Reconciliation Series: Introduction

One of the results of our Lord’s substitutionary spiritual and physical deaths on the cross is that He reconciled all of sinful humanity to God who is holy.

Reconciliation is the manward side of salvation whereby the voluntary substitutionary spiritual and physical deaths of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary reconciled all of sinful humanity to God who is holy.

“Reconciliation” refers to that aspect of Christ’s finished work on the cross-that “reconciled” sinners to a holy God and is appropriated through the non-meritorious decision to believe in Jesus Christ for salvation.

Reconciliation is one of the three major doctrines of Soteriology: (1) Redemption: inward (2) Reconciliation: manward (3) Propitiation: Godward.

The peace offering in the Old Testament depicts reconciliation (Lev. 3; 7:11-38; 8:15).

The peace offering emphasizes the Person of Christ.

The peace offering sets forth God as propitiated and the sinner reconciled.

The Author of the Peace Treaty is God the Father (2 Cor. 5:18a; Eph. 1:3-7; 2:14-16).

Man was the enemy of God (Rom. 5:6-10; Eph. 2:1-5).

God the Father is the Initiator of the peace treaty with man.

Man is totally helpless to make peace with God (Rom. 3:10, 23; 8:5-8; Eph. 2:1).

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Mediator of the Peace Treaty (2 Cor. 5:18b; 1 Tim. 2:5).

The Lord is the peacemaker (Eph. 2:14).

This peace treaty took place inside the Person of Christ, the God-Man (2 Cor. 5:19a; Eph. 2:14-16; Col. 1:22; 1 Pet. 2:24).

God offers the entire world a full pardon of their sin through faith in Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 5:19b; Acts 13:38; Eph. 1:7; 4:32b; Col. 1:14; 2:13; 1 John 2:12).

Every believer in the church age is an ambassador for Christ (2 Cor. 5:20a).

The terms of the Peace Treaty is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:31; John 3:16, 36).

Reconciliation is totally the work of God.

It is God’s peace treaty with the entire human race or the removal of the Barrier, which separated God from man and is a result of the finished work of Christ on the cross (2 Cor. 5:18; Eph. 2:14-16; Col. 1:20-21).

Romans 5:10 For if, while we were enemies (spiritual death), we were reconciled to God by the (spiritual) death of His Son, much more now being reconciled, we shall be delivered by His life. (NASB95)

2 Corinthians 5:18 Now all these things (New Creation) originate from the God (the Father), the One who reconciled us to Himself through the intermediate agency of Christ and gave to us for our benefit the ministry of this reconciliation (our Royal Ambassadorship), 19 specifically, that God the Father was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not charging their personal sins to their account and has deposited in us (the right lobes of born-again believers) the doctrine of this reconciliation (the Gospel). 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, since the God (the Father) is urgently appealing through us: We beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 He (Christ) who never knew sin experientially (Christ was impeccable), on behalf of us (as our Substitute), was made (the representative of) sin in order that we might become the very righteousness of God in Him. (Lecturer’s translation)

Ephesians 2:14 For He Himself is our peace, Who (the Lord Jesus Christ) made both one, and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, 15 by abolishing in His physical body the enmity, the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, that in Himself (the Lord Jesus Christ) He might make the two (Jews and Gentiles) into one new man, establishing peace, 16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it (the cross) having put to death the enmity (the Mosaic Law). (NASB95)

Colossians 1:20 And through Him (the Lord Jesus Christ) to reconcile all things to Himself (God the Father), having made peace through the blood (substitutionary spiritual and physical death of Christ) of His cross, through Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven. 21 And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, in evil deeds, 22 yet He (Lord Jesus Christ) has now reconciled you in His human body through death (spiritual death), in order to present you before Him (God the Father) holy (spiritual life after salvation) and blameless (in a resurrection body) and beyond reproach. (NASB95)

Hebrews Terms:

(1) Shalom (noun), “Peace, prosperity, health, safety, completeness, soundness, wholeness, harmony, fulfillment, the unimpaired relationship with others and fulfillment in one’s undertakings.”

(2) Shelem (noun), “Peace offering, sacrifice for alliance or friendship.”

(3) Shalam (denominative verb), “To be in covenant of peace.”

(4) Shalem (verb), “To be complete, sound, perfect, whole, full, completion and fulfillment-of entering into a state of wholeness and unity, a restored relationship.”

Greek Terms:

(1) Eirene (noun), “Peace as the antithesis to war, the state of law and order which results in the blessings of prosperity for the people, peaceful conduct of men toward each other, a peaceful mental attitude.”

(2) Katallasso (verb), “To change or give away, to exchange one thing for another, to change a person from enmity to friendship.”

(3) Katallage (noun), “the restoration of the original understanding between people after hostilities, reconciliation.”

(4) Apokatallasso (verb), “to reconcile enemies, to restore a broken relationship to its former peaceful state, to reconcile by transferring from the original human status of real spiritual death to the status of eternal salvation.”