved mankind’s redemption (Romans 4:25) “who was delivered for
our offences, and was raised again, for our justification”.
Reconciliation is thus God’s own completed act, something that takes place before
human actions. God Himself “has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ”.
John 3:16 says it so good “for God so loved the world, that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him, should not perish, but have
everlasting life”. Our part is believing in Him. It is a free gift. Since reconciliation is
God’s completed act, let us receive it and understand that this means, we can walk
and talk with God and Adam did before the fall.
The gospel, therefore, is the message that informs the sinner of God’s reconciliation
through Christ and powerfully persuades the sinner to accept this truth in faith.
Jesus said “your faith has made you whole”. (whole means, complete, nothing
missing, nothing broken). As apostle Paul puts it: “for God was in Christ, reconciling
the world to Himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. This is the
wonderful message He has given us to tell others. We as Christ’s ambassadors, are
used by God to speak to others to “be reconciled to God!”.
Because God has reconciled us, making us whole; let us rap our minds around that
and stand for what He has provided for us. Let us review, (1) Christ’s
substitutionary death begins the reconciliation of God with sinners. (2) Sinners
appropriate this free gift by faith. (3) Believers receive the promised forgiveness
and salvation by grace. (4) Full reconciliation with God occurs. The initiative in
reconciliation, moreover, is all on God’s side; through His Word, the gospel, God
reveals to sinners that he is fully reconciled with them because of Christ. Since God
has fully reconciled us, let us take the stops off Him, by thinking we only have the
future life in heaven, and start enjoying life here now. We can now fellowship with
God, right now. Fellowship is a study done prior and should be researched, to
understand the way to walk in it.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: January 5, 2007