Reconciliation = Removing the barrier of sin
The Bible says that people are slaves to sin and because of that sin, we are enemies of God.
Sin gives rise to hostility between a Holy God and sinful people. It raises a wall, a barrier between us so big that we would be incapable of removing it, even if we had wanted to.
God’s answer to this is ‘reconciliation’, which means ‘to bring together two parties by removing the barrier/hostility that had previously existed between them’.
On four occasions the New Testament speaks of the work and ministry of Christ in terms of reconciliation: Romans 5:10; 2 Corinthians 5:18-21; Ephesians 2:16; Colossians 1:22.
In each of these passages the barrier between God and people is stressed. They are enemies and alienated from each other. Therefore, they need reconciling.
Let’s look at 2 Corinthians 5:18-21 in detail and see that reconciliation is described in four simple steps.
For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them… “Come back to God!” For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.
1. God does not count our sin against us.
Our sin in our responsibility so we should bear its consequences. Each sin is like an individual item on a bill and every time we sin thqat debt grows.
But in reconciliation God wipes the slate clean; he removes every debt on the bill, thus leaving us with nothing to pay. He does not count our sin against us either now or in the future.
But what happens to our sins? Where do they go? Who pays the debt they created? Are they just forgotten?
No, God can’t do that. These sins have to be answered for, they have to be condemned still. The debt has to be paid for, in full, if God’s holy law is to be satisfied.
If God doesn’t count our sins against us, what does he do with them?
2. He counts our sins against Christ.
God makes Jesus responsible for our sin. Jesus willingly accepts that terrible responsibility and God lays on him the sin and guilt of those who choose to follow him.
3. Christ bears the punishment that was due us.
Jesus, now bearing our sin, is treated by God as we deserved to be treated and the full wrath of God falls upon Jesus on the cross.
Sin, which is the barrier, is dealt with legally and decisively.
4. God credits the righteousness of Jesus to us.
The last stage of reconciliation is that, having dealt with our sin in Christ, God now counts to us the righteousness of his Son and he is now able to treat us as he would normally treat the Lord Jesus.
The barrier between us and God has been dealt with and reconciliation is accomplished.
Reconciliation means the ending of enmity and making of peace and friendship between persons previously opposed. God and men were at enmity with each other by reason of men’s sins; but God has acted in Christ to reconcile sinners to himself through the cross.
The achieving of reconciliation was a task which Christ completed at Calvary. In virtue of Christ’s finished work of atonement, God now invites sinners everywhere to receive the reconciliation and thus be reconciled to him.
Believers enjoy through Christ an actual reconcilement with God which is perfect and final.
– J. I. Packer
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For more on what Christianity teaches, check out the other topics in our ‘Bitesize Theology’ series:
God; Jesus; The Holy Spirit; The Trinity; Sin; Atonement; Grace; Regeneration; Repentance and Faith
Inspired by Peter Jeffery, ’Bitesize Theology’, Evangelical Press, 2000
