Scripture Reading: Rom. 5:10; Col. 1:20; 2 Cor. 5:18-20
Ⅰ
It is helpful for us to have a basic understanding of reconciliation:
A
The need of reconciliation—enmity, enemies—Rom. 5:10; Col. 1:21.
B
The meaning of reconciliation—to make peace—v. 20; 2 Cor. 5:18.
C
The instrument of reconciliation—Christ—Col. 1:20; 2 Cor. 5:18.
D
The means of reconciliation—the cross—Col. 1:20; Eph. 2:16.
E
The scope of reconciliation—all things in the heavens and on the earth—Col. 1:20.
F
The sphere of reconciliation—in one Body—Eph. 2:16.
G
The fact of reconciliation—our position before God based upon judicial redemption and justification by faith—Rom. 5:10.
H
The experience of reconciliation—in one Spirit having access unto the Father—Eph. 2:18.
Ⅱ
As ambassadors of Christ, the new covenant ministers carry out the ministry of reconciliation—2 Cor. 5:18-20; 6:1:
A
An ambassador of Christ is one who represents God, the highest authority in the universe.
B
The apostles were authorized by Christ to represent Him to do the work of reconciliation—5:18, 20.
C
The ministry of reconciliation is not only to bring sinners back to God but also to bring believers absolutely into God and to make them absolutely one with Him.
D
Two steps are required for men to be fully reconciled to God:
１
The first step is to reconcile sinners to God from sin—v. 19:
ａ
For this purpose Christ died for our sins that we might be forgiven—1 Cor. 15:3.
ｂ
Christ bore our sins on the cross that they might be judged by God—1 Pet. 2:24.
２
The second step is to reconcile believers living in the natural life to God from the flesh—2 Cor. 5:20:
ａ
For this purpose Christ died for us, the persons, that we might live to Him in the resurrection life—vv. 14-15.
ｂ
Christ was made sin on our behalf that sin might be judged and done away with—v. 21; Rom. 8:3.
E
If we are to carry out the ministry of reconciliation, we need to be identified with the crucified Christ—2 Cor. 4:10-12; 5:14; Gal. 2:20; 5:24.
F
The Corinthians still lived in the flesh, that is, in the soul, the outer man, the natural being—1 Cor. 3:1; 2:14:
１
The veil of the flesh, the natural man, separated them from God.
２
Paul was working to cut asunder the separating veil of the flesh so that the believers at Corinth could enter into the Holy of Holies—Heb. 10:19-20.
G
Only when we have been fully reconciled to God are we fully saved—2 Cor. 6:1-2; Rom. 5:10; Heb. 7:25.
H
The extent to which we can bring others to God and into God is always measured by where we are with respect to God; the more we are in Him, the more we can reconcile others into Him—2 Cor. 12:12a; 5:20.
Ⅲ
The ministry of reconciliation brings us back to God to such an extent that we become the righteousness of God in Christ—v. 21:
A
Not only are we justified by God (Gal. 2:16)—we actually become the righteousness of God.
B
When Christ died on the cross as our Substitute, God considered Him not only the sin bearer but sin itself; now in resurrection Christ comes into us as life, and this life lives within us to constitute us into the righteousness of God.
C
In substitution Christ was made sin for us; now in His constitution we become the righteousness of God in Him—2 Cor. 5:21:
１
The phrase in Him means in union with Christ, not only positionally but also organically in resurrection.
２
When Christ died on the cross, God condemned Him in the flesh as sin for us (Rom. 8:3; John 3:14) so that we might be one with Him in His resurrection to be God’s righteousness; therefore, in the organic union with Christ we are made the righteousness of God.
D
To become the righteousness of God in Christ is a matter of being right with God in our being; this is to have an inner being that is transparent and crystal clear—an inner being in the mind and will of God—2 Cor. 5:21.
E
Second Corinthians reveals the complete reconciliation of the believers to God, and Christ as the means of reconciliation.
Ⅳ
The two steps of reconciliation are clearly portrayed by the two veils of the tabernacle—Exo. 26:31-37; Heb. 9:3:
A
Both veils signify the unique Christ—the Christ who died for our sins and also for us.
B
The first veil is called “the screen”—Exo. 26:36-37:
１
A sinner who was brought to God through the reconciliation of the propitiating blood entered into the Holy Place by passing through the screen.
２
This typifies the first step of reconciliation.
C
The second veil (vv. 31-35; Heb. 9:3) still separated the sinner from God, who was in the Holy of Holies:
１
This veil needed to be rent so that the sinner might be brought to God in the Holy of Holies—Matt. 27:51; Heb. 10:19-20.
２
This typifies the second step of reconciliation.
Ⅴ
To be fully reconciled to God will cause us to be enlarged in our hearts—2 Cor. 5:20; 6:11-13:
A
How large our heart is depends on the degree of our reconciliation to God.
B
Narrowness of heart is a strong indication that we have been reconciled to God only partially and that the percentage of our salvation is quite low—v. 2; Rom. 5:10.
C
If we are able to forgive an offense and then forget it, that is a sign that we have become an enlarged person, a person with a large heart—Matt. 18:21-35; Eph. 5:21; Col. 3:13.
D
We need to be impressed with the contrast between narrowness of heart and largeness of heart.
Ⅵ
These are the results of reconciliation:
A
Having peace toward God:
１
The first result of our reconciliation to God is that we may have peace toward God—Rom. 5:1.
２
Since we have been reconciled to God and have peace toward God, we are walking on the way of peace; this is an issue of our reconciliation to God.
B
Boasting in God:
１
As a result of our reconciliation to God, we can boast in God—v. 11.
２
Since we have been reconciled to God through the Lord Jesus Christ, we boast, exult, and glory in God.
３
We also boast in the hope of the glory of God—v. 2.
４
This also is an issue of our reconciliation to God.
C
Being saved in His life:
１
As a result of our reconciliation to God, we are being saved in His life—v. 10.
２
This salvation in life also is an issue of our reconciliation to God.
Ⅶ
Through the ministry of reconciliation, we are incorporated into the processed and consummated Triune God to become, in Christ, an enlarged, universal, divine-human incorporation; as a result, we become God’s sanctuary, His dwelling place, His Holy of Holies—the New Jerusalem—John 14:20, 23; Rev. 21:2, 10, 16.