17 December 2023 AM – Text: Romans 5:10 – Topic: Salvation
Introduction: A certain couple whom we will call Jim and Betty had been married for five years. Their happy bliss had faded into daily conflict. They argued and fought every time they were together. They were no longer loving each other; they were treating each other as enemies. Eventually, Jim humbled himself and asked his pastor for help. Through his counsel, Jim began to see his faults, and he got right with God. He began to daily study the Bible, apply it to his life, and to pray for Betty. He confessed his many failures to her. This softened her heart toward him, and she too got right with God and confessed her failures. This enabled Jim and Betty to reconcile, and their marriage was restored.
Reconciliation is a complete change that enables enemies to become friends. Unger defines it as “The restoration of friendship and fellowship after estrangement… In the NT it possesses the idea ‘to change thoroughly’”. Unger’s Bible Dictionary
Reconciliation is another of the great marvels of salvation. Our sin separated us from God. Breaking His laws makes us His enemy; however, praise God, Christ reconciled us to God by cleansing our sin. Read Romans 5:8-10.
Transition: I invite you to take a closer look at this marvellous doctrine of reconciliation to see how it applies to your life.
1. The Need of Reconciliation
a. We were enemies with God (Romans 5:10).
1) The problem between us and God was no minor rift. The Apostle Paul tells us that we were God’s enemies. The word used in Romans 5:10 speaks of hatred and hostility.
2) You may be wondering, if God loves us, why would He say that we were His enemies? It is because, each time we sin, we are being hostile toward God; we are opposing God.
a) Romans 8:7 explains. “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.“
b) Colossians 1:21 adds, “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled“. Even wicked works that form in our mind separate us from God and make us His enemies.
3) We see examples of hatred today between Russia and Ukraine, and between Israel and Hamas. To be hateful enemies is no small matter. Thus, God views our sin (whether big or small) as rebellion against Him. It is an attack on His holiness. It is aligning with His archenemy, Satan. For this cause, His justice demands just compensation. This is His divine wrath. It demands eternal separation from God and from all that is good. When God and good are taken from the equation, all that is left is bad and damnation. That is a frightful thought!
b. The enmity was our fault, not God’s.
1) In our opening story, Jim and Betty were both contributing to their conflict that resulted in a breakdown in their relationship.
2) The conflict that exists between man and God is only one-sided. Humans started the conflict, not God. God has never done wrong. He has never moved or changed his position. It is men and women who disobey Him and sin, causing hostility between them and God.
3) We are responsible to get right with God, yet humanly, this is an impossible task. We cannot erase our past sins. We cannot totally prevent present and future sins. We are hopelessly doomed on our own.
2. The Means of Reconciliation
As enemies of God, we need reconciliation, a complete change that enables us to become friends with God. We need fellowship with God after being estranged from Him. Since we cannot fix the problem ourselves, Jesus Christ is our only hope.
a. Christ paid for our sin (Romans 5:8-10).
1) Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). There is no greater act of love. Jesus said (John 15:13) “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.“
2) Christ justified us by his blood sacrifice (Romans 5:9). As we looked at justification, we defined it as, “Gods’ choice to forgive sin by accepting Christ’s righteous propitiation as payment in full, enabling Him to declare every repentant sinner who trusts Christ’s payment, to be just in His sight.” SKC Justification paved the way for Christ to reconcile sinners to God.
3) Christ reconciled us to God by his death (Romans 5:10). His death in our place completely satisfied God’s just demands against our sin. Thus, through Christ’s propitiation, redemption, justification, and regeneration, He is able to reconcile us to God.
b. The next move is ours.
1) God did not owe you and me anything. Our enmity with God is entirely our fault. However, because of his great love for us, He paid the awful price for us. He paid for our eternal damnation in hell. That is amazing love.
2) We must receive His payment. Like Jim in our opening story, we must humble ourselves, repent (i.e., change our minds), confess our sins to God, and place our trust in all that Christ has done for us.
3) If you fail to receive Christ’s payment, you will never be reconciled to God. You will remain God’s enemy and pay for your own sin in eternal damnation. However, if you will receive His payment today, He will reconcile you to God eternally.
3. The Result of Reconciliation
a. Believers will be saved from God’s wrath.
1) Every sinner who receives Christ’s payment is assured of reconciliation with God (Romans 5:10).
2) He is no longer God’s enemy; he is God’s friend.
b. We can now enjoy peace with God.
1) Enemies have no peace. They have hatred and conflict. Christ resolved this for believers. (Colossians 1:20) “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.“
2) Peace with God enables us to fellowship with God. We can live lives free from guilt. We can pray and commune with our Creator.
3) We can and must maintain our reconciliation with God through daily heart examination, confession of sin, and forsaking that sin. (1 John 1:9) “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.“
4) We must practice this same daily reconciliation in our human relationships, particularly in our marriages. Daily reconciliation will prevent an accumulation of hurts. That is why Paul counselled, (Ephesians 4:26) “… let not the sun go down upon your wrath:“
c. Once reconciled to God, we have a ministry.
1) Turn with me to 2 Corinthians 5:18-20. Read it.
2) Having reconciled us to God, Jesus Christ gives us the ministry of reconciliation. He has committed unto us the word of reconciliation. In other words, we are to flesh out 2 Corinthians 5:20 (read it again).
3) If God has reconciled you, it is your duty to urge others to be reconciled to God through faith in Christ’s amazing payment. Christ is no longer physically on earth urging sinners to repent and be reconciled to God, so He has commissioned you and me to do the job.
Conclusion: Our sin makes us sinners who oppose God’s holiness. Sin makes us the enemies of God. Such long-standing conflict between us and God can only be reconciled in one way. It is only through the blood of Jesus Christ. His propitiation, redemption, justification, and regeneration enable Him to reconcile any sinner to God. God has done His part; now we must do our part by humbly repenting of our sin and trusting Christ’s payment alone.
If you have done that, Christ has reconciled you to God. You will never face God’s eternal wrath. You can enjoy peace with God. He has also given you a ministry of urging other sinners to be reconciled to God through faith in Christ. The need is great, and the time is short.
