So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God—all because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done for us in making us friends of God. Romans 5:11 (NLT)
One of the things that is extremely useful for a Bible student is the art of simplification. Can we sum up a complex teaching in one easy to understand idea?
Christ’s Finished Work is a deep, multi-faceted subject, but I believe we can say that the purpose behind all Jesus accomplished on the cross is contained in the one word, “reconciliation.”
In fact, Paul called the gospel message the “word of reconciliation”.
Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:18-21 (NASB)
Reconciliation restores estranged parties to friendship by removing offenses and settling conflicts.
It doesn’t just happen all by itself. Reconciliation requires someone to take the initiative and the other party to respond. Reconciliation is always a two-way process; whereas, forgiveness can be unilateral.
Why did Christ die? Most people would answer, “So our sins could be forgiven.” But why did our sins need to be forgiven? Many would say, “So we can go to heaven.” These two answers are focused on our needs rather than God’s glory. It is only natural that we think of things from a human perspective, but we need to understand, however, that the gospel and all God does is primarily for His own glorious purposes and secondarily for our benefit. If we are properly aligned with Him, whatever is for His glory will always be for our benefit. Jesus’ motivation to endure the cross was first to please His Father and secondly to save us.
So, if we look at salvation from a more God-centered point of view, the purpose of salvation cannot be merely to get us into heaven. It has more directly to do with God’s pleasure, which was to reconcile us to himself.
God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. Ephesians 1:5 (NLT)
In addition to bringing God pleasure, knowing the Father is our greatest privilege and joy. Father God, or Abba, as Jesus calls Him, is the goal of salvation. He is the summation of all things.
When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all. 1 Corinthians 15:28 (NASB)
As Jesus neared the end of His time here on earth, he told His disciples that he eagerly anticipated His reunion with Abba.
Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again. If you really love me, you will be very happy for me, because now I can go to the Father, who is greater than I am. John 14:28 (NLT)
Jesus came to earth to live and die and rise again for our sake by the will of the Father, but His goal, after accomplishing this service, was to return to His Father to wait until our time arrives to join Him in glory.
Don't be troubled. You trust God, now trust in me. 2 There are many rooms in my Father's home, and I am going to prepare a place for you. If this were not so, I would tell you plainly. 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. John 14:1-3 (NLT)
When we arrive in heaven, it will be Jesus’ honor to show to us the glory He had and has with His Abba, a glory in which we will share as co-regents with Christ! How good and gracious is our God!
Father, I want these whom you've given me to be with me, so they can see my glory. You gave me the glory because you loved me even before the world began! John 17:24 (NLT)
The Father is the kindest and most loving Person we will ever know. Salvation was His plan from the beginning. His heart is so large that He was willing for His only begotten Son to die so that we could be restored to a close relationship with Him.
To be forgiven is one thing, but to be embraced in His loving arms and restored to the full rights of sonship is quite another.
The prodigal son hoped that he would be forgiven and given a place with the servants, but, to his utter amazement, he was fully reconciled to his dad. Jesus told this parable to give us insight into the Father’s heart. Jesus’ ministry, in part at least, is unfolding to us the depths of Abba’s love for us.
No one has ever seen God. But his only Son, who is himself God, is near to the Father's heart; he has told us about him. John 1:18 (NLT)
If you ever want to know Abba better, Jesus is the One to show you. The secret to Christian maturity is a growing revelation of the Father’s love. Paul prayed for the church at Ephesus.
When I think of the wisdom and scope of God's plan, 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 give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit. 17 And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love. 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 really is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Ephesians 3:14-19 (NLT)
Can a person have a loftier or more important goal than knowing the Father and His incredible love? I cannot think of one.
As a result of our being reconciled to Father God, it is extremely important that we pursue reconciliation with family, church members, friends, neighbors, and sometimes even enemies here on earth.
So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, 24 leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God. Matthew 5:23-24 (NLT)
God wants his people to demonstrate here on earth what is true in heaven.
Reconciliation begins with forgiveness, which is a unilateral decision to release someone from any offense or debt they may have incurred against us. If the forgiven person responds to our forgiving them, reconciliation is possible. Often reconciliation also requires confrontation, the pointing out of how that person has offended us.
If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. Matthew 18:15 (NLT)
The goal of confrontation is reconciliation. When we present the gospel, we should understand that we are God’s representatives imploring our hearers to accept God’s offer of forgiveness and reconciliation. To reject such a gracious offer is tantamount to agreeing that we deserve the flames of hell.
There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. 19 And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. John 3:18-19 (NLT)
The reconciliation offered by God through the gospel is his greatest gift to humanity.
To refuse it is to spurn God’s love and invite the destruction that results from being separated from God, who is the source and sustainer of life.
And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted and also for us when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. He will come with his mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire, bringing judgment on those who don’t know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with eternal destruction, forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power. 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 (NLT)
Click here to see the other articles in this series.
Questions for Further Study and Discussion
- How would you simplify the gospel message into one thought? Which of the following is preeminent in your mind?
- Forgiveness
- Redemption
- Justification
- Reconciliation
- Receiving the Holy Spirit
- Resurrection
- Eternal Life
- Ruling and reigning with Christ
- Do you think it accomplishes anything good to ask people to consider God’s perspective on salvation rather than simply focus on the benefits that come to us?
