Reconciled to God

ByJim Stephens

Reading:  2 Corinthians 5; Psalm 14

18 All this newness of life is from God, who brought us back to himself through what Christ did. And God has given us the task of reconciling people to him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. This is the wonderful message he has given us to tell others. 20 We are Christ’s ambassadors, and God is using us to speak to you. We urge you, as though Christ himself were here pleading with you, “Be reconciled to God!” 21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:18-21 NLT)

Reconcile: To reestablish a close relationship after a relationship is damaged or broken. To settle or resolve a conflict or breach between people. Reconciled: For people or groups to become friendly again after an argument. If something is reconciled, then it has been settled. The conflict is ended, the argument is over, the issue is resolved. Reconcile! Reconciled!

God brought us back to himself through what Jesus Christ did: He came to us, he became one of us. He, himself, settled the debt we owed, forgave the sin and rebellion in us, and removed the judgment from us by taking it on himself. He, himself, healed the breach between him and us. The debt is paid, the conflict is ended, the issue is resolved. We’re reconciled to God!

This reconciliation is accomplished by unilateral action of God himself, acting in Christ to reconcile the world (us) to himself! That is the message he has given us to tell others!

God has made us, people who were separated from God, but whom Christ has reconciled to God, ambassadors of his Kingdom, messengers of this good news, and reconcilers of others to God.

This is our message of reconciliation: God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

Prayer:

Father, Thank you for reconciling me, us, the world, to yourself in Christ! Help us keep it simple and keep it true as my friends and I communicate the wonderful message of reconciliation you have given us to tell others. For Jesus’ sake and the Kingdom!