Salvation and Reconciliation
One of the blessings that comes with salvation is reconciliation. “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” (NASB Rom 5:10).
Reconciliation means to change from a state of being enemies to a state of friendship and peace between God and us. The Greek word used in these passages is allasso, and it means to change, to exchange one thing for another, to transform.
This transformation reflects the fact that humankind was at war with God (Rom 5:10), the saved are now at peace with Him (Col 1:20-22). This does not mean that God was at fault in the enmity between Him and man. It was man that failed and rebelled against God through the actions of Adam and Eve. God – in His infinite love and compassion - took the initiative of reconciliation by offering the ultimate sacrifice: Jesus on the cross. God’s initiative explains that any sacrifice initiated by man would not suffice to reestablish peace, and with it, He sets an example for us to deal with other people. It is up to us to accept and understand this reconciliation initiated by God though Christ, and to seek restoration after any offence committed, as ambassadors of Christ (2 Cor 5:20). The responsibility of reconciliation always lies with the more mature believer, and with the one in the higher place of authority.
Reconciliation includes many blessings to the believer:
1. The saved are in peace with God (Rom 5:1);
2. The security and permanence of salvation for the believer reaffirms the reconciliation; if Christ was willing to offer Himself as a sacrifice for us when we were enemies, much more He will intercede for us, now that we are His friends and children (Rom 5:10);
3. The saved have peace with others that have also reconciled to God, and now we are all ambassadors of Christ (2 Cor 5:20, Mt 5:9);
4. We can now anticipate God reconciling all things to himself, and because we are no longer enemies, the saved will never face God’s wrath (Rom 5:9, 1 Thess 1:10; 5:9).