18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,
through Jesus Christ,
Christ’s payment for sin, by dying on the cross, makes reconciliation and peace with God possible. God stands forever reconciled because of what Jesus did. The question is whether the individual will allow himself to be reconciled to God.
While man was in open revolt against God, God sent Jesus to die for his sins (Ro 5:8). This not only ceased God’s hostility toward the sinner, but it mended the relationship between God and man fully.
PRINCIPLE:
Jesus’ work on the cross reconciled God.
APPLICATION:
Everything God did for us, He did through Jesus Christ. We cannot make enough of Jesus. A person becomes reconciled to God by trusting himself to the reconciling work of Christ alone. When this happens, God no longer counts his sin against him. Christ took them on Himself. Jesus is the Mediator of reconciliation. His work allows God the freedom of friendship with believers.
The death of Christ reconciled the world to God (Co 1:20-22). He is free to accept any who believe that Jesus paid for their sins on the cross. God is reconciled. We do not have to do anything to win His favor; we have that already in Christ.
