The Reconciliation

By: Sylvia Huffnagle (Ordained minister)

The Reconciliation

2 Corinthians 18-21 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 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. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

The reconciliation is necessary because in the beginning Spirit-filled man chose to trust the liar and listen to him rather than God the Father. Thus mankind was separated from God. Sin drove a wedge between them. Distrust and therefore disobedience broke the fellowship of the Father with his Son Adam and consequently the fellowship with mankind. Then Spirit-filled Jesus chose to listen to and trust God and he stood in the gap for all of mankind. Now through receiving him--choosing to listen to and trust God--one can be born again of the Spirit and be restored to a Father/child relationship with God.

Sin separated us from God, the atonement and God's plan of salvation is for man’s benefit, not God’s. The word has spread about that God could not look on sin so he sent his Son to pay the price for sin so that he could accept us again. That is true in a sense but it is not the truth.

The truth is that it was all done for mankind, not for God. Mankind is the one who needed a powerful cleaning agent to deliver them from sin and guilt.

Mankind needed to be reinstated to his former glory—to be called a child of God.

Mankind needed to be delivered from the power of their carnal nature, because the carnal nature is at enmity with God and is a powerful influence causing wrong choices.

Mankind needed to be delivered from the power of the devil's lies. God gives believers the Holy Spirit so that they do not have to heed the lie, but can combat it.

The alienation came when Adam and Eve made wrong choices. Deliverance, reconciliation, and salvation come by making a right choice--choosing Jesus. When one does that, God gives that person a new heart—a heart to please Him.

A person who has been reconciled to God becomes a child of God. This means a covenant relationship whereby the child trusts and obeys God and the Father takes good care of the child—providing, protecting, teaching, and loving it.

© Sylvia Huffnagle