The reconciliation we need was completed in Christ Jesus. From the beginning, in Genesis chapter 3, God taught that sin (rebellion, disobedience, refusal by the human will to depend wholly upon God) requires a blood sacrifice for fellowship with God to be restored. A blood sacrifice was introduced in Genesis chapters 3 and 4 and was later expounded upon in Exodus, Leviticus, and the ceremonial law given through Moses.
A simple summary is that God possesses all authority in the universe, and when we transgress His law, we must not come to Him empty-handed. He demands our fear, respect, devotion, and obedience. The essence of sin is self-importance. Thus, when we come to God, we must come in self-denial, repentance, confession, contrition, fear, and honor (Psalm 51). In addition, we must approach Him with a blood sacrifice to repair the breach (Exodus 30:10, Hebrews 9:22).
Christ came to offer a blood sacrifice “once for all.” Romans 6:10, Hebrews 7:27, 9:12, 10:10, 1 Peter 3:18, Jude 3
Through Christ, there is forgiveness of sin, which is reconciliation to God and repair of the breach caused by sin. 1 John 1:7
To accept the offer Christ gives, our part is to believe. John 3:16, Romans 10:9, 1 John 1:9 That believing, however, requires self-denial (i.e., lay aside self-importance), confession of sin, obedience of God’s moral law, fear of God, and walking in the righteousness of Christ.
Who may believe? John 3:16, John 12:32, Romans 5:15-19, 1 Timothy 2:3-4, and 1 John 2:2 help us understand that Christ’s forgiveness is available to everyone. These verses do not teach us universalism, the false belief that all will be saved. The call and offer are universal, yet a response is required, and, sadly, all will not respond. Our own narcissism leads us to continue refusing Christ. The love of God demands a response. If forgiveness is universal to all regardless of penitence, then Christ died in vain, and His sacrifice is rendered unnecessary. In universalism, freedom of the will (personal responsibility) is eliminated, and there are no consequences for any defiance of God’s law. Any time we see such hallmarks of false beliefs, self-righteousness is sure to follow.
Those who accept Christ and believe on Him are justified before God. A simple summary may be found in Romans 12:1-2. The forgiveness Christ offers enables us “by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Where the wrath of God rests upon those who transgress His law and are unrepentant, the mercies of God rest upon those who believe on Christ. By mercy, Romans 12:1 is primarily referring to the grace God offers through Christ which enables us to be justified and reconciled to God. In Christ, the guilt of sin is removed, and our sin is no longer counted against us. This truly is mercy!
When at one time, the wrath of God rested upon us, those who have believed on Christ no longer fear God’s wrath, for they are reconciled to fellowship with God through Christ. Colossians 1:20
The idea of reconciliation is mainly that sin caused a breach between God and His creation. Christ’s sacrifice made it possible for us to be reconciled to God by forgiving our sin and aiding a holy life.
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