The Five Pillars of Salvation: Part 4 - Reconciliation

In this series of articles, I have written about forgiveness or propitiation, redemption, and justification so far. Forgiveness or propitiation releases us from owing God a sin debt we could never repay. Redemption sets us free from the bondage sin always produces. Justification declares that we are not guilty in God’s eyes. At God’s judgment throne, it will be said that we never committed the sin crime. In fact, it is just the opposite. God will declare us in right standing with him as if we always lived an exemplary life of obedience to him. The subject of this article is reconciliation, which is the means by which God the Father restores us to intimacy with himself.

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. ⁹ And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. ¹⁰ For since our friendship with God [reconciliation] 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. ¹¹ So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has [reconciled] made us friends of God. Romans 5:8-11 (NLT)

It could be said that everything that preceded reconciliation was done in order that God’s born again children might be restored to intimacy with our heavenly Father.

Reconciliation is the means by which God fully accepts us into his family so that we can receive the full benefits of sonship. It is a restoration of trust.

Trust, once it is shattered, is very difficult, perhaps impossible, to restore. We can make a decision to forgive people unconditionally, without their even requesting it or showing any signs of repentance or remorse. Trust, however, can only be repaired over time, with participation from both sides of the relationship. In a sense, it is earned. As the forgiven party proves faithful, the betrayed party may open up again to bring that person close in a trust relationship. I have seen marriages restored in this way. It is a beautiful thing.

However, our Father reconciles us to himself unilaterally, based on the trustworthiness of his Son, not our own. It is a gift beyond all reasonable expectations, one we could never earn or possibly deserve.

Let me give you a practical example of the difference between forgiveness and reconciliation that may help. I hope that none of my readers or listeners will ever have to do this. A relative may choose to visit a jail to declare forgiveness to the murderer of a family member. This releases the offender from any debt owed to the family. Forgiveness can be very freeing to both parties, but it does not mean that the murderer is not guilty or should not be punished by the state. Our personal forgiveness does not release an offender from the verdict and judgment the state may hand down. Neither does it release him or her from God’s justice. However, forgiving such a person does not translate into inviting them over for dinner. We can forgive a completely unrepentant and untrustworthy person, but, hopefully we would never invite such a human being into our home and expose our loved ones to him or her. Astoundingly, however, when God reconciles us to himself through his Son, he opens the door of his heart and welcomes us into the family, the church.

Reconciliation enables us to experience the wonderful depths of Father God’s love for us.

When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, ¹⁵ the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. ¹⁶ I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. ¹⁷ Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. ¹⁸ And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. ¹⁹ May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Ephesians 3:14-19 (NLT)

Reconciliation is what gives us free access into God’s presence. A king would not welcome an untrustworthy enemy into his throne room, but Father God welcomes us former enemies into his.

So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. Hebrews 4:16 (NLT)

Paul even goes so far as to call the gospel the message of reconciliation.

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! ¹⁸ 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. ¹⁹ For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. ²⁰ So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” 2 Corinthians 5:17-20 (NLT)

God’s willingness to reconcile to his former enemies is perhaps the most wonderful and amazing aspect of the gospel. It should make us eternally thankful and never be taken for granted.