A Study on RECONCILIATION
By Lucien LeSage
I) INTRODUCTION: The importance of the Word of God.
Lu 4:4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man
shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
Every word: not every song, play, etc.
You can learn a lot by understanding what a verse does not say,
and comparing scripture with scripture.
Jesus said again:
Joh 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh
profiteth nothing: the WORDS that I speak unto you, [they]
are spirit, and [they] are life.
They are the bread of life but only bread to a live person.
That is one who is in possession of spiritual life.
If Jesus said that we MUST worship God in Spirit and in Truth
(Joh 4:24) and also that God's Word was Truth, then how can we
possibly worship God without it?
a) When Churches spend more time on everything else than on the
Word of God, there is something wrong.
b) The Word of God should be the main focus of attention in the
worship service.
c) You cannot separate Jesus Christ from the Word of God.
He is the Word of God. The Bible is a revelation of Him, so
to leave it out is to leave Christ out.
No wonder he told the Church of Laodicea, "Behold, I
stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and
open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him,
and he with me."
II) DEFINITION of Reconciliation:
a) American Heritage Dictionary, definition:
1) To settle or resolve, as a dispute.
2) To establish friendship between.
3) To bring (oneself) to accept.
4) To make compatible or consistent: "reconcile my way of
thinking with yours."
b) Gill says, "Reconciliation implies a former state of
friendship, a breach of the friendship, and a making it up
again."
Of course this former state of friendship was in Adam.
c) Example: Two parties (men) have become angry at each other
and are a odds with each other. Then perhaps some mediator
comes in and brings the two sides back together. Maybe
payment is made by one party to the other to compensate for
a loss, etc. But the two parties become friends again and
are said to be reconciled.
NOTE: Many times you hear about men who claim to have made
their peace with God before they died. Is it that simple?
Can a man approach God and just decide to make peace with
Him, and God just accepts that?
d) Reconcile a bank statement. Cause both columns to be equal
or to agree with each other AGAIN.
One of the Greek words translated reconcile in the New
Testament is katallage {kat-al-lag-ay'}, which was
translated reconciliation twice, atonement once, and
reconciling once. This word is from another Greek word
katallasso {kat-al-las'-so}, which was translated reconcile
all six times that it appears in the New Testament.
The definition for the Greek words are:
1) exchange: as coins for others of equivalent value
1a) of the business of money changers, exchanging
equivalent values
2) ADJUSTMENT OF A DIFFERENCE, reconciliation, restoration
to favour
III) RECONCILIATION: There is a part that is God-ward and a part
that is man-ward as we shall see.
NOTE: Many times you hear about men who claim to have made
their peace with God before they died. Is it that simple?
Can a man approach God and just decide to make peace with
Him, and God just accepts that?
QUESTION: Does this man's faith look to his peace treaty
that he has made with God, or should it look to
something else? Something MUCH MORE?
IT MIGHT BE ADDED: God is NOT the offender at all here, but
we are, and He does not need to be reconciled to us,
rather we need to be reconciled to Him.
2Co 5:18 And ALL THINGS [ARE] OF GOD, who hath reconciled us to
himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of
reconciliation;
(Added note: God reconciled us, according to this verse;
but in Eph 2:15-16 and Col 1:21-22 it says that Christ
reconciled us; which shows that the Father and the Son are
ONE, not one person, but two persons in ONE God.)
a) Balancing the ledger, and the foundation of it: How is the
ledger adjusted? How is the difference settled? Some people
think that if their good works out weigh their bad on the
scales of justice then all is ok. This is not the case. If a
man owed 1000 dollars and paid 501 the banker would not say
all is ok. Besides, the sinner is spiritually bankrupt and
has nothing to present but filthy rags (Isa 64:6).
1) Our sins were charged, or imputed to Christ:
2Co 5:21 For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who
knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of
God in him.
{ Might does not mean possibly but speaks of a sure
thing. }
Heb 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of
many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear
the second time without sin unto salvation.
1Pe 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body
on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live
unto righteousness: BY whose STRIPES ye WERE healed.
2) Example: A man goes to the bank and pays another man's
debt. Does the banker still require the debt from the one
who before owed?
3) How can God be just, demanding payment for sin, yet be
merciful?
How can His justice and holiness be reconciled with His
mercy and love and grace?
Ps 85:10 Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness
and peace have kissed [each other].
HOW CAN IT BE WHEN ALL OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS IS FILTHY RAGS?
In the PERSON of JESUS CHRIST!
Justice and mercy only meet in Christ!
b) Did Christ's sacrificial death ALONE atone for sin, or does
something have to be added to make it effective? Did
Christ's death, ONLY make expiation of sin POSSIBLE?
You will never find in the scriptures where it only makes it
possible.
Was not his death and suffering VICARIOUS and EFFICACIOUS?
FACT: Faith has an object that it looks to.
QUESTION: What is the OBJECT of our faith? Is it faith in
itself in anyway, or is it totally in Jesus Christ and what
He has done?
Here is the real issue and why men reject a particular
atonement.
Isa 53:11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, [and]
SHALL BE SATISFIED: by his knowledge shall my righteous
servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
1) Notice it DOES NOT say, "He shall see of the travail of
his soul, and OUR faith and repentance [and] shall be
satisfied."
2) Why SHALL the many be justified? "for he shall bear their
iniquities." Nothing else is added! Not even our faith
is mentioned here, or repentance, which are both
necessary.
3) Why is God satisfied? "He shall see of the travail of
his soul." Nothing else is added!
4) Notice it is the "many" who shall be justified.
5) This act is God-ward - that is toward His justice
Heb 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but BY
his own blood he entered in once into the holy place,
HAVING OBTAINED eternal redemption [for us].
QUESTION: He obtained eternal redemption for US by WHAT?
By His OWN blood!
Heb 1:3 Who being the brightness of [his] glory, and the
express image of his person, and upholding all things by
the word of his power, when he had by himself PURGED our
sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
1) How many of our sins were purged?
All of them (sins).
If the sin of unbelief was not included then they
would not be purged.
What if we sin again after we are saved?
We should confess our sins, but there is no more
sacrifice for sins according to Hebrews 10:26.
What if we forget to confess one of them?
Confession of sin has to do with restoring fellow-
ship and not salvation.
2) What does purged mean?
Wash them away completely!
3) When were they purged according to this verse?
At the cross, because he then sat down afterwards.
4) Who purged them?
God's Son (previous verse). Christ!
5) Was it with any help?
"By himself"
Ga 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law,
being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed [is]
every one that hangeth on a tree:
1) How were we redeemed from the curse of the law?
Christ was made a curse for us.
2) Then they receive the blessings of it through faith.
c) If God has purposed to save us through Jesus Christ, then
will his purpose fail in any way?
Isa 14:24 The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I
have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have
purposed, [so] shall it stand:
Isa 14:27 For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall
disannul [it]? and his hand [is] stretched out, and who
shall turn it back?
1) Since he does as he purposes.
Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance,
being predestinated according to the purpose of him who
worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
2Ti 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called [us] with an holy
calling, not according to our works, but according to
his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ
Jesus before the world began,
NOTE: We are not believing on Christ because we decided
to, but because God purposed it before the world began.
d) What caused God to be SATISFIED?
Ro 5:10 For if, WHEN WE WERE ENEMIES, we were reconciled to
God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled,
we shall be saved by his life.
1) It was the death of his Son
2) It does not say BECAUSE WE WERE ENEMIES, but WHEN. It
does not say WHEN WE BELIEVED, but WHEN WE WERE ENEMIES.
God was satisfied (we were reconciled to God) when we were
still enemies of God. This would be before we believed
and trusted Christ.
This was God-ward, satisfying His justice.
3) Notice also that these who are reconciled by Christ's
death, while they were yet enemies, SHALL BE SAVED by
his life.
Christ's last saying: SARCASM - Just before Jesus bowed his
head and gave up the ghost he said, "I have done my part,
now if they will only do their part and believe." NO, a
thousand time NO! He said, "IT IS FINISHED!"
Joh 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar,
he said, IT IS FINISHED: and he bowed his head, and gave
up the ghost.
"When he had by himself purged our sins..." (Heb 1:3)
"But by his own blood he entered in once into the holy
place, having obtained eternal redemption [for us]." (Heb
9:12).
He finished the work that the Father had given Him to do. He
gave His life a ransom for many (Mt 20:28).
Isa 53:11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, [and]
shall be SATISFIED: by his knowledge shall my righteous
servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
1) It was the travail of Christ's soul
2) The grounds for their justification was the fact that
Christ bear their iniquities, and nothing else.
It does not even say that they shall be justified because
they were elected, though they were. The focus is the
travail of Christ's soul on THEIR behalf, as their
substitute.
JUSTIFY in the Hebrew:
(Hiphil)
1d1) to do or bring justice (in administering law)
1d2) to declare righteous, justify
1d3) to justify, vindicate the cause of, SAVE
1d4) to MAKE righteous, turn to righteousness
3) Who are justified? The "many" and all of the "many" are
justified.
4) When the Bible speaks of justification by faith it is
not that faith satisfied the law but is a declaration or
proof that the one who has faith is declared not guilty.
It is a declaration as in a court of law that he is not
guilty. He is justified. Why, because Jesus bore it all
in his place.
e) There is an enmity on the part of God to them. They have
broken God's law and are enemies according to the law. The
soul that sinneth shall surely die.
How is this enmity changed to peace?
Eph 2:16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one
body by the cross, HAVING SLAIN THE ENMITY thereby:
1) Might does NOT mean "maybe so."
2) It was Christ's death that slew the enmity.
3) Is the enmity slain for those who are cast into hell
fire?
Eph 2:15 Having ABOLISHED IN HIS FLESH THE ENMITY, [even]
the law of commandments [contained] in ordinances; for to
make in himself of twain one new man, [so] making peace;
Col 1:20 And, having MADE PEACE THROUGH THE BLOOD OF HIS
CROSS, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by
him, [I say], whether [they be] things in earth, or things
in heaven.
In Colossians 2:14 we are told that Jesus took the hand-
writing of ordinances that were against His people and
nailed them to his cross.
"Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against
us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way,
nailing it to his cross;" (Col 2:14).
f) If the atonement is the grounds for reconciliation and it
absolutely accomplished it then we have a dilemma for many.
For whose sins did Christ atone?
1) The ungodly and enemies of God:
Ro 5:6 For when we were yet WITHOUT STRENGTH, in due
time Christ died for the UNGODLY.
Not little strength but WITHOUT strength (dead).
a) If a man is ever saved he will know that he is
ungodly.
b) We saw in Ro 5:10 that when we were ENEMIES Christ
died for us.
2) The sheep:
Joh 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd
giveth his life for the SHEEP.
Joh 10:15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the
Father: and I lay down my life for the SHEEP.
a) He told the Pharisees that they believed not because
they were not of his sheep (Joh 10:26)
3) God's people, or the children of God:
Isa 53:8 He was taken from prison and from judgment:
and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut
off out of the land of the living: for the
transgression of MY PEOPLE was he stricken.
a) This verse explains who the "we"s, the "our"s and
the "us all"s are in the previous 7 verses.
Mt 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt
call his name JESUS: for HE SHALL SAVE his people
from their sins.
a) Who did he come to save? HIS PEOPLE!
b) The Bible did not say that he would try or make it
possible, but that he would do it.
HOW WAS HE GOING TO SAVE HIS PEOPLE FROM THEIR SINS?
JOH 11:51 And this spake he not of himself: but being
high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus
should DIE for that nation; 52 And not for that
nation only, but that also he should gather together
in one the CHILDREN OF GOD that were scattered
abroad.
a) Notice: Christ's DEATH will BRING ABOUT and
WILL ACCOMPLISH the gathering of the children of
GOD which were YET scattered.
b) The objects are the CHILDREN OF GOD that are
scattered throughout ALL NATIONS, the WORLD, and
that were GIVEN to Him.
c) They are called the Children of God before they
are saved in time. They are the children of God in
election.
4) The SEED of Christ:
Isa 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he
hath put [him] to grief: when thou shalt make his
soul an offering for sin, he shall see [his] SEED, he
shall prolong [his] days, and the pleasure of the
LORD shall prosper in his hand.
READ Ps 89:27-34
a) His first born is Christ.
b) The covenant is with him.
c) The objects of the covenant are his seed and his
children.
d) They are kept but chastised on the grounds of the
covenant made with his first born.
a) Called the seed of Abraham in Hebrews:
Heb 2:16 For verily he took not on [him the nature of]
angels; but he took on [him] the seed of Abraham.
5) The MANY who are justified:
Isa 53:11 He shall see of the travail of his soul,
[and] shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my
righteous servant justify MANY; for he shall bear
THEIR iniquities. 12 Therefore will I divide him [a
portion] with the great, and he shall divide the
spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his
soul unto death: and he was numbered with the
transgressors; and he bare the sin of MANY, and made
intercession for the transgressors.
a) Notice the many SHALL BE justified and it was the
same MANY that he bare the sin of.
Mt 20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be
ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his
life a ransom for MANY.
Mt 26:28 For this is my blood of the new testament,
which is shed for MANY for the remission of sins.
Mr 10:45 For even the Son of man came not to be
ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his
life a ransom for MANY.
Mr 14:24 And he said unto them, This is my blood of the
new testament, which is shed for MANY.
6) The ELECT or children given to Christ:
Ro 8:33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's
ELECT? [It is] God that justifieth. 34 Who [is] he
that condemneth? [It is] CHRIST THAT DIED, yea
rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right
hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
a) Notice, nothing can be laid to the charge of God's
elect. The grounds for this is Christ's death,
resurrection, and intercession.
b) It is impossible to condemn those for whom Christ
died.
c) Their security is founded on the love of God (see
rest of chapter).
Joh 17:2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh,
that he should give eternal life to as many as thou
hast given him.
7) Not a particular race: The whole world (all without
distinction): The world reconciled:
a) The Jews had an idea that they were the only ones who
were God's people. But John tells the Jewish
believers:
1Jo 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and
not for ours only, but also for [the sins of] the
whole world.
Gill's comments: "That is, not for the Jews only,
for John was a Jew, and so were those he wrote
unto, but for the Gentiles also. Nothing is more
common in Jewish writings than to call the
Gentiles the world."
THE WHOLE WORLD: The old testament saints, all
those who would believe in the future, the
Gentiles also which would include men of every
ethnic group (human race), tongue, and nation.
PROPITIATION: Means to appease the wrath of. God
is satisfied and there is no wrath toward those
for whom the propitiation has been made.
b) A world that is reconciled:
2Co 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling
the world unto himself, NOT IMPUTING their
trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the
word of reconciliation.
a) Notice this world does not have its sins imputed
to them, that is they are not charged with them,
and therefore because of this, this same world is
reconciled.
COMPARE: Can not mean all men WITHOUT EXCEPTION.
Ps 32:2 Blessed [is] the man unto whom the LORD
imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit
[there is] no guile.
Ro 4:8 Blessed [is] the man to whom the Lord will
not impute sin.
If ALL MEN WITHOUT EXCEPTION have their sins cast
as far as the east is to the west, then why does
Paul say to Timothy:
"Some men's SINS are open beforehand, going
before to JUDGEMENT; and some [men] they follow
after." (1Ti 5:24)
How can their SINS (plural) go before them to
judgment if they were already judged in
Christ?
Jesus told the Pharisees:
Joh 8:21 Then said Jesus again unto them, I go
my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die
in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come.
Psalms about Judas:
Read Ps 109:6-14
Verse 7, He is judged, condemned and his
prayer is sin.
Verse 14, the iniquity of his fathers are to
be remembered before the Lord and the sin of
his mother is not to be blotted out.
Joh 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto
him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which TAKETH
AWAY the sin of the world.
a) Did not say that he made the taking away
possible, but took it away.
b) Take away: Means to pick up and carry it off,
just as the scapegoat figuratively carried the
sins of Israel into the wilderness. As far as the
east is from the west.
c) A proper study of the word "world" will show that it
does not mean all men without exception.
Example:
Joh 17:9 I pray for them: I pray not for the WORLD,
but for them which thou hast given me; for they
are thine.
g) The part that is MAN-WARD, and which is of GRACE:
If Christ really did satisfy God's Holy justice, and has
slain the enmity by his death on the cross as the scriptures
declare, then does God leave the other half of our salvation
undone and left up to us? When I say other half, I mean the
enmity that exists in our minds toward God. The opposite side
of the same coin.
The effects of Christ making reconciliation by his death
DEMANDS the following:
1) Effectual call of the objects of the atonement those
who were reconciled by Christ's death.
The quickening of dead sinners who were chosen in Christ.
2) Faith and Repentance granted to the objects.
FAITH is the CHANNEL by which we receive reconciliation
on our end. "Be ye reconciled to God." (2Co 5:20)
REPENTANCE is a NEW mind, that is a TURNED mind, that
is no longer at enmity with God. The evidence of it.
3) A new nature or new heart must be given because the old
one is desperately wicked and has a mind that is enmity
against God.
4) Sanctification by the Spirit (progressive)
5) Eventual glorification
OTHERWISE the death of Christ becomes of none effect.
1) Why is an effectual call necessary if there is to be
reconciliation?
The sinner's mind is enmity against God, so therefore
the enmity there must be reconciled, but it goes further
than that (Total Depravity).
Ro 8:7 Because the carnal mind [IS] enmity against
God: for it is NOT SUBJECT to the law of God,
NEITHER indeed CAN BE. 8 So then they that are in
the flesh CANNOT PLEASE God. 9 But ye are not in
the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the
Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not
the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
a) The carnal mind IS enmity, the opposite of being
reconciled.
The whole being of it is enmity. It doesn't just
contain enmity, but IS enmity against the very
God of heaven.
b) It is not subject to the law of God. The carnal
mind will not obey and be put under the control
of the law of God. The law of God is contrary to
the carnal mind therefore it has no desire in
the heart for it. It does not cherish it at all.
c) It goes further! Oh Yes, the carnal mind is not
subject to God's laws, but now the scriptures
give an impossibility, "neither indeed can be."
Which means that those in the flesh "CANNOT"
please God.
But what if it wants to please God? Don't worry,
it will not want to. It's "want to" is broke.
It's dead!
d) All men have this problem unless the Spirit of
Christ dwells in them, and this only happens in
those that have been regenerated.
e) So we have another DILEMMA! If a man must come
to Christ, and everything about the TRUE Christ
is enmity to the carnal mind, then how can he
come?
Joh 6:44 NO MAN CAN come to me, except the Father
which hath sent me DRAW him: and I will raise him up
at the last day.
( Not that NO MAN MAY, BUT NO MAN CAN, or has the
ability )
{ notice: the ones that are drawn are raised up at
the last day - eternal security.}
Joh 6:65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that
NO MAN CAN come unto me, except it were GIVEN unto
him of my Father. 66 From that [time] many of his
disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
a) In our two verses here we see that man's will is
not free to come to Christ, but rather is in
bondage to man's nature. The will only reflects
what is in the heart. Jesus said that, "If the
Son therefore shall make you FREE, ye shall be
FREE indeed" (Joh 8:36).
b) Therefore, if it is impossible with man, then God
must do the drawing and calling, and God's call
is effectual to the elect.
The saved are called:
Heb 9:15* And for this cause he is the mediator
of the new testament, that by means of death,
for the redemption of the transgressions
[that were] under the first testament, they
which are called might receive the promise of
eternal inheritance.
2Ti 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called [us] with
an holy calling, not according to our works,
but according to his own purpose and grace,
which was given us in Christ Jesus before the
world began,
2Th 2:14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel,
to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord
Jesus Christ.
READ Romans 8:28-30; 9:23-24 and 1Co 1:22-29.
c) None seek after God:
Ro 3:11 There is none that understandeth, there
is none that seeketh after God.
2) Faith and Repentance must happen: Internal enmity must
be reconciled.
a) Repentance a must:
Lu 13:3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye
shall all likewise perish.
Repentance is a turning because of a change in the
mind. The carnal mind is enmity to God and cannot
and will not obey his laws.
Heb 10:16 This [is] the covenant that I will make
with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will
put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds
will I write them;
b) Repentance is given:
2Ti 2:25 In meekness instructing those that oppose
themselves; if God peradventure will give them
repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
c) Faith is a must:
Joh 8:24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall
die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am
[he], ye shall die in your sins.
d) We are justified by faith: Justified means to be
DECLARED just.
The Lexicon says about justified:
1) to RENDER righteous or such he ought to be
Example: The jury rendered its verdict.
To Pronounce
2) to SHOW, exhibit, evince, one to be
righteous, such as he is and wishes himself
to be considered
3) to DECLARE, PRONOUNCE, one to be just,
righteous, or such as he ought to be
Ro 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is
justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
{ The object of that faith is Jesus Christ and
his sacrifice, and not faith itself. }
Ro 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have
PEACE with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
{ If there is to be peace on our end then it must
come by faith. Faith is the channel by which
the blessings of what Christ has done for us
flow into our minds. We receive them by faith.}
d) Faith is given:
Php 1:29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of
Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to
suffer for his sake;
3) A new nature or new heart must be given:
a) There is a problem with the heart of man: The
internal enmity must be changed. The carnal mind is
enmity against God. But lets get to the HEART of the
matter.
Jesus said:
Mr 7:21 For from within, out of the heart of men,
proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications,
murders, 22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness,
deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy,
pride, foolishness: 23 All these evil things
come from within, and defile the man.
God said through Jeremiah the prophet:
Jer 17:9 The heart [is] deceitful above all
[things], and desperately wicked: who can know
it?
God also said:
Ge 8:21 And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and
the LORD said in his heart, I will not again
curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the
imagination of man's HEART [is] evil from his
youth; neither will I again smite any more every
thing living, as I have done.
b) If man's heart is desperately wicked then God must
give a new heart if man is to come to him:
Eze 11:19 And I will give them one heart, and I will
put a new spirit within you; and I will take the
stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them
an heart of flesh:
c) The believer is a new creation:
2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is]
a new creature: old things are passed away; behold,
all things are become new.
1Co 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not
inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived:
neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers,
nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with
mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor
drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall
inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some
of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified,
but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus,
and by the Spirit of our God.
READ: Gal 5:17-24; Eph 4:24-32
d) The believer is changed from being a friend of the
world to a friend of God.
Jas 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not
that the friendship of the world is enmity with
God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the
world is the enemy of God.
a) The friend of the world is displaying the old
nature and not a converted heart.
e) Friendship is restored:
Col 1:21 And you, that were sometime alienated and
enemies in [your] mind by wicked works, yet now
hath he reconciled
1) We were enemies but now are friends
Jas 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith,
Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him
for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of
God.
f) Many have made decisions with no change by the Spirit
within. They are still in bondage to the old nature.
We still have the old nature, but it is no longer our
master.
2Pe 2:22 But it is happened unto them according to
the true proverb, The dog [is] turned to his own
vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her
wallowing in the mire.
4) Sanctification by the Spirit (progressive)
1Pe 1:2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the
Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto
obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus
Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
Jude 1:1 Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother
of James, to them that are sanctified by God the
Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, [and] called:
a) Grace teaches us something:
Tit 2:12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and
worldly lusts, we should live soberly,
righteously, and godly, in this present world;
READ: Ro 6:14-23
5) Eventual glorification:
Ro 8:30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he
also called: and whom he called, them he also
justified: and whom he justified, them he also
glorified.
h) Did God change when we were reconciled?:
No! Eternal love! What God has purposed in eternity he will
bring to pass in time.
Jer 31:3 The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, [saying],
Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love:
therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
Compare: Ps 5:5; 11:5; Ro 9:13
k) Though God has purposed salvation for the elect in Christ,
yet all men are without excuse in their rejection of the
Son, and any man who receives Christ as saviour will be
saved.
1) They are condemned already, but rejection of Christ adds
sin to sin.
Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but
he that believeth not is condemned ALREADY, because he
hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son
of God.
Isa 30:1 Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD,
that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a
covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to
sin:
2) Any who come to Christ in faith and repentance will be
saved.
Mt 11:28 Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy
laden, and I will give you rest.
Re 21:6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and
Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him
that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life
freely.
Re 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let
him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst
come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life
freely. {Are you thirsty? Do you have hearing ears?}
a) The problem is, that, not too many are heavy burdened
under the load of their sin. Many are thirsty for
religion but not for imputed righteousness. A man is
thirsty for water when he doesn't have any. Men are
filled with the soda pop of religion.
Do you want soda pop or LIVING WATER?
III) QUESTIONS:
1) If ALL men, without exception, are already reconciled to God,
then why does the scripture say that he hates some? Remember
that GOD DOES NOT CHANGE. (See Psalms 5:5; Ps 10:3; Lev 20:23;
Pr 6:16-19; Hos 9:15; Zech 11:8; Mal 1:2-3 Ro 9:13).
"For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the
son in whom he delighteth." (Proverbs 3:12)
2) If Christ has paid for all sins but the sin of unbelief and
sinners will only be judged for their rejection of Christ then
why does Revelation, chapter 20, verse 12 and 13 say,
"And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and
the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is
[the book] of life: and the dead were judged out of those
things which were written in the books, according to their
works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and
death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and
they were judged every man according to their works."
Why did Jesus tell the Pharisees,
"I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sinS:
for if ye believe not that I am [he], ye shall die in your
sinS." (Joh 8:24)
Other scriptures:
Ps 28:4 Give them according to their deeds, and according to
the wickedness of their endeavours: give them after the
work of their hands; render to them their desert.
Ec 12:14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with
every secret thing, whether [it be] good, or whether [it
be] evil.
Ro 2:6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
Does this sound like all their sins are covered and paid for
except for their final rejection of Christ? What is the
difference from a final rejection of Christ and a man's first
rejection of Christ, as far a sin is concerned? They are
equally sin. Is unbelief any different than any other sin?
What about repentance? It is equally necessary!
IV) CONCLUSION:
a) Faith has an object. Jesus Christ and not itself.
b) The hope of reconciliation is Jesus Christ.
c) The means of reconciliation is the shed blood of Christ,
his death and travail on the tree.
d) By understanding this, we can give God all the praise and
credit for our salvation, as He has left nothing undone.
We can really worship God. Jonah 2:9 says "Salvation [is]
of the LORD."
e) Reconciliation "began in the thoughts of his heart, which
were thoughts of peace; it was brought into council and
settled in covenant, called the council and covenant of
peace. It was carried into execution by Christ..., by his
death, and the blood of the cross." (John Gill)
It is given to the elect in the new birth and received by
faith.
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