RECONCILIATION

RECONCILIATION of man to God is set forth in the New Testament as a completed act on the
part of God.
“You, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He
reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and without blame and without
reproof in His sight.” Colossians 1.21, 22.
There are at least two parties to a reconciliation. Inn the case made necessary by sin, these two are
the great Jehovah, the Maker of heaven and earth, and man, His creature. Both were present and
participated in the reconciliation wrought on Calvary by the death of Christ. In the likeness of sinful flesh,
the Lord Jesus hung upon the cross in man’s stead, as the representative of man, as the second head of the
race. “He died for all!” 2 Corinthians 5:14, 15. “We were reconciled to God by the death of His Son.”
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Romans 5:10. “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself.” 2 Corinthians 5:19. Therefore man
and his Maker, though estranged by sin, met together in Christ, by whose death reconciliation was effected.
God’s part in this transaction was and is complete. Whether men individually accept the reconciliation thus
wrought, is quite another matter. What God has already done on His part is made effective in the individual
when he does his part by accepting the reconciliation accomplished for the whole race by the death of
Christ.
Reconciliation, however, was not first sought by man, it was first sought by God. “They beard the
voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves
from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. And the Lord God called unto Adam, and
said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard Thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I
was naked; and I hid myself. And He said, Who told thee that thou was naked? Has thou eaten of the tree,
whereof I commanded thee that thou should not eat? And the man said, The woman whom Thou gave to be
with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did e at. And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that
thou has done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. And the Lord God said unto
the serpent, Because thou has done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field;
upon thy belly shall thou go, and dust shall thou eat all the days of thy life. And I will put enmity between
thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; -it shall bruise thy head, and thou shall bruise His
heel!’ Genesis 3:8-15.
It is apparent from this scripture that so far from seeking reconciliation, sinful man sought to hide
from the presence of God. The announcement of His plan to save man was made by the Lord to the serpent
in the presence of the first man, and not in response to an appeal from him for reconciliation. Neither in this
scripture, nor elsewhere in the Bible, is there record of man’s coming of himself to God in sorrow for his
sin. There is, in the Scriptures, no story of man, unprompted by the Holy Spirit, coming in repentance and
seeking reconciliation.
On the contrary, the attitude to which man’s disobedience carried him, has always been one of
estrangement from God. Sometimes Christians are led to a mistaken understanding of the work of
reconciliation by the belief that it was God who needed to be reconciled to man. Such a conclusion must
inevitably lead far from the truth as it is revealed in the Bible. A fact of far-reaching importance in this
consideration is that the entrance of sin into the heart of man did not change God. This fact is basic to all
that the plan to save sinners means to men. Were it not for the unchangeableness of God, there would be no
such plan. “I am the Lord, I change not!” Malachi 3:6. God was love when He created man. He is still love,
and in the unchangeableness of that love, He gave His only begotten Son to die for us. All the change that
was brought about by the entrance of sin into man’s heart took plate in man and in that over which man had
been given dominion. This change brought about a separation of man from God which was tragically
complete. This being so, then it must be expected that the reconciliation of man to God, which was effected
by the death of Christ, will once more bring about a great change in this world, including, as it does, the
opening of the way for man’s return to God.
“In the apostasy, man alienated himself from God; earth was cut off from heaven. Across the gulf
that lay between, there could be no communion.” Nowhere does the Bible picture man, unaided by God,
seeking means to cross that gulf and to be reconciled to God. Man, who needed reconciliation, was not the
one who sought it. He revealed no interest in being reconciled. On the contrary, in both Old and New
Testaments God is portrayed as seeking man, and the picture revealed to us in the fourteenth psalm shows
the great earnestness of the Lord in thus seeking us. Upon reading this and other scriptures which refer to it,
we cannot fail to be impressed by the minuteness of the search. Observe the following:
“The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did
understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that
does good, no, not one.” Psalm 142, 3.
Clearly is it shown by this scripture that man of himself was not a seeker after God. Clearly is it
shown, too that man in his fallen, sinful state did not even understand either his own condition of great
need, or God’s unchangeable ‘love for him. God had purposed that he should “reign in life.” In the
unchangeableness of that purpose He planned to save man from sin, and preliminary to that salvation He
sought the reconciliation of man, and purposed it in the death of His Son. Hence it is written: “When we
were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son.” and “being reconciled, we shall be
saved by His life!” Romans 5:10.
But sin had not only estranged man from God, it had made man hostile to God. Observe that it was
while we were enemies that we were reconciled to God, and then take note that it was into this hostile
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world that God sent His Son to reconcile us unto Himself. This was done, not because we loved God, but
because He loved us.
“In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son
into the world, that we might live through Him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us,
and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” 1 John 4:9, 10. So, in due time, it was recorded, “The
Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost!’ Luke 19:10.
Two distinct purposes are here stated: “to seek and to save,” but observe their sequence. The
seeking was precedent to the saving. Thus, too, the act of reconciling the sinner to God by the death of
Christ was wrought in order to bring about the sinner’s salvation, but did not of itself complete that
salvation.
Paul has set forth in clear sequence the order of Christ’s work for us. He also has shown us the
means by which this sequence is preserved. First we were reconciled; next we shall be saved. We were
reconciled by the death of His Son; we shall be saved by His life.
Now, since we were first reconciled, and being reconciled, shall he saved, it is most reasonable to
understand that the means by which these two’ results are accomplished have the same sequence. This is
clearly indicated by the tense of the verbs used in Romans 5:10: “were reconciled” (past tense), “Shall be
saved” (future tense). This being so, the death by which we “‘were reconciled” preceded the life by which
we “shall be saved!’
The conclusion, therefore, is that by Christ’s life of priestly ministry since His resurrection He
obtains salvation for repentant sinners through the blood of the sacrifice. By the life of obedience which He
lived in the flesh, He wrought the righteousness which He now ministers to us as priest in the sanctuary in
heaven. It is as Jesus Christ the Righteous that He is now before the Father as our advocate. 1 John 2:1. But
the apostle Paul emphatically teaches that both the life of obedience which Christ lived in the flesh and His
death on the cross would have been vain but for the risen life which He is now living and His priestly
ministry before the Father in heaven:
“If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain!” “And if Christ be
not raised, your faith is vain; you are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are
perished!” 1 Corinthians 15:14, 17, 18.
The effectiveness of Christ’s life in the flesh and of His death on the cross, is thus stated to be
dependent upon His risen life in heaven. We therefore must conclude that Paul intends us to understand that
the life of Jesus by which we are saved after being reconciled, is His risen life, by which His life of
obedience in the flesh, His righteousness thus wrought in humanity for us, His substitutionary death for us
on the cross of Calvary, and His priestly ministry, are made effective in us.
Plainly a vital distinction is made in the Scriptures between reconciliation and salvation. They are
not contradictory, but are in part synonymous. Reconciliation is the first step in salvation. Salvation is the
sequel to reconciliation. Each is indispensable to the other, and they harmonize perfectly in the carrying out
of God’s great plan for saving sinners.
It is made very clear in the Scriptures that Christ died to save all, and with equal clearness is it also
set forth that not all will be saved. The Scriptures show that reconciliation for all was made by the death of
Christ, in order that they might obtain salvation; but they emphatically declare that notwithstanding
reconciliation has been made for all, not all will be saved. They set forth the fact that all were reconciled
while they were yet enemies to God, and that the fact that they were reconciled did not of itself change their
attitude. They make it very clear however, that this attitude must be changed, for no one can be saved while
still an enemy.
It is God’s purpose that the work of salvation shall, be as all-embracing as the act of reconciliation.
Reconciliation was made for all. Salvation is offered to all. Such scriptures as John 3:16,17, reveal this:
“God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not
perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the
world through Him might be saved.” In order to make salvation possible for all, Jesus was delivered up for
all, the iniquity of us all was laid upon Him, and He thereby became the propitiation for the sins of the
whole world. Romans 8:32; Isaiah 53:6; 1 John 2:2.
Besides these clear revelations of God’s all-inclusive purpose in the gift of Christ, are found in the
Scripture passages which reveal the kindred fact that though God purposed to save all in Christ, and has
made full provision in Him for the salvation of every man, yet not all will be saved. In this respect the work
of salvation is distinguished from the act of reconciliation. God purposed to reconcile all men unto Himself,
and He has reconciled every man to Himself by the death of Christ. It was in His purpose to save every
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man, but not every man will be saved.
The reasons for this are clearly given in the Scriptures. Reconciliation for us was completed on
God’s part without our having any participation in the act. Christ bore our guilt, but it was prophesied of
Him in doing so: “I have trodden the wine press alone; and of the people there was none with Me.” Isaiah
63:1 His utter aloneness in this act is indicated by the prophecy of the psalmist:
“I looked f or some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.” “Be
not far from Me; for there is none to help.” Psalm 69:20; 22:11.
His aloneness is also indicated by His despairing cry on the cross: “My God, My God, why has
Thou forsaken Me?” Matthew 27:46.
It was for the ungodly that Christ died. Romans 5:6. It was while we were yet sinners that Christ
died for us. Verse 8. It was when we wore enemies and in hostility to God that Christ reconciled us to the
Father by His death. Verse 10.
This act of reconciliation was wrought by God’s imputing our trespasses to His Son, and not
imputing them to us. 2 Corinthians 5:18,19. He was able to do this by His Son’s taking our place, and by
making Him to be sin for us. Since that is the way by which He reconciled us, and since He made that
reconciliation by the death of His Son, He therefore completed that work upon the cross.
After Christ had by His death effected our reconciliation, He ascended to His Father to he accepted
for us. God’s acceptance of Him in heaven, as He who had lived faultless in the flesh, who had died in our
stead, and who had come again frorn the grave, opened the way for Him to stand between God and man as
Mediator with the Father, pleading the merits of a sacrifice already accepted by the Father in our behalf.
The reconciliation, effected by His death, however, becomes effective in us individually only as
we accept Christ as our substitute, and accept His death in payment of the penalty for the sins which
alienate us from God. God’s satisfaction in this work of reconciliation is then signified by His acceptance
of us in the Beloved. Ephesians 1:6.
My acceptance of Christ as my substitute enables to bring Him as my sacrifice, and thus to show
that, by the death which reconciled me and opened the way of approach for me to God, the penalty for my
guilt has been paid in full. It enables me to show also that I am a suppliant through the blood for
deliverance from the power of sin in me, and that I am an entrant to the new life which I have through the
ministry Of His own life and power to me continually. That this ministry is the work of Christ after He
becomes High Priest, is made still plainer in the following scripture:
“Wherefore in all things it behooved Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be
[literally, become] a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation
for the sins of the people.” Hebrews 2:17.
It is obvious from the wording of this scripture that the work of making effective in us the
reconciliation wrought upon the cross, takes place after Jesus has entered upon His work as High Priest. It
is here clearly shown that Jesus was made like His brethren so that as priest in heaven He could make
reconciliation for the sins of His people. This, of course, is accomplished by making individually or
personally effective an act already completed on the part of God, which awaits personal application by our
High Priest when personal acceptance of it is made by individual believers in Christ.
It must he carefully observed that the act of reconciliation on God’s part is clearly shown to be a
means to an end, and not an end in itself. The end is our salvation-the presentation of us to God “holy and
without blame and without reproof in His sight!” “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.” Romans 5:10.
The possibility that this reconciling act of Christ will ever bring individuals to that salvation, is
shown in the Scriptures to be dependent upon their condition of life in relation to the reconciliation
achieved, and not merely upon the act itself, wrought before many were born. Observe the statement:
“If you continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the
gospel, which you have heard!” Colossians 1:23.
Our continuance in the faith, “grounded and settled,” our being unmoved from the hope of the
gospel, are dependent, not upon strength inherent in us, but upon help continually received by us through
the ministry of our great High Priest in heaven. Therefore the end to which reconciliation is purposed to
bring us is reachable only through the priestly service of the Savior.
“Seeing then that we have a great High Priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of
God, let us hold fast our profession.” Hebrews 4:14.
Now, having ourselves received the benefits of reconciliation, God has committed to us the
ministry of reconciliation to others. We as His ambassadors are to beseech others, “Be you reconciled to
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God!” In other words, we implore men, “Permit the Lord Jesus in His priestly service to make yours, by
acceptance of Him as your substitute, the reconciliation which He wrought by His death.”
The basis of such a plea by His ambassadors to those who have not yet accepted Him is, “He bath
made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” 2
Corinthians 5:21.
The assurance that we as Christ’s ambassadors may give is, “As many as received Him, to them
gave He power [“right, or, privilege,” margin] to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His
name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. John
1:12, 13.
Observe that this right does not make men the sons of God, but makes it possible for them to
become the sons of God. This right is not received automatically in consequence of what Christ has
wrought, but is bestowed upon those only who believe on His name.
From all this we must conclude that God has fully done His part in reconciling us unto Himself;
that if we will but choose to accept Christ by faith, thus performing our part, the benefits of reconciliation
will be secured to us personally, and by being “born of God” we become the sons of God. That this is
assured to us in the fact that our acceptance of Christ makes it possible for Him in His priestly ministry to
make reconciliation effective in us individually; that its effectiveness in us makes us ambassadors for
Christ. That our message as His ambassadors is, “Be you reconciled,” or in other words, “Accept
reconciliation;” and that this is really the message of the gospel to all men.