Reconcilliation – A movement from friendship to hostility back to friendship

I.) Presupposes Enmity

A.) Enmity of God towards man

Reason for God’s enmity – Man’s sin / rebellion
Man’s attempt to de-god God and en-god himself
Man is in league w/ Satan against God

B.) Enmity of man towards God

Reason for man’s enmity –
Man would be autonomous & God refuses
God stands in opposition to Man’s alliance w/ Satan (James 4:4)

C.) Reason for God’s enmity – Man’s sin / rebellion
Man’s attempt to de-god God and en-god himself

D.) Because the enmity is mutual the proposed reconciliation must solve the enmity
that is working from each direction.

This is important to recognize for much of the Church today speaks as if it is only man who needs to be reconciled but this completely misses the point that the reason that the hostility exists is because God is unwilling to let bygones be bygones. Sin must be dealt with.

What is thought to be reconciliation is comparatively easy to come to if we communicate to men that God is all love and just wants them to return quite apart from a willingness on their part to surrender their autonomy and sovereignty.

Having said that what is required of man for reconciliation to take place is
repentance and faith.

What is required of God for reconciliation to take place is the removal of sin

What is important to note here is that God’s work of reconciliation was accomplished before man took it upon him-self to reconcile. Indeed, it is not to much to say that man’s reconciliation to God is dependent upon God’s reconciliation to man.

Romans 5:8 – While we were still (un-reconciled) sinners Christ died for us.

So we see that it is a mischaracterization of the Gospel to preach reconciliation to men as if God has no enmity towards them. It is not helpful to communicate to men who have no interest in Christ that God loves them and as a wonderful plan for their life when the reality is that God is sorely angry with men who have not found refuge in the Cross of Christ. The Cross of Christ is the only place where men outside of Christ can find refuge from God’s wrath for in the Cross of Christ God provides reconciliation.

II..) Resolves Enmity

Scripture teaches that the result of this reconciliation is “peace w/ God.” (Romans 5:1)

Reconciliation then means a Peace that brings the end of alienation w/ God Reconciliation then means a Peace that brings the end of alienation w/ others
Reconciliation then means a Peace that brings the end of alienation w/ self

On the other hand

Reconciliation then means a Peace that begins alienation w/ Satan
Reconciliation then means a Peace that begins alienation w/ children of the devil
Reconciliation then means a Peace that begins end of alienation w/ World

Thus far we have emphasized that it is God who is primarily the one who needs to be reconciled and who has provided the means by which reconciliation is accomplished. We have rejected the idea that reconciliation is primarily a work of man.

However having rejected that man’s work is primary in reconciliation that does not mean that man is not responsible for the lack of reconciliation between himself and his Creator.

In Christ’s work on the Cross God has provided the objective means by which He is reconciled to men. This is so true that if reconciliation doesn’t take place between men and God it is because men are holding on to their hostility towards God.

This is the thrust of I Cor. 5:19-20

Through Paul the Holy Spirit makes it clear that God has accomplished the work of reconciliation for those who will be reconciled. Christ has made the way open to God’s favor but if men intend to hold on to their hostility to God by rejecting Christ then they have no reason to conclude that God has anything but hostility for them. For sinful man, reconciliation can only happen by God’s appointed means, and if that appointed means is rejected the wrath of God abides.

God’s appointed means of reconciliation is the putting aside of one’s attempt to be god and to submit to God’s bloody provision for the forgiveness of cosmic treason.

So were we to reduce all that we have learned so far we would say that the idea of reconciliation can be explained by six main thoughts.

1.) Sin as rebellion against God is an obstruction

Sin alienates us from God and thus fractures all of our relationships. Since God is Holy sin can not be casually dismissed. Sin has necessitated a reconciliation that is acceptable on the terms of the one offended. God is the one offended.

2.) That which stands between the warring parties (sin) must be dealt with

In any notion of reconciliation what must be accomplished is the removal of that which is causing the parties in question to be at hostility w/ one another. In the work of Christ on the Cross God removes His enmity towards man by upholding His just wrath against sin. Christ’s work on the Cross has dealt with that which once stood between God and those looking for terms of surrender.

3.) There is a real hostility between God and sinners

We have been so overwhelmed of the real truth that “God is Love” that we have turned the notion of love into license. God’s opposition to sin has an analogy in human love noted by E. H. Gifford in his commentary on Romans

“The more a father loves his son, the more he hates in him the drunkard, the liar, or the traitor.”

4.) God’s initiative accomplished Reconciliation

We created the obstruction between God and man but only God could remove that obstruction. This teaching stands in direct contrast to those who suggest that as man created the obstruction man must be the one who overcomes it. In this teaching God is completely passive. He was disappointed when we left and He is passively waiting for us to come back.

This kind of teaching underestimates the destruction of sin. Man can not return to God apart from the Holy Spirit making him alive to return and the Holy Spirit making man alive to return could not have happened, in God’s economy, apart from Christ dying on the Cross to send the Spirit to elect dead in sin sinners.

God sent Christ to be our reconciliation. Christ accomplished that work so thoroughly that it can be announced to sinners that God has provided the reconciliation for those sinners who wish to have peace with God.

5.) Reconciliation is based upon the Love of God (Romans 5:8-10)

We have spoken here of “enmity,” “the anger of God,” and “the wrath of God,” and these are sentiments we find throughout Scripture but we must forever keep before us that the “wrath of God” upon awakened sinners is always based upon the love of God for elect sinners. It is the love of God for His intra-Trinitarian glory and for His people that has Him so hostile to our sin. Hence we see, that because God loves His yet unawakened people he communicates His wrath that they might see their peril and flee to Christ where they can learn of the Love of God.

6.) The Reconciliation must be received

Reconciliation is accomplished by Christ but it must be received. Paul in Corinthians issues an imperative, “We implore you on Christ’s behalf, be ye reconciled to God.” Reconciliation thus calls us away from our infatuation with Sin.

Of course looking beyond the strict boundaries of Reconciliation we know that all for whom the Reconciliation was made will receive and embrace the Reconciliation.