The Realities Of Reconciliation

The Realities of Reconciliation

2 Corinthians 5: 17-21

The passage we have read today is rich in doctrine and blessing for the believer. Through the atoning death of Christ on the cross, providing our redemption, God has reconciled believers to Himself. We have been freed from the bondage of our sin, and made acceptable in the sight of God through Christ. Such a transformation is nothing short of miraculous – so miraculous in fact, we have been made new in Christ. The old man of sin is now dead, and we were raised in newness of life, being totally transformed a new creation in Him.

Paul had experienced this glorious transformation and felt compelled to serve as an ambassador for the Lord, taking the good news of the gospel to all who would hear. Such reconciliation was too marvelous to keep to himself. Paul wanted all to know of the grace of God and the provision now available through the atoning death of Christ.

Within the text, we discover two basic aspects of our reconciliation – the incomprehensible blessings associated with reconciliation and the responsibilities that accompany reconciliation. As we discuss the facets of this divine transaction I want to consider: The Realities of Reconciliation.

I. The Miracle of Reconciliation (17) – Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. Take a moment to consider the enormity of such a statement. Honestly, it is more than we can comprehend. Paul declared those in Christ are now a new creation. The Lord did not merely adjust a few areas within our lives that needed attention – we were made new in Christ. The former things are passed away and all things have now become new. The very essence of our being has been transformed in Christ.

Those born in sin, being dead to God, are now made alive in Christ. Those separated from God, having no relationship with Him, now enjoy fellowship with the Lord. Those once dominated by sin, living only to please the flesh, now seek a life of righteousness in Christ. Those once condemned in sin, facing the penalty of eternal death, are given eternal life. Those once facing eternal judgment in a Christ-less hell are now promised eternity in heaven. What a miracle one experiences being reconciled to God.

II. The Mediator of Reconciliation (18a, 19a) – Paul, along with other writers in Scripture, reveals the plight of mankind. We are all born in sin, separated from God, hopeless to do anything about our situation. Humanity stood in need of one able to deliver us from sin and reconcile us to a holy and righteous God. God Himself, through the incarnation and sacrifice of the only begotten Son, stood as the mediator and personal provider of redemption and reconciliation. Consider:

A. The Source (18a) – And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ…Paul declared all things are of God. He is the Creator and sustainer of the universe and all who inhabit the earth. He created mankind in His own image, choosing to do so in order that we might worship Him and enjoy fellowship with Him. God also knew, prior to creating Adam and the human race, that mankind would fall in sin and need redemption. He knew this would require a perfect sacrifice to atone for our sin, one He alone would be able to provide. We are reconciled to God through the sacrifice of His Son, the second-person of the Godhead. In the midst of man’s hopeless dilemma, God provided the sacrifice necessary to atone for our sin and reconcile us to Himself. God provided for our salvation and reconciliation through the sacrifice of Christ the Son.

B. The Sovereignty (19a) – To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them. One must bear in mind the holy and righteous nature of God. He cannot fellowship with sin. Those who enter His presence, having the privilege of fellowship with Him, must be righteous, absolutely free of sin. There was a major problem for mankind however – due to the fall of Adam, we all were born in sin, lacking the righteousness God demands. We had no way of obtaining the righteousness necessary to commune with God.

In this verse we discover a beautiful aspect of our reconciliation. God alone is holy and righteous. His righteous nature is offended by the sin within humanity. Therefore, we discover that God is the righteous one, the one offended by sin; but in His grace and mercy, God chose to provide the solution for our dilemma. He chose to send His only begotten Son to this world, born of a virgin, free of sin, to die on the cross as the ransom for sin. In providing the perfect, acceptable sacrifice for sin, God chooses to impute, or transfer, the righteousness of His Son, to all who come to Him in salvation. God could have condemned us to a Christ-less eternity; we were guilty and deserving of eternal death. Instead, He chose to redeem and reconcile us to Himself through the offering of His Son. He places the righteousness of Christ on us, receiving the saved by grace just as He does His Son. I stand righteous before God in Christ.