Being Reconciled to God (1)

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. II Cor. 5:20

The reader sent no question along with the request to deal with this verse. I suspect that probably the question implied is: "What is the meaning of the command which comes to us to be reconciled to God? How do we reconcile ourselves to God?" Perhaps the questioner even means to ask: "Does not Scripture teach that reconciliation is God's work, and not ours? How then can we be commanded to reconcile ourselves to God?"

And, if I may put myself as much as possible in the position of the questioner, perhaps the question is: "Does this command come to all men? And does that not imply that all men 'must' not only, but also 'can' reconcile themselves to God?"

In any event, it is a good question. A look at the text ought to prove profitable.

A brief look at the context will be helpful. In vs. 18, the apostle makes two very important statements. One is that God, of Whom are all things, has reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ.

Note, first of all that this reconciliation is emphatically ascribed to God alone as His work. And notice, secondly, that this reconciliation is said to have taken place for "us." Not all men are reconciled to God, but only the apostle and the Corinthians, i.e., the church of Christ.

The second point the text makes is that the apostle, along with the other apostles has received the "ministry of reconciliation." I.e., the apostles (and other ministers of the gospel) have been appointed to be ministers who proclaim the gospel of reconciliation.

What is that gospel of reconciliation?

Reconciliation takes place only between those who have been estranged. If a husband and a wife are, through the sins of one or both, estranged from each other, they need to be reconciled. And reconciliation takes place when the sins are removed. Reconciliation is, therefore, the restoration of a bond of unity and harmony which previously existed, but which is destroyed through sin.

So it is with God and man. God and Adam lived in harmony and unity in the garden. Adam broke that bond by his agreement to join with Satan in opposition to God. The bond was broken. The covenant of marriage was destroyed on Adam's part.

The gospel of reconciliation is however, that God remains faithful to His place in this covenant of marriage. God continues to love His bride with a great and unchangeable love. God never goes back on His determination to love and cherish His bride.

And so the gospel announces that God reconciles His elect church to Himself through Jesus Christ. I.e., God takes away the cause of the destruction of the original relation, namely sin. And God reconciles His people to Himself by re-establishing the bond which was present originally. This is a marvelous gospel which is brought by God's ministers.

It must be remembered, however, that the relationship which God restores through Jesus Christ is much higher and far more blessed than the original relationship that existed in Paradise I. It is a relationship restored in Jesus Christ, and that means it is a relationship which is perfectly realized in heaven where we shall be with God in closest fellowship forever and ever.

Vs. 19 goes on to explain the second truth of vs. 18: that the apostles and ministers are given the word of reconciliation. It too adds especially two truths to what has been said.

First of all, it tells us that this reconciliation involves the whole world.

This must not be interpreted as if reconciliation involves every man head for head. If that were true then every man would be brought to heaven. Vs. 19 itself says this. For this reconciliation of the world involves "not imputing their trespasses unto them." If the trespasses of all men are no longer imputed to them, then all men are saved -- of course!

But the apostle has in mind the great truth that Adam fell as the head of the whole creation. When he fell, the whole creation fell in Adam and came under the curse of God's wrath. But when Christ accomplished reconciliation, He died for the whole world which had fallen in Adam. That is, He reconciled the whole creation to God.

This truth is literally taught in Col. 1:20: "And having made peace through the blood of the cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself." And then, as if the apostle wants to be sure that his readers understand what he means by the "all things," he writes: "By him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven." The entire earthly and the entire heavenly creation are reconciled to God through Jesus Christ.See also Romans 8:19-22. But we shall continue with our discussion of this in the next bulletin.