The Atonement
Reconciliation
Enemies Made Friends
Description
Sin made us enemies of God—not merely estranged but actively hostile, under His wrath. Reconciliation is the restoration of this broken relationship. Through Christ's death, the enmity is abolished, the barrier removed, and peace established between God and man. God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them. This reconciliation is not mutual negotiation but one-sided initiative—God reconciles us to Himself while we were enemies. Having been reconciled by Christ's death, we shall be saved by His life. We are now ambassadors of reconciliation, proclaiming this peace to a hostile world.
Key Verses
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. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them.
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. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled.
For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 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; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby.
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.