Reconciled!

And God has made all things new, and reconciled us to himself, and given us the ministry of reconciling others to God. In other words, it was through the Anointed One that God was shepherding the world, not even keeping records of their transgressions, and he has entrusted to us the ministry of opening the door of reconciliation to God. 2 Corinthians 5:18–19 (TPT)

Reconciliation is a word that is used primarily in relationships and financial transactions. In relationships, reconciliation occurs when parties resolve their differences. If the conflicts are too great in a marriage, for example, irreconcilable differences might be cited as the cause of separation or divorce.

In finance, they taught us to reconcile our checkbooks with the monthly statements. Finances and relationships are tied together. Failure to properly manage finances and incur a debt burden can lead to irreconcilable differences in relationships.

Paul spoke of reconciliation in five of his letters. Yet, despite this, reconciliation is often underappreciated. It does not get the attention that salvation, justification, and sanctification receive from preachers and theologians.

Reconciliation is closely related to justification. Justification pronounces a word of acquittal from guilt to the offender. Reconciliation is the restoration of those who are justified to communion with God. Reconciliation with God should be our ultimate goal—restoring the relationship broken by sin and the Fall. Let’s look closer at what it means to be reconciled to God.

What Is Reconciliation?

To reconcile means to change or exchange (primarily referring to money). When people are transformed from enmity to friendship, they have reconciled. To reconcile accounts means that any discrepancies are accounted for and resolved. We reach an agreement, and debts are settled. Humanly speaking, this involves compromise and accommodation. Creditors often accept a fraction of the debt, canceling the rest to reconcile and resolve an account.

When God offers humanity reconciliation, we do not even have a small fraction of the debt we owe. Someone once wrote a song with these words, “He paid a debt He did not owe; I owed a debt I could not pay.” God’s reconciliation with us is all about what he does for us. We have nothing to offer. We can only surrender our will to him.

We could do nothing to earn or facilitate our reconciliation with God. For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Romans 5:10 (NIV)

Too frequently, salvation and justification have been presented as primarily about going to heaven when we die. Reconciliation is so much more. The benefits of being reconciled with God are available now, not just in the life to come. It means fellowship and communion with our Lord in the present time. It also gives us a new ministry.

The Ministry of Reconciliation!

Everything is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:18 (CSB)

What does it mean? We explained that we have nothing to offer God except our surrender. How can we be used in the ministry of reconciliation? Paul once again reiterates that “Everything is from God…” King David understood this: But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us! 1 Chronicles 29:14 (NLT)

The ministry of reconciliation implies a stewardship. Paul went on to say: We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 2 Corinthians 5:20 (NIV)

Ambassadors do not represent themselves. In their official capacity, their mandate is to speak on behalf of the one or the country who sent them. As ambassadors, we might have no power and authority of our own, but because we have a commission from God, we speak with power. Paul says that God is making his appeal through us. It is a privilege, as well as a stewardship.

Together

His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. Ephesians 2:15–16 (NIV)

It isn’t comforting to realize how self-centered we can sometimes be. We desire the benefits of reconciliation for ourselves. Still, we have reservations, if not downright hostility, toward others for whom Christ died, and we do not see them worthy of redemption and reconciliation. We may not be as blatant as the man who prayed: “Bless me and my wife, my son John and his wife, us four and no more,” but our concerns are inward rather than outward. Our focus is local rather than global.

Paul put it this way: For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:19 (NLT). Until we have God’s heart for the world, we will continue to have divisions, even in the church.

We are entrusted with the message and the ministry of reconciliation. Still, for us to effectively bring this message to the world, there needs to be reconciliation in the body of Christ. We are reconciled to God because of what Christ did on the cross. We are also reconciled to each other by what Christ did on the cross.

All Things

And through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross—through Him—whether things on earth or things in heaven. Colossians 1:20 (LSB)

God’s ambition for reconciliation is more extensive than we can imagine. His work on the cross is for everyone. When God reconciled us, we became a bridge for others. When a person’s ways are pleasing to the Lord, he even reconciles his enemies to himself. Proverbs 16:7 (NET)

Steve Ekeroth

Photo by Lord Varenn: