The doctrine of reconciliation

1. Reconciliation is the first work of God from which man benefits eternally.

2. The removal of this barrier between man and God is called reconciliation in Ephesians 2:16; Colossians 1:20,21; 2 Corinthians 5:18.

3. The cross is the basis for such reconciliation — Colossians 1:20; Ephesians 2:16.

4. In reconciliation the unbeliever is regarded as the enemy of God, the barrier is called “enmity” — Romans 5:10; Colossians 1:21.

5. Believers of the Church Age, therefore, have a ministry of reconciliation — 2 Corinthians 5:18-20.

6. Reconciliation connotes peace between man and God — Ephesians 2:14 cf. 2:16; Colossians 1:20.

7. The peace offering of the Levitical sacrifices portrays reconciliation — Leviticus chapters 3, 6:37,38; 8:15.

8. The mechanics of reconciliation.

a) Sin is removed from the barrier [unlimited atonement — 2 Corinthians 5:14,15,19; 1 Timothy 2:6; 4:10; Titus 2:11; Hebrews 2;9; 2 Peter 2:1; 1 John 2:2; redemption — John 8:31,36; Galatians 3:13; 1 Peter 1:18,19; Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14.

b) The penalty of sin is removed by expiation — Colossians 2:14. Expiation is Christ paying the penalty of sin — Psalm 22:1-6 where Christ is the worm being crushed on our behalf.

c) The problem of physical birth is removed from the barrier by the doctrine of regeneration — John 3:1-18; 1 Peter 1:23; Titus 3:5. When anyone believes in Christ because of the work of the cross he is said to be born again.

d) Human good or relative righteousness is removed from the barrier by two doctrines: the doctrine of imputation and the doctrine of justification. They are entirely different doctrines though closely related because one depends upon the other. At the point of salvation, because of propitiation and the work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross, God imputes to each person who believes His own righteousness [+R]. Once we have +R God then looks at us and says, “Vindicated” or “Justified.” So the possession of +R means vindication at the point of salvation. Imputation — Romans 3:22; 9:30-10:10; Philippians 3:9; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 10:14. Justification — Romans 4:1-5, 25; 5:1; 8:29,30; Titus 3:7; Galatians 2:16.

e) The problem of God’s perfect character. This is removed from the barrier through propitiation — Romans 3:22-26; 1 John 2:1,2.

f) Instead of position in Adam God the Holy Spirit through the baptism of the Spirit takes us at the moment of salvation and enters us into union with Christ so that this item of the barrier is removed. The problem s position in Adam is removed by positional sanctification — 1 Corinthians 15:22; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 1:3-6.

9. Reconciliation at the cross was prophesied in Isaiah 57:19.