We are being reconciled

Originally posted on July 22, 2006 – by Andre Piet

The doctrine of ‘free will’ stands in direct opposition to the (Biblical) fact that God reconciles. Most readers probably won’t immediately see the connection between the two. That’s because nearly everyone has a clouded understanding of reconciliation. I speak from experience.

Until recently, I too believed that reconciliation is accomplished at the cross of Golgotha, and that it is up to a person to come to believe this. Until my eyes were opened to what reconciliation is according to Scripture: enemies becoming lovers.

Where a person acknowledges the proof of God’s love – and thus the enmity disappears – there reconciliation takes place. Reconciliation did not happen AT Golgotha, but takes place THROUGH Golgotha (1). God gave His Son to be crucified without reckoning it to the world, and in that way He proved His love (2).

The cross is God’s proof to convince enemies of His love and thereby reconcile them to Himself. To be reconciled is, in practice, the same as: becoming a believer. Where a person comes to acknowledge God’s proven love, there is reconciliation.

But here it comes: man does not reconcile himself. Man is being reconciled. In reconciliation, man is the direct object, not the subject. All texts concerning reconciliation testify to this (3) – without exception. Man does not choose reconciliation, but is being reconciled. Reconciliation (= becoming a lover from being an enemy) is not a human work.

God can guarantee that all will be reconciled (4) for the simple reason that He Himself is the One who accomplishes it. The mere fact that God Himself reconciles a creature to Himself is the best guarantee for the reconciliation of all.

footnotes

(1)
Romans 5:10 — “…being conciliated to God through the death of His Son…”
Ephesians 2:16 — “…should be reconciling both in one body to God through the cross…”
Colossians 1:20 — “…to reconcile all to Him… through the blood of His cross…”

(2)
2 Corinthians 5:19 — “…God was in Christ, conciliating the world to Himself, not reckoning their offenses to them…”

(3)
Romans 5:10 — “…we were conciliated…”
2 Corinthians 5:18 — “…yet all is of God, Who conciliates us to Himself through Christ…”
2 Corinthians 5:20 — “…Be conciliated to God!”

(4)
Romans 11:15 — “…the conciliation of the world…”
Colossians 1:20 — “…to reconcile all to Him…”

Delen: