Go! And Embrace the Power of Reconciliation - Romans 5:10
Introduction:
We gather today under the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ to explore a profound truth that lies at the heart of our faith—the power of reconciliation. Our guiding Scripture is Romans 5:10 (NLT):
"For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son."
This verse unveils the depth of God's love and the transformative power of reconciliation through Jesus Christ.
Today, we will delve into three pivotal aspects:
The Necessity of Reconciliation
The Means of Reconciliation
The Assurance of Salvation through Christ's Life
May the Holy Spirit illuminate our hearts as we journey through these truths.
1. The Necessity of Reconciliation
Understanding Our Enmity with God:
The term "enemies" in Romans 5:10 is translated from the Greek word ?????? (echthroi), meaning those who are hostile or opposed. This signifies that, due to sin, humanity was in active opposition to God.
Colossians 1:21 (NLT): "This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions."
Our sinful nature alienated us from God, not just passively but as active adversaries. Recognizing this enmity is crucial to understanding our need for reconciliation.
Isaiah 59:2 (NLT): "It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore."
Sin creates a chasm between us and God, severing communication and fellowship. Acknowledging this separation is the first step toward seeking restoration.
Imagine a child who, in rebellion, runs away from home, severing ties with loving parents. The parents' hearts ache for the child's return, highlighting the pain of broken relationships. Similarly, our sin caused a rift between us and our Heavenly Father.
Theologian Thomas Chalmers stated, "He who pleadeth for us at God's right hand is omnipotent to save – and willing as He is able."
What a glorious truth Thomas Chalmers captures when he declares, “He who pleadeth for us at God’s right hand is omnipotent to save – and willing as He is able.” This is not just theology—it is hope set ablaze with assurance!
Jesus Christ, seated at the right hand of the Father, is not only able to save because He is all-powerful—omnipotent!—but He is also willing. He is not reluctant, not distant, not indifferent. He intercedes for you and me with both authority and compassion. He has the power to save and the heart to save!
This echoes the glorious truth of Hebrews 7:25 (NLT): “Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.”
Church, our Saviour is not passive—He is our Advocate, our High Priest, our Intercessor. And He is not only capable but completely committed to our redemption and restoration.
So let your heart rest in this truth: The One who died for you now lives to intercede for you—and He will never fail!
2. The Means of Reconciliation
Christ's Death as the Bridge:
Romans 5:10 emphasizes that our reconciliation was achieved "by the death of his Son." The Greek term ?ata???ss? (katallasso) refers to the exchange or restoration of a relationship, signifying that Christ's sacrifice restored our broken relationship with God.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19 (NLT): "And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them."
God initiated reconciliation through Jesus, not counting our sins against us. This underscores the unmerited nature of His grace.
Ephesians 2:13-16 (NLT): "But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ."
The blood of Christ serves as the means by which we are brought near to God, breaking down the barriers erected by sin.
Consider a debt so enormous that repayment is impossible. A benefactor steps in, pays the debt in full, and restores the debtor's freedom. Christ's death paid our insurmountable debt of sin, granting us reconciliation with God.
John Stott said "Reconciliation is not just the restoration of peace between God and us, but the restoration of peace between us and each other."
John Stott's words illuminate a crucial aspect of the gospel: reconciliation in Christ is not a one-dimensional act. While it indeed restores our relationship with God — broken by sin — it also calls us to be agents of peace with one another. Christ's work of reconciliation, symbolised so powerfully in His cross, bridges the greatest divide there ever was: the gulf between sinful humanity and a holy God. Yet, this reconciliation doesn't stop there. It invites us into a deeper community, where the peace of Christ transforms not only our relationship with God but also with each other.
In Ephesians 2:14–16, Paul speaks of Christ as our peace, who has broken down the dividing wall of hostility between Jews and Gentiles. The implications are profound: the peace Christ offers is comprehensive. It reaches into the heart of relationships, mending fractures and bringing unity where there was once division. As we embrace reconciliation with God through Jesus, we are simultaneously called to pursue peace with others, mirroring the grace we’ve received.
Reconciliation, then, is an ongoing work — a ministry entrusted to all believers. We are to be ambassadors of peace, actively seeking to mend relationships and fostering unity in the body of Christ. Just as Jesus reconciled us to the Father at great personal cost, we, too, are called to lay down our rights and extend forgiveness, striving for peace even when it is costly or challenging. The fullness of reconciliation in Christ is not only a personal, vertical reality but also a communal, horizontal one. This is the beauty of the gospel: it restores not just individuals but communities to God’s original intent — living in peace, harmony, and mutual love.
3. The Assurance of Salvation through Christ's Life
Saved by His Life:
While Christ's death reconciled us, His resurrection and ongoing life ensure our salvation. The phrase "we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son" points to the continuous work of Christ on our behalf.
Hebrews 7:25 (NLT): "Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf."
Christ's eternal intercession assures us of ongoing salvation, highlighting the permanence of His priestly role.
John 14:19 (NLT): "Since I live, you also will live."
Our life is intrinsically linked to Christ's life; His resurrection guarantees our spiritual vitality and eternal future.
Picture a legal advocate who not only secures a pardon for a convict but also remains to ensure their successful reintegration into society. Christ not only secured our pardon but continually intercedes to ensure our spiritual growth and perseverance.
What a profound and comforting truth this is: Christ not only secured our pardon but continually intercedes to ensure our spiritual growth and perseverance.
This is the ongoing ministry of our risen Saviour—He didn’t just purchase our forgiveness at the cross and walk away. No! He ascended to the Father’s right hand, and right now, in this very moment, He is interceding for you and for me.
Romans 8:34 (NLT) declares: “Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honour at God’s right hand, pleading for us.”
He pleads not with desperation, but with divine authority. He upholds us when we stumble, He strengthens us when we are weary, and He calls us forward in holiness. His intercession is not just for our salvation—it’s for our sanctification, our transformation, and our perseverance to the end.
As the Puritan theologian John Owen once said, “Christ is more willing to intercede for us than we are to come to Him.”
So take heart, dear friends—your Saviour is not only your Redeemer, He is your relentless Advocate. And He will not let you go. Hallelujah!
Owen's words underscore the boundless grace of Jesus. Our natural inclination, due to sin, is often to withdraw or hesitate in approaching God. Yet, Christ, in His perfect love, is ever eager and willing to stand in the gap on our behalf before the Father.
This truth should bring deep comfort and encouragement to our hearts. In the book of Hebrews, we are reminded that Christ is our High Priest who intercedes for us continually (Hebrews 7:25). His willingness is not contingent upon our worthiness but flows from His mercy and grace. It is a reminder that, despite our reluctance or failure to approach God, Jesus is already there, pleading for us with an urgency that surpasses our understanding.
How often, then, should we come boldly to the throne of grace, knowing that Christ not only invites us but actively intercedes for us? His love for us is immeasurable, and His commitment to our well-being is unwavering. This should propel us to draw near to Him in prayer, knowing that He is always more than ready to meet us with grace, mercy, and compassion.
Conclusion & Call to Action
Church, we've explored:
The Necessity of Reconciliation – Acknowledging our enmity with God due to sin.
The Means of Reconciliation – Embracing Christ's sacrificial death as the bridge to restored relationship.
The Assurance of Salvation through Christ's Life – Trusting in His resurrected life for our ongoing salvation.
Personal Reflection:
Have you recognized the depth of separation sin causes between you and God?
Do you trust wholly in Christ's sacrifice as the means of reconciliation?
Are you living in the assurance that His resurrected life secures your salvation?
Invitation to Faith:
If you have not yet embraced Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, now is the time. Accept the reconciliation offered through His death and the assurance of salvation through His life.
Romans 10:9 (NLT): "If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."
Come forward, embrace this gift of grace, and step into the reconciled relationship God offers through Jesus Christ.
Let us pray.
Final Exhortation and Encouragement:
Beloved, the cross is more than just a symbol of love—it is the very place where our reconciliation was secured. And the empty tomb is more than a sign of victory—it is the guarantee of our eternal security.
Go! And Embrace the Power of Reconciliation!
Do not remain in guilt or shame. Do not wallow in the lie that God cannot forgive or restore you. His Word declares, “while we were still His enemies,” Christ died for us. Now, how much more, as His friends and children, will He continue to save and sustain us!
So I urge you today:
If you are already reconciled to God, go and walk boldly in that reconciliation.
If you are unsure of your standing, go and settle that doubt—come to Jesus today.
If you know someone far from God, go and bring them this message of reconciliation.
Go! And Embrace the Power of Reconciliation.
And remember—Christ has not only restored your friendship with God, He lives to sustain it forever.
Amen.
A Communion Reflection:
As we come to the table of the Lord, we are reminded of the profound reconciliation we have received through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The bread and the cup before us are not mere symbols; they are tangible reminders of the price that was paid to restore us to a right relationship with God.
Through His body, broken for us, and His blood, poured out for us, Jesus tore down the wall of separation caused by our sin. He has made a way where there was no way, drawing us into the presence of the Father with boldness and assurance. As we partake of these elements, let us not only remember the grace extended to us but also recognise the invitation to live as agents of reconciliation in the world around us.
The peace we have with God through Christ is not meant to stay within us; it is meant to flow through us. In this moment of reflection, as we eat the bread and drink the cup, let us ask ourselves: how can we carry this peace into our relationships with others? How can we extend the same forgiveness and grace that Christ has freely given to us?
In this act of Communion, we declare that we are reconciled to God through Christ’s sacrifice, and we commit to living as peacemakers, sharing this gift of reconciliation with a world desperately in need of it. May this moment not only be a remembrance but also a renewal of our calling to be ambassadors of Christ’s peace.
Let us pray together: Lord Jesus, thank You for Your great sacrifice. As we eat this bread and drink this cup, we celebrate the peace we have with You and commit ourselves to be vessels of Your reconciliation in the world. Strengthen us by Your Spirit to live as You have called us, and to be agents of peace in every relationship. In Your name we pray, Amen.
