“And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight.” (Colossians 1:21-22 NKJV)
In a word, the ministry of Jesus Christ could be described as the ministry of “reconciliation.” The Lord Jesus came down to reconcile or restore all things to God, whether on earth or in heaven (2 Cor. 5:18-19, Col. 1:19-22).
Why did all things need to be reconciled to God?
Because all things were corrupted, alienated, or estranged from God through Adam’s disobedience!
Through Adam, sin entered the world; through sin, corruption and death entered the world and spread to the entire creation. In Adam, we all became corrupted, dead, alienated, or estranged from God (Romans. 5:12, 8:19-23, 1 Cor. 15:21-22).
As sinners, we are enemies of God and estranged from His holy presence. We are also the objects of God’s wrath, for the Justice of God demands sinners’ punishment, and therefore, the Scripture refers to sinners as “children of wrath” (Ephesians. 2:3 NKJV).
Not only did our sins separate, alienate, or estrange us from God, but our sins also qualified us for the fierce wrath of God. Our sins brought on us double tragedies!
We can do nothing on our own to be reconciled to God. But out of His great love for us, though we are sinners and enemies to God, God sent His Son to be a Mediator between the holy God and sinful men.
Although we are sinners and enemies of God by nature and thus estranged from God, out of His great love for us, God made a move to reconcile or restore us to Himself. Our reconciliation originated with God. God accomplished it and then offered it to us as a gift.
How did God reconcile sinful men (His enemies) to Himself?
Through the death of His Son, Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:8-10, 2 Cor. 5:18-19).
The Lord Jesus came into the world as a Mediator between God and men primarily to fulfill the ministry of reconciliation (John 17:4).
The Mediator’s unique work is to abolish the enmity or hostility between God and men, remove the sin barrier between the holy God and the sinful men, bring near the estranged evil men to the blessed God, and restore the fallen men into favor with God.
The only means by which the Mediator could fulfill His ministry of reconciliation is by giving Himself as a ransom or an offering for the sinful men. Why?
Because the Justice of God to punish sinners must be satisfied!
The Mediator (the Lord Jesus Christ) was offered as an atoning sacrifice or propitiation for our sins on the cross. Only on this basis can sinful men be reconciled to God.
Paul writes, “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” (1 Tim. 2:5-6 NKJV).
“And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight.” (Col. 1:21-22 NKJV).
Christ’s propitiation or atonement for our sins is the only basis for our reconciliation with God. The death of Christ on the cross fully satisfied the demand for God’s justice to punish sinners and the need for God’s mercy to forgive and justify sinners.
At the cross of Christ, God’s justice kissed God’s mercy; both were fully expressed and fully satisfied. Hallelujah!
The Lord Jesus abolished the enmity or hostility between the holy God and sinful men in His flesh (Eph. 2:15). He made peace between God and men through the blood of His cross (Col. 1:20).
Therefore, Paul writes, “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation.” (Eph. 2:13-14 NKJV).
Jesus offered Himself an atoning sacrifice or propitiation for our sins on the cross and completed His work as the Mediator between God and men. He fulfilled His ministry of reconciliation (John 17:4).
That is why before Christ yielded up His Spirit on the cross, He said, “It is finished!” (John 19:30 NKJV). Glory!
Beloved, Christ has reconciled you to God, having wholly abolished the hostility between God and you in His flesh through His death on the cross. Therefore, your sins can no longer separate, alienate, or estrange you from God.
God is no longer far from you; you have been brought near to God by the blood of Christ. God is no longer your enemy; He is now your friend. God is no longer angry or mad with you. God no longer sees you as His enemy. You are no longer the object of God’s wrath.
What, then, should you do?
Be reconciled to God!
Receive God’s hand of friendship extended to you!
How?
Believe in the Mediator, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself as a ransom so that you may be reconciled with God!
Put your faith in Christ and His finished work of reconciliation and confess Him as your personal Lord and Saviour (Romans. 10:8-10).
Having been reconciled to God, don’t keep the good news to yourself; instead, spread this wonderful message of reconciliation to others.
God has given you the ministry of reconciliation. You are responsible for teaching, preaching, and explaining this good news of reconciliation to the world.
Paul aptly testifies to this truth in his epistle to the Corinthians.
2 Corinthians 5:18-21 – NKJV
18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,
19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.
21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Find out more about the blessings of the Ministry of Jesus in the second part of this piece!
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for making a move to reconcile me to Yourself through the Mediator, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for me. I put my whole trust in Christ today and confess Him as my Lord and Saviour, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Our mandate is to Preserving the faith of the Apostolic Generation.
Eniyekpemi Fidelis Oyinpreyebi.
AWH, Blogs.
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