The Baptist Examiner Forum: pt. 8

December 27, 1980   Question:
        Please explain the ministry of reconciliation in II Corinthians 5:19-21.
    Answer:

        In Adam all of humankind suffered an irreparable imbalance, and man by nature is unable to reconcile his book of responsibility with the Divine standard. Man may reconcile many of his differences with his fellow creatures, but he is utterly helpless to balance his book of life with the infallible record of God. A change must be made in man, it is man who needs to be reconciled to God, it is man who erred, it is the records of man that are in total disarray, and it is man who can not, nor cares to set the record straight. The account of man is not merely out of balance, but he exhausted all of his means, assumed infinite debt, and has not the least farthing to pay toward retiring the account. Man owes God a life of perfect righteousness, but at his best state he is altogether sin ( Psalms 39:5). Thus, it was that Christ was sent to reconcile unto God an innumerable host of Adam's spiritually bankrupt children. "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;" ( I Timothy 2:5). The objects of Divine reconciliation are the elect of God, the means of reconciliation is the propitiatory death of Christ. "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). It is by the death of Christ that Jew and Gentile may be reconciled, and will one day be altogether reconciled with one another and with God. So it, is we read, "And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:" ( Ephesians 2:16). The sacrificial and atoning blood of Christ is the ground and basis of reconciliation. By dying in the room and stead of His people, Christ removed the sin debt, He paid it all, and not only reconciled His people unto God, but made them "... holy and unblameable andunreproveable in his sight:" ( Colossians 1:22).
    The reconciling work of Christ has been accepted and approved of God, and on the basis of this fact, Paul says to the believer, "And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled." ( Colossians 1:21). " Reconciled" is in the past tense, meaning that the believer, here and now is at peace with God, through the merits of Christ's shed blood (Colossians 1:20). The " ministry" ( II Corinthians 5:18) or " word" of reconciliation is the proclamation that the work of redemption is accomplished in Christ. "... we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." ( II Corinthians 5:20). God in and through Christ has done everything necessary to save His people, and now they may return to God without fear of retribution for their sins. Their sins were charged to their reconciling sacrifice ( Isaiah 53:6) and shall never be remembered against them anymore ( Hebrews 10:17). The Greek word from which the word "reconciled" is translated means to change. So it is, man must undergo a change, for God is immutable and never changes. The necessary change is wrought in the elect by the Spirit of God, and apart from this change none would be reconciled to God.