RECONCILIATION

Bill Hofkins©

 

Reconciliation is the act of reestablishing friendly relations and:

Ending hostilities between warring countries.

Ending estrangement between relatives.

Paying a bill to avoid consequences.

To restore the right relationship and fellowship with God is the proper definition of reconciliation.

Remission of sin and Reconciliation work hand in hand. Remission is first, however, because reconciliation results from remission. It is the last step in the forgiveness process.

God then receives you like an innocent baby in its mother’s arms.

What happens when we don’t pay our utility bill? If it’s past due, they will cut off the power, (so I’m told), leaving you in the dark. Once paid, however, the lights come back on.

To pay your bill in full, and clear the debt, is the act of reconciling with the power company.

The utility company did no wrong. The person who owed payment is the one in the dark.

But here is the rub. We could not pay our bill to restore fellowship with God. Jesus had to pay it for us. Because of his sacrifice, God reconciles us to Himself. Listen to this verse:

 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

God did not do the offending. Adam and Eve did! And we of course, born into this world as sinners, followed suit.

This is most remarkable: THE One who WAS offended is THE One who re-unites or reconciles us with himself. It is like separation never happened.

He is not asking us to forgive Him—He did not sin against us, we sinned against Him. Then Jesus steps in and pays our debt, and the lights come back on.

Redemption is our need to return to God, not the other way around. But thanks be to God that the grace, love, and kindness of God took the first step. John 3:16 tells us that God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son….

The process of reconciliation is straightforward. Mankind, you and me, accept the terms and conditions of the agreement, or covenant. Only then are we reconciled and restored.

What are the Terms?

Please read the following passage carefully because it is the key to understanding the subject of reconciliation.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.


For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21

The last two verses, (in bold), say ‘BE reconciled to God’. Then, ‘he has made him to be sin.’ It was the act of making him sin that generates reconciliation and renders us righteous.

This specific action of Jesus creates the open door for us to walk through to forgiveness and reconciliation, which leads us to the right relationship and restoration.

AGAIN…

Jesus establishes reconciliation by living a sinless life, but then becomes sin itself in death.

Remember our example of the power company. To have the lights restored to your house, the power company needs to have payment in full.

Because he paid the price in full, it reconciles us to God.

Those are the terms and conditions. We acknowledge the fact that he paid the price for sin. We don’t do anything other than allow him to pay our debt.

It is our responsibility to receive the remission of sin by fully surrendering to his mercy and grace.

Therefore, we may boldly confess, “I am the Righteousness of God in Christ.”

Because he reconciled us, we have all the privileges that every other saint has.

Heaven is for the Reconciled

Those in heaven are blessed to be there because of the reconciliation to God through the blood of Jesus.

Do you remember the story of Lazarus and the rich man? I won’t quote the whole passage but give you the main point.

But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
Luke 16:25

This is the point: Before Jesus rose from the dead, no-one lived in the presence of God the Father.

Any person who died either went to be comforted with Father Abraham or tormented in hellfire. Youch!

But, after the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, comes reconciliation. Jesus rose from the dead and then, and only then, were those righteous saints allowed to enter the place that we call heaven. Listen to this:

Wherefore he saith, when he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
Ephesians 4:8-10

Because of the high treason committed by Adam and Eve, God allowed no human in His presence. Rebellion separated us without remedy until Jesus came.

But now when we die, we do not go to Abraham’s Bosom; we go directly into heaven and the glorious presence of our Heavenly Father.

The sacrifice of Jesus reconciles us to Himself.

We will join them when it is time for us to leave this life.

Full Circle

Let’s review the route Jesus took from the beginning. He came from heaven and was born of a virgin. On earth, he grew up in Nazareth. He ministered for three and a half years, then whipped-lashed, crucified and buried.

When he rose from the dead he ascended to heaven, his original starting place. Because his redemption work was complete, he sat down upon his throne. This was a Full Circle, starting in heaven, he returned to heaven.

You are also on a track. The question is, which track are you on? You came from God. He created you, but will you return to him, the place of your origin?

Psalm 139 reveals how God created us and formed us in our mother’s womb:

You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.    Psalm 139:15-16 NLT

Every person ever conceived and born began, in their mother’s womb. If this Psalm is correct, it is God who not only formed you, but knew everything about you before you were born.

There is a belief among Christians that God created us in his mind and heart before conception in our mother’s womb.

If God created Adam and Eve from the dust of the earth, he must have had a mental image or concept of Adam before creating him. That would mean he created us knowing full well who we are, and who we would become.

Notice the phrase in this verse, “Every day of my life was recorded in your book.” It suggests that God planned your entire life from beginning to end and recorded it in the same book.

He yearns to fulfill what he wrote concerning you! In Total! He wants you to fulfill HIS agenda for your life, then return to him when it is time.

Furthermore, if He planned the details of your life, wouldn’t that include your entire future? Your life, after this life? When Jesus returns and establishes his kingdom on earth, his plan includes having you with him in the Millennium.

You will have a glorified physical body and will rule and reign on earth with him for a thousand years.

When the millennium ends, there will be one last rebellion against Christ the King. It will be satan’s last effort to overthrow God’s authority.

He wants you there to bear witness as the fire rains down upon the unfaithful rebels and devours them.

Another event of note is when the world dissolves with fervent heat and there are new heavens and new earth. He wants you to be there!

Logically, God created you in His mind and heart and formed you in your mother’s womb. You live a brief time, and then, at the end of your life on earth, you will return to him and see him face to face.

UNLESS

Unless you sabotage God’s will, rebel against him, and reject Jesus as your Savior. Because of free will, you can do what you want with your life. You can either choose heaven or go to hell, it’s your choice to make. However, once you die, IT’S OVER. You made your decision. You cannot change your mind after death.

Well…technically, once you see the horror that awaits, you will change your mind, but it will do you no good.

Forget religion. Forget Churchianity. What is more important than being restored to the right relationship with our heavenly Father? To finish where we began, in His loving presence and His heart and mind?

It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’                         Luke 24:47

Jesus and the Apostles

To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. 2 corinthians 5:19,20

According to this passage, God has reconciled the entire world to himself. They just don’t know it yet!

Our job as Christians is to let people off the condemnation hook and give them the good news that they have been reconciled to God.

God is waiting for us with open arms, we only need to meet the conditions.

This is the whole plan of redemption in a nutshell.

 Please pray this prayer in a simple yet sincere way:

 Heavenly Father, I thank you for sending Jesus and that He shed His blood for me. I receive Jesus into my heart right now and take Him as my Savior. Forgive me of all my sins and make me a new creation in Christ. Amen.