The subject of "reconciliation" introduces Christians in a more complete manner to a necessary understanding. God's acts in Jesus' death [the unveiling of the depth of His compassion and mercy] allow people from every culture to return to God. People, of themselves, could do [can do] nothing to heal their alienation from God. Surrender to evil broke the relationship existing between people and God. Only God could do the necessary that permitted reconciliation to occur. While we surely must respond to what God did and does if reconciliation is to occur, reconciliation occurs because of what God did, not because of what we do. God's power makes reconciliation possible. We cannot. If God was not agreeable to reconciliation with us through Christ, we would be helpless to make reconciliation occur.
This lesson is intended to develop or advance a biblical understanding of a Christian's saved relationship with God. Some advocate that a person's salvation is totally God's work given through God's grace. Often those who hold this view declare that a person has no responsibility in regard to his or her salvation. Once in Christ, he or she cannot be removed from a saved relationship with God regardless of how the person lives or what the person does. Those who advance this view commonly cite scriptures that include Ephesians 2:8.
Others advocate that salvation depends on human acts of obedience. While God's role in salvation is recognized, emphasis is placed on human acts. Often those who advocate this view create a perspective that declares, "Salvation is up to me. My human acts determine how I will be judged in the judgment." Those who advance this view commonly cite scriptures that include 2 Corinthians 5:10.
This lesson seeks to combine both concepts. Each concept is biblical, but incomplete of itself. When God forgives a person's sins, places that person in Christ, and clothes that person in Christ, God does what the person cannot do for himself or herself. He or she can respond to what God did in Jesus' death [and must!], but he or she cannot "do" [achieve, produce] for himself or herself what God did for him or her in Jesus' death. Propitiation, atonement, redemption, sanctification, and justification are God's accomplishments in Jesus Christ. While the person who obediently responds to God receives these gifts, he or she in no way "earns" these gifts. Being placed in Christ is an act of God given to the person by God as a gift.
When the person accepts these gifts, he or she enters a covenant of responsibility with God. Because he or she appreciates what God did and continues to do for him or her in Christ, he or she obediently serves God as His person in total surrender to God's sovereignty. As a Christian, he or she will be judged by his or her use of life. This is not [and cannot be] an attempt to justify oneself or to earn salvation. The motivation for this obedient surrender is not an attempt to obligate God, but an expression of appreciation for what God did and does in making salvation available to us in Christ.
The person receives salvation as a gift. His or her life expresses appreciation for the gift by obediently surrendering to God's sovereignty as he or she serves God's purposes. Being in Christ results in a transformation of life. Being in Christ does not condone or promote spiritual irresponsibility.
Reconciliation is a fact to be accepted by faith when our sins are forgiven by God. In gratitude, we become God's obedient people. The motivation for our obedience is to express our gratitude to God for our reconciled relationship. The motivation must never be "earning" relationship with God or rewards from God. Judgment will judge Christians on the basis of their obedient deeds [and attitudes] which expressed gratitude to God for His accomplishments in Jesus Christ. Reconciliation will be a total reality when we are reunited with God for eternity.
The key is the Christian's motivation in his or her obedient surrender. Simply stated, salvation in Christ is a gift given by God to a responsive believer. The obedient service that occurs after receiving the gift is an expression of appreciation for everything God did in reconciliation. Even though reconciled to God, that obedient believer still lives in a world in rebellion to God. The reality of total reconciliation occurs in God's world when we are united with Him.
Use marriage as an illustration. A couple filled with love and appreciation for each other marry. [God had an ideal relationship with man and woman when He created them.] In time, after marriage, the man takes his wife for granted. [Temptation, in different forms, confronted both Eve and Adam in the garden.] Because he takes his wife for granted, he neglects and abuses her. He causes her existence to be miserable. He never assists with 'in home' responsibilities or the kids. He sits around at home selfishly indulging himself. Every room he enters he leaves in a mess. He orders his wife to respond to his wishes. He expresses anger and irritation if she does not respond precisely as he expects. [People rebelled against God by saying 'yes' to evil.] The end result: she reaches a point when continuing to live with him and his abusiveness is not worth it. So, she separates herself from him with no intention of returning. [The impact of evil is a rejection of God's sovereignty. That produces alienation between God and people.]
The husband basically can respond in one of two ways. He can be so selfish, so self-centered, so loveless that this is his attitude: "Good riddance! Who needs her and the kids anyway? My life will be much better without her!" He has no desire for reconciliation and does not seek it.
Or, his wife's departure can powerfully sober him. He realizes his horrible behavior. He realizes he took her for granted and mistreated her. He realizes he drove her away by exploiting her love and faithfulness. With all his being, he wants reconciliation.
Note: the critical issue is not his desire for reconciliation, but her desire for reconciliation. If the 'wronged person' is not willing for reconciliation to happen, reconciliation cannot happen. Only through her kindness, grace, and love can the opportunity for reconciliation occur, no matter how deeply he yearns for it. [People 'wronged' God by rejecting His sovereignty when they said 'yes' to evil. Some want no reconciliation. Others want it deeply. However, reconciliation does not depend on the desire of those who 'wronged' God, but on God's willingness for reconciliation to occur.]
If the wife reenters a restored marriage relationship with her husband, she does not expect the reconciled relationship to be the old abusive relationship. If he is neglectful, abusive, angry, demanding, unhelpful, and irritable toward her, the result is predictable. Reconciliation will fail. Her patience and forgiveness have limits. If he deeply appreciates reconciliation, and demonstrates appreciation through thoughtful acts and attitudes, helpfulness, expressions of love, respect, and patience, their marriage will know success unknown prior to reconciliation.
The parallel between marital reconciliation in western cultures and our spiritual reconciliation with God is not an exact parallel. Its purpose, like Jesus' parables, is to provide an insight. In cultures where marital separation cannot occur, this illustration does not provide reconciliation insights. The primary point: reconciliation anticipates and expects new forms of attitudes and behavior after reconciliation occurs. Reconciliation is followed by reconciliation behavior. Reconciliation behavior is not temporary response, but a maturing and unending reality.
As noted in lesson seven, God did not save us so we could continue living a lifestyle ruled and controlled by evil. Stated another way, God did not extend us reconciliation for us to continue living and thinking like those people who are not reconciled to God. Reconciliation to God demands a 'renewing of the mind' which produces a completely different life (Romans 12:1,2). In reconciliation, God creates us again. We are created by God through Christ to 'put on the new self' created in God's likeness to exhibit His righteousness and the holiness of truth (Ephesians 4:24). Reconciled people are to be renewed to a true knowledge that comes from the image of the One who created him or her (Colossians 3:10).
There is much emphases to Christians in the New Testament epistles that salvation results in a new type of thinking and a new type of conduct. We are not saved to be "the same person" but to become in Christ a "different person."
Reconciliation must express itself in changed attitudes, emotions, and behavior. If reconciliation to God is not followed by changed attitudes, emotions, and behavior, at some point the person reconciled to God again will alienate himself or herself from God (2 Peter 2:20-22, noting the statement's context).
The primary point: if reconciliation does not result in a new way to think, feel, and behave, one will revert to the existence governed by the thoughts, feelings, and behavior that controlled the person before reconciliation occurred.
Reconciliation to God does not take a person out of the physical world in rebellion against God's sovereignty. Reconciliation to God does not remove a person from his or her temptable physical body. Reconciliation to God means the person surrenders to God's sovereignty as he or she lives in a world rebelling against God's sovereignty. Reconciliation's peace is not experienced in a physical existence free from struggle. In fact, reconciliation to God places the person 'out of step' with a world rebelling against God. The peace comes (1) from knowing that ultimately he or she who acknowledges God's sovereignty will experience 'good' (Romans 8:28) and (2) from knowing that nothing that occurs in this rebellious world can separate the reconciled from God's love (Romans 8:31-39).
Reconciliation to God never promises or guarantees a physical life free from struggle. Through reconciliation's understandings, the person surrenders to God's sovereignty. Yet, he or she still lives in a world that rebels against God's sovereignty. The more completely (maturely) he or she acknowledges God's sovereignty in his or her life, the more he or she is in conflict with a world that rejects God's sovereignty. Increased dependence on God commonly results in increased struggles in many areas of existence. Evil has no intention of allowing God's reconciled to experience the common aspirations of physical peace while living in a world that rejects God's sovereignty by embracing evil.
Christians will be judged by Christ on the basis of how their deeds demonstrated their appreciation of reconciliation. They express appreciation through their dedication to God's priorities. The core of God's priorities focus on the treatment they extend to other people (consider Matthew 23:23,24; 25:31-46; Romans 14 noting verses 10-12; 2 Corinthians 5:10.)
God's eternal judgment before Jesus Christ's throne is not based on "human deservedness produced through human acts." It is based on reconciliation behavior that reflects (1) appreciation of what God did in Jesus' death and resurrection and (2) acknowledgment of God's sovereignty through focusing on and pursuing God's purposes in this world.
Consider 2 Corinthians 5:20,21. First, note that Paul wrote this to Christians in Corinth. Second, note their reconciliation to God was a continuing responsibility, not a 'one time event.' Third, note Paul emphasized their failure to understand salvation's objective. He urged these Christians to be reconciled to God. Their behavior had not reflected their salvation. They could be God's righteousness as redeemed people only because God, who was 'wronged,' made Jesus "to be sin" in his sacrificial death. Paul urged them not to receive God's grace in vain (2 Corinthians 6:1, remembering the chapter and verse divisions were made about 1500 years after Paul wrote this letter).
Note their behavior opposed their salvation. They did not think, feel, or behave like reconciled people. They had to understand and address this situation.
Discussion question: link reconciliation at salvation, after salvation, and in eternity.
Make the link simple to intensify understanding. (1) Salvation is given by God and accepted by the responsive believer as a gift. (2) The obedient, submissive believer expresses/demonstrates/reveals appreciation for what God did and does for him or her in Christ by changing thinking, emotions, and behavior. (3) The believer who is alive in Christ and reconciled to God still lives in a world that rebels against God's sovereignty. Total reconciliation occurs when that person lives with God in His world.
Link to Student Guide
Lesson 8