RECONCILIATION

2 Corinthians 5:17-21;

"17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 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.
20 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.
21 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."

Romans 5:7-10.

"7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
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 meaning of the word "Reconciliation" is the end of a fight or argument and the bring together the people involved in a new friendship. The Bible tells us that at one time mankind had a very close friendship and relationship with God, but men and women chose to not obey the commands of God and so sin entered into the world, God cannot accept anything which is sinful so the friendship was broken, and death entered the world.
The use of the word "Reconciliation" indicates that the world is at war with God. Many people do not agree with this statement, they say that man is basically good, most of the world is not in prison for a crime, but unfortunately the nature of every person in the world is to fail the standard set by God, we have all sinned. We may not have committed a serious crime deserving a prison sentence but all have sinned, Romans 7:18;

18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

James 4:4,

" 4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God."

We are friends with the world so therefore at war with a pure and holy God. See also Jeremiah 17:9; Isaiah 53:6. Romans 8:7 tells us that the worldly, carnal mind of a person is an enemy against, hostile, at enmity, with God.

God makes a move in reconciliation

If two people who are at war and fighting might want to stop the fighting, declare a truce and to agree not carry on the fighting for a short time, but they could still be enemies and the slightest action by one or the other could start the fighting again, not a good situation between God & Man.

The first problem for a permanent restoration of the fellowship is the Holy Laws set by God originally. Ezekiel 18:4;

" 4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die."

Leviticus 11:44.

"For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. "

If God just ignores the breaking of His Law then He cannot be relied upon, it means that He can change. This Holy and pure God cannot ignore the disobedience of man, the guilt cannot just be ignored. This Law therefore stands between the sinner and God. God knows all and can see all, He knows all that is happening. We have a nature which makes us an enemy of God, He knows all we do and think, our nature, our heart needs to be changed.
It is at this point that Jesus Christ gets involved, He, the Son of God, who has never sinned, now pays the price set by God for the guilty sinner by His death on the cross at Calvary, Jesus met the demands of the Law, He bore the guilt of our sins on this cross. As a result the Believer can receive Justification, be made right in the sight of God.

Finally, because a Believer is made right with God, the nature, the heart can be changed, born again, Regeneration, Romans 5:5.

"And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us."

2 Corinthians 5:21.

"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."

There is no effort or action by man, God has arranged the reconciliation through Jesus.

Reconciliation is not a short stop in our war with God, reconciliation is not just a truce, because God does not change or lie, his gift, through the death and resurrection of Jesus is permanent, all His actions have resulted in a final and permanent condition, permanent fellowship with God is restored to a Believer through the action of Jesus His Son.

"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us."

Note for example the following conditions following reconciliation,

V1, "Justified by faith,"

V2, "Rejoice";

V3, "Glory in tribulations,"

V9, "Justified by His blood",

V11,"Received the atonement,"

V16,"Free gift,"

V17,"Receive abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness,"