God’s grace is amazing, His salvation is powerful, His forgiveness transforming and His redemption liberating! Through God’s forgiveness our debts are removed and it opens the way for reconciliation.
Salvation and Reconciliation
When we sin against God, our relationship to Him is disrupted and in need of restoration. Being born into sin has created a gulf between God and humanity. We were cut off from the life of God and were without hope in the world, yet God’s love and grace brought us salvation ‘by grace through faith’ and reconciliation through Christ, the Saviour (Ephesians 2). Jesus is the ‘Bridge’ back to God! His salvation brings reconciliation, the restoration of our broken relationship with God, our Creator.
‘Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation’ (2 Corinthians 5:18–19).
Salvation and reconciliation are from God. He is the Saviour. In Christ God brought about this beautiful reconciliation for us. The way to do that was by not counting our trespasses against us, but forgiving our sins instead. Christ is the necessary sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin. Through forgiveness, what stands between God and us is removed.
Paul was an ambassador of this glorious Gospel of reconciliation, appealing to people to be reconciled with God.
‘Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled with God. He [God] made Him [Christ] who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him [Christ]’ (2 Corinthians 5:20–21).
It’s a beautiful message: the love of God for humanity. The words of God through an ancient prophet express this is beautifully:
‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness’ (Jeremiah 31:3).
His salvation is an expression of His love and grace, offering us reconciliation through the sacrifice of Christ—the sinless One. The Just One (Saviour) died for the unjust ones (sinners). Christ died for our sins, bearing ‘our sins in His body on the cross,’ in order to ‘bring us to God’ (1 Peter 2:24; 3:18). His sacrifice brings forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God. It is the restoration of the broken relationship between Creator and His creation. Jesus is the Way to God (John 14:6). In His Name we can be saved (Acts 4:12). He is the mediator between lost sinners and the Saviour God who wishes all human beings to be saved (1 Timothy 2:3–6). Jesus came to save, not to condemn (John 3:16–17).
Reconciliation and Righteousness
The reconciliation with God through Christ restores our relationship with God, our Creator. Christ becomes our justification before a holy God despite being guilty due to sin. Because of sin humans have lost their right standing before God, but in Christ our right standing before God is restored. Righteousness is that right standing before God we regain in Christ. It is available for us through Christ who is our righteousness (1 Corinthians 1:30). We regain righteousness through Jesus, who justifies those who believe in Him (Romans 3:26), despite the fact that we all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (v 23). Justification is freely given by His grace through the redemption of Christ (v 24), who paid the price by His blood in order to restore righteousness back to those who believe in Him (v 25).
Righteousness is right standing before God. It’s like being acquitted in court after being accused of a crime. God is not only Creator, King and Lawgiver, He is also Judge (Isaiah 33:22). But He wants to be gracious and have mercy because He is a God of justice (Isaiah 30:18). Sin disqualifies us from God’s blessing, but His grace in Christ restores us back to righteousness before Him.
Christ justifies those who believe in Him; this gives us access to God’s grace and blessing (Romans 5:1–2). It also gives us hope, the hope of eternal life. There is so much injustice in this world, and often the innocent people suffer at the hands of evil people. But there will be a final and universal judgment that will set things right. Everybody will get what they deserve. The assurance of a higher moral authority who will set things right at the end, is comforting and reassuring. Humans lost Paradise, but God restores it back to us—this is the story of salvation from Genesis to Revelation, from the first to the last book of the Bible! God is Saviour.
‘For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord’ (Romans 6:23).
This is a contrast: sin on the one hand, God’s gift on the other; sin brings death, God’s gift is eternal life. God makes sinners righteous by faith in Christ and they receive eternal life. Jesus was delivered over to death on the cross because of our sin, our offences, yet God raised Him from the dead for our justification (Romans 4:25). The resurrection is evidence of the power of God over death. As the Giver of life, He gives life to all things (Acts 17:24–28), and eternal life to those who believe in Christ (John 3:16).
Salvation and Eternal Life
There is comfort in having eternal life. It removes the fear of death that keeps people in bondage (Hebrews 2:14–15) and gives us eternal hope. We all need something to look forward to. Enduring suffering is much easier when you know one day all things will be well. Paul stated that the present sufferings in this world unworthy of even comparison to the beauty, glory and peace of Haven (Romans 8:18).
The believers are encouraged to comfort one another with the hope of eternal life, knowing that we are appointed to ‘obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ’ (1 Thessalonians 5:9–11). Jesus saves us from the coming judgment of God on sin and all evil committed (1:10). God won’t leave things as they are; He will set things right. All human beings must one day appear before God’s judgment seat and give an account for their lives (2 Corinthians 5:10). This should not scare us, but make us aware that as moral beings we have a moral responsibility and are morally accountable to our Creator. This is a positive outlook on life and makes us more responsible in our actions. We should all act with the future in mind. Choices have consequences and we are never free from them.
Justice and Salvation
There’s a deep-seated desire in people for justice. Many, however, wish to condemn others and justify their own wrong doings at the same time. This is not how it works in God’s economy of things. He sees everything, even the thoughts of man and the desires of our hearts (Romans 2:16). There is a ‘righteous judgement of God’ on sin (Romans 1:32), yet the ‘riches of His goodness’ should lead us to repentance (2:4). God provides redemption for our sins and offers salvation in Christ to everyone. He commands all human beings everywhere to repent and believe in the Saviour (Acts 17:30–31). The Gospel is the Good News of escaping the righteous judgement to come. The judgment that was supposed to fall on us, fell on Christ: the One who knew on sin was punished on our behalf so we can regain God’s righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Paul, one of the foremost proclaimers of the grace of God, had himself been ‘a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man’; but he obtained mercy and God’s grace was abundant towards him (1 Timothy 1:13–14). He knew that it was a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance: ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners,’ and Paul, admitting it in his humility, was a chief of sinners! (v 15) He became an example of God’s goodness and the everlasting life God offers to those who believe in Him (v 16). He lived to glorify His Saviour, the immortal and eternal King (v 17).
Unfortunately, not everyone can be honest about his or her sins. People tend to justify themselves and explain why they don’t need a Saviour and why their lifestyle isn’t wrong. Sometimes people confuse justice with revenge: they want the others to be punished for their wrong doings, but won’t admit their own. It is better to forgive and allow room for God’s justice to establish a righteous judgment. And it is better to fix our own lives instead of telling everyone else how wrong they are.
We all have our stuff to deal with and should be busy improving ourselves first. But there are some who won’t admit that they have faults or sins. Claiming that we don’t have sin is really fooling ourselves (1 John 1:8). We all know that we fall short and fail. The Good News is that confessing our sins will bring forgiveness and reconciliation with God (v 9) through Christ who died for our sins to justify us before a holy and righteous God (2:2). We must not be afraid to admit our sin to God. Jesus came to seek that which was lost. He forgives! Check out this cool event with Jesus and the Zac the ‘Bad Guy’ =;-)
Zac, the ‘Bad Guy’!
Once Jesus visited a certain village: Jericho (Luke 19:1). It caused a buzz in that place and everything was excited to see the Miracle Worker and Preacher of Wisdom. One of the villagers there was Zacchaeus. He was rich but short (let’s shorten his name to Zac). He, too, wanted to see Jesus, but had to climb a tree to do so. The people there didn’t like the guy—he was the ‘bad guy’ of the village. Why? He was a tax collector! Who likes paying taxes, right? Well, in those days they really had a bad reputation because they gathered taxes for the occupying force, the Romans. The Jews felt bad about this and those of their own countrymen who took their taxes on behalf of the occupying force were seen as traitors. Sometimes they even extorted their own people, just like Roman soldiers did. One of Jesus’ disciples was a tax collector, too: Matthew. But Jesus showed him acceptance despite his sins and hang out with Matthew and his friends. Jesus didn’t sin with them, of course, but showed them the mercy of God despite their sins (Matthew 9:9–13), so much so that people called Jesus ‘a friend of sinners’ (11:19). Jesus was merciful without compromising God’s holiness. He showed a way back to God.
Zac the ‘Bad Guy’ was also treated with mercy despite His sin. Jesus wanted to dine with him (Luke 19:5). Zac was excited (v 6) that a holy and godly man would do him the honour of a visit. It was not the normal order of the day by priests and religious leaders to do so. Rather, they despised such ‘sinners.’ And so did the people: they complained that Jesus went to hang out with Zac the ‘Bad Guy’! (v 7) In those days, eating with someone would show acceptance. But the people would’ve rather expected Jesus to condemn him. They wanted justice how they saw it, yet Jesus had other plans for both Zac and the people in Jericho.
Zac experienced the goodness of God that led him to repentance. He willingly gave away half of his wealth to the poor and returned fourfold to those of whom he took money in wrong ways (v 8). What a change! I’m sure no one in that village complained once Zac gave away lots of money… Jesus called it ‘salvation,’ and explained that Zac, too, was a ‘son of Abraham,’ that is, a descendant of God’s covenant people (v 9). Jesus came to ‘seek and save that which was lost’ (v 10). We should rejoice, not complain (see Luke 15). We should accept, not reject. We should love, not despise.
Jesus didn’t come to condemn the world but to save it (John 3:16–17). Salvation in Christ doesn’t nullify the righteous judgment of God on sin, but rather saves repenting believers from it! Matthew and Zac received forgiveness because God delights in those who humbly turn to Him. They found reconciliation with God through forgiveness. Jesus’ message was simple: ‘repent and believe in the gospel’ (Mark 1:15), the Good News of God’s forgiveness with the arrival of the Messiah and God’s Kingdom, God’s rule on earth.
Forgiveness and Reconciliation
We can gain reconciliation with God through His forgiveness and our repentance and faith. This beautiful reconciliation with God also empowers us to reconcile with other people and our own broken relationships with them. In the same way as we forgive others after being forgiven ourselves, we can seek reconciliation with others after being reconciled with God. Broken relationships can be restored through forgiveness and reconciliation.
God is good. He seeks to restore the broken relationship with His creation. The insurmountable gulf between God and humanity is bridged by Jesus, the Way to God (John 14:6). Will you accept His offer of reconciliation?
Comentarios