Reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5:16-21; Eph. 2:13-22

Today’s article continues our discussion on salvation. Last week we said that both the crucifixion of Jesus and His resurrection are held together as one. Crucifixion is the work of God in Jesus by which God forgives us of our sins. Resurrection is the work of God in Jesus by which He restores us to Himself having given us new life. Apostle Paul writes about this in Romans 6. Paul writes, “Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4, NASB). Last week we discussed the necessity of the crucifixion because it satisfies the wrath of God. Today we will discuss how the death of Jesus provides the means for our reconciliation to God.

God is not hostile toward humankind, but because God is holy and cannot abide sin humankind is alienated from God. God shows His love for us when He tells the serpent in the garden that there will be enmity between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman. “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel” (Gen. 315, NASB). God’s attitude towards humankind does not change because of the death of Jesus. Hopefully we have established in the mind of the reader that it is man that is hostile towards God. God loves us, but we are not able to love God until we have a change in our attitude toward Him. “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 Jn. 4:10, NASB). Thus, the resurrection of Jesus demonstrates that the crucifixion is sufficient payment for our sins.

The resurrection is proof that God is now accepting those that believe in Jesus back into His presence. The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin, and we have new life in God. Resurrection means that we are restored to a right relationship with God. We are no longer the enemy of God. There is now peace with God. Again Paul writes, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1, NASB). The resurrection means that we are fully restored to the same fellowship with God that Adam and Eve enjoyed before they sinned. We can get a picture of what takes place when we have peace with God by looking at the life of a criminal that is convicted of a felony.

John represents many criminals that serve their time in prison. John robs a store; killing two people in the process. John runs outside, and he hijacks a car to escape. In the process John injures the driver. John is convicted, and he is sentenced to prison. After John serves his time in prison he is released. Back into society, John discovers that although he has paid his debt to society he cannot enjoy his freedom. He has lost his right to vote. He cannot find a job that pays enough for him to have a comfortable life. He lives on the streets as a homeless man. He has paid the debt for his crimes, but he is not restored to full rights as a citizen. Why is this true? It is because of the attitude of society toward the criminal. Society holds a hostile attitude towards John, and it is likely that he will never be fully accepted by society. This is not the case with God and us. Let us examine this further.

When Adam and Eve sinned they were banished from the garden to live in a prison called the world. Sin is their condition and they live in the world. Everyone in the world is a criminal living with other criminals. Everyone remains in prison, because no one can pay their debt to be set free. One day, God sends His Son to pay the debt by dying a vicarious death on the cross. God’s Son, Jesus, is separated from the presence of His Father as He bears the sins of the world. After three days God raises His Son from the dead. The Son is united again with the Father. He is restored fully to His place with the Father. The Son that was guilty of sin has paid the debt. He is set free from prison, death and the grave. His is raised to once again have full rights as God. He is restored to His former position with all the power of God as well as the glory of God.

The writer of the book of Hebrews tells us about this truth. The writer says, “And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they” (Heb. 1:2, NASB). Paul confirms this truth when he writes: “Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:8-11, NASB).

Christ died for all people regardless of their human status (Gal. 3:28). Paul explains to the church at Corinth the purpose and the nature of his ministry. He writes, “For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died” (2 Cor. 5:14, NASB). Further Paul explains that Jesus dies to reconcile us to God, and He has given the believer, the ministry of reconciliation. Paul writes: “Now all things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:18-19, NASB).

The resurrection reconciles all people to God and all people that believe in Jesus are reconciled to each other. We are reconciled together because of God’s love. “Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments” (1Jn. 5:1-2, NASB).

The ministry of reconciliation is the message of the gospel. Christ died for all people. Paul explains this truth to the church at Ephesus which is a mixed congregation of both Jews and Gentiles. The gospel is preached to both Jews and Gentiles. Although the Gentiles had not been included under the Law they are now included through the cross. “But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ” (Eph. 2:13, NASB).

The hope of the believer is in the resurrection of Jesus. God not only forgives us our sins; God offers us full citizenship with all rights in God’s kingdom. This means that Christians today need to overcome their biases and prejudices seen in the church at Ephesus. In America the church today continues to judge the sins of others while at the same time overlook their own sins. We do not need to judge others. Our ministry is one of reconciliation, not division. We do not help people by condemning them. Rather, people are helped when the message of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus is preached. Do not shun people. Rather, let the love of God flow through you to others. Let the Spirit do His work. Through Jesus Christ we can be reconciled to God and to other people.