"The work of reconcilliation, in the sense of the New Testament, is a work which is finished, and which we must conceive to be finished, before the gospel is preached....Reconcilliation...is not something which is being done; it is something which is done. No doubt there is a work of Christ which is in process, but it has as its basis a finished work of Christ. It is in virtue of something already consummated on his cross that Christ is able to make the appeal to us which he does, and to win the response in which we receive the reconcilliation."
(James Denney)
"God was in Christ reconcilling," actually reconcilling, finishing the work. It was not a tentative, preliminary affair....Reconcilliation was finished in Christ's death. Paul did not preach a gradual reconcilliation. He preached what the old divines used to call the finished work....He preached something done once for all-a reconcilliation which is the base of every soul's reconcilement, not an invitation only."
(P.T. Forsyth)
How glorious to consider that we have been reconcilled to God! His just wrath toward sinners has been fully satisfied in Christ! Peace has been declared and we are told to lay hold of this glorious peace and Christ-wrought, completed, reconcilliation by faith. Truly, it is finished, the battle is over! Let us rejoice in our great salvation and reconcilliation.
3 comments:
Tom,
It is truly amazing to me that you posted on this today. I could not sleep last night as I pondered the text for my sermon tomorrow.
2 Corinthians 5:16-21 MKJV
(16) So as we now know no one according to flesh, but even if we have known Christ according to flesh, yet now we no longer know Him so.
(17) So that if any one is in Christ, that one is a new creature; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
(18) And all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
(19) whereas God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and putting the word of reconciliation in us.
(20) Then we are ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as God exhorting through us, we beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
(21) For He has made Him who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
My focus was on two things. First, the exclusive and inclusive words in this text. ("all" and "no man")
Second on the verb tenses.
Actually, I had to back up to verses 14 and 15. Jesus died for all therefore all died so that all can live toward Christ. Therefore, we see no man according to the flesh.
We have been given a ministry of reconciliation, God has (past tense) reconciled all men to himself. Therefore we are to be reconciled to God (present tense)
So we beseech all men, "be reconciled to God"
My thought on this does not follow normal Calvinism, I know. But here is how I understand it. The price has been paid for all. Done deal, paid in full. All sins (plural) have been paid for. However, there is one sin that cannot be forgiven. That sin is rejecting so great a salvation. Everyone who goes to hell will be there because they would not be reconciled to God.
Pretty long comment, I know. I plan on laying out my thoughts more precisely in a post soon.
I have been praying for you, hope you are well.
Craig
Thanks again for your prayers Craig. I am doing much better! It is amazing how the Spirit lays topics upon our hearts that He is simultaneously dealing with another brother or sister about! What really grabbed me about this particular consideration of reconcilliation was the fact of its finality, that is, the substitutionary work of Christ on the cross effectivly removed the wrath of God toward us and declares to us that the way to God is open and freely accessible!
God in Christ has reconcilled Himself to us by propitiating His own just demands that had left us under His righteous anger and wrath, but, that wrath has been taken away and there is now no barrier on God's side toward any who will receive, by faith, the truth of this gift of reconcilliation!
Thanks much Ron for the encouragement!
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