Reconciliation
(Part three)
The author of reconciliation is God. It was executed by Christ Jesus as the mediator when he came and took the punishment for our sins and satisfied the justice of God, Christ did it by the blood of his cross.
Last week we saw that many believe God loves everyone and even
witnessing to people we say, “God loves you.” We saw clearly this was contrary
to scripture. Why is it that so many cannot even see, if you show in scripture
that they cannot understand? I believe
they were not taught the basics of Christian doctrine. People flock to church
to hear something that would like to hear practically for their life. People
are trying to be good people; they will hear from pulpits that they need to get
rid of their bad habits of sin. They have this mentality God loves the sinner
and hates the sin.
We saw last week this was contrary to scripture. If the basics are not
taught there is no way you can understand the enmity between God and the
sinner.
Psalms
90:11 Who knoweth the power of thine
anger? Even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath.
God is the supreme righteous judge of the world. The judge always
judges by his law. All have violated
the moral law of God, the Ten Commandments.
Therefore the righteous judge is angry with the sinner. The sinner has
offended the righteous Judge of the world. They are traitors of God, enemies of
God and rebels of God. The result is
that God is not pleased with the sinners but displease with the sinners. There
is nothing good in the sinner; even a complaint is a serious sin to God.
Numbers
11:1 And when the people complained,
it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of
the LORD burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp.
But if
someone breaks the Ten Commandments, particularly in idolatry not only God is
displeased with anger but provokes him to anger.
Judges
2:12 And they forsook the LORD God of
their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other
gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the
LORD to anger.
Why is it
that the Lord is angry with the sinner? Because sin is transgression of the law
of God and sinners are daily violating God’s law, therefore God has the right
to become angry.
Isaiah
5:24 Therefore as the fire devoured the
stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and
their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the
LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
Isaiah
5:25 Therefore is the anger of the LORD
kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them,
and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcasses were torn in the midst of
the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
But many
would flock to church on Sundays and they hear from the pulpit God loves you
and so many are gone astray because they think God will judge them by their
good works, they do not want to hear a God of wrath but a God of love as their
hearts are filled with pride.
Proverbs
21:4 An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin.
Proverbs
21:27 The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much
more, when he
bringeth it with a wicked mind?
There is a teaching that is going on God will bless you with all material things, you will not be poor, as God loves you, he wants to give abundant life and many people flock to hear this kind of teaching. And there is no way that people can see God is angry with the sinners, instead the sinners are living in good health, wealth and enjoyment.
Job 21:9
Their houses are safe from
fear, neither is the rod of
God upon them.
Job
21:10 Their bull gendereth, and faileth
not; their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.
Job
21:11 They send forth their little ones
like a flock, and their children dance.
Job
21:12 They take the timbrel and harp,
and rejoice at the sound of the organ.
Job
21:13 They spend their days in wealth,
and in a moment go down to the grave.
Here we see
their pleasures of sin are only a moment and down they go to hell to
everlasting fire.
Deuteronomy 29:20 The LORD will not spare him, but then the anger of the LORD and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the LORD shall blot out his name from under heaven.
For majority of the churches there is no reconciliation as they are waiting for the rapture, their whole theology is centered on eschatology in instead of soteriology. The preachers have deceived them and so were the Pharisees Sadducees during the time of Jesus.
Matthew 3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
No one likes to hear the wrath of God; here we see the message of John to the religious leaders of that day is was the wrath of God. The sugar-coated gospel will not awake the sinner, they need to know that they have violated the law of God and they are in trouble. Do not be deceived by the sugar-coated words of many preachers.
It is the preaching of the law that brings us to Christ and not saying
God loves you.
Ga 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ,
that we might be justified by faith.
The law will rip our self-righteousness open our inmost wickedness in
us and will show our true sins toward God.
We could not satisfy the law of God but Christ did.
Ephesians 5:5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Ephesians
5:6 Let no man deceive you with vain words:
for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of
disobedience.
Now do you
see why God is angry with the sinners? The more we see the enmity the greater
we can rejoice in reconciliation. Now let us see why he loved some?
Eph 2:1 And
you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to
the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the
spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
(Here we
see even the elect of God, the true Christians before conversion walked the
same path of sins just like the unbelievers. After conversion there was a
turning away from that sinful road and turning to a new road towards God.)
3 Among whom also we all had our conversation
in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh
and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
4
But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved
us.
(Mercy is given to some by God’s grace, mercy is a blessing that comes
through God’s race, and Christ Jesus displayed this mercy.)
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of
yourselves: it is the gift of God.
Here we see clearly that the mediator for our reconciliation was Christ
Jesus.
Ge 28:12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and
the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and
descending on it.
The foot of the ladder was on earth and the top was in heaven. We see
clearly the mediation of Christ as the foot on earth is his human nature and
the top on heaven is his divine nature. Christ descended from heaven to earth,
came as a mediator to bring those who are his people to God, he accomplished
his work on earth and ascended to the Father.
Joh 1:51 And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you,
Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and
descending upon the Son of man.
The only we can go to the Father is through this ladder of Christ.
(John 14:6)
Ga 4:4 But when
the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman,
made under the law,
Ga 4:5 To redeem them that were
under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
Romans
5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we
were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we
shall be saved by his life.
Reconciliation
expresses the love of God; it was done by the expense of the blood and life of
his own Son. God demonstrated his love.
(Verse 8)
Ephesians
2:16 And that he might reconcile both
unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
The job of
the mediator in bringing reconciliation was not easy, the mediator came to see
and to save which was lost and he was their representative. He took the horrible punishment that was due
to the believing sinner, as justice is required by breaking the law. The
mediator satisfied God by his sacrifice of death.
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.
Colossians
1:21 And you, that were sometime
alienated and enemies in your mind by
wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
Colossians
1:22 In the body of his flesh through
death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight.
The result
is that the enmity is gone and instead of enmity there is peace.
Ro 5:1
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord
Jesus Christ:
It is a
peace without fear.
Joh 14:27
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give
I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
This peace
comes within.
Joh 16:33
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the
world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the
world.
How do you know
that you have this peace, not fear?
Ro 8:14 For
as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
15 For ye have not received the spirit of
bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we
cry, Abba, Father.
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our
spirit, that we are the children of God.
The Spirit
of God leads us from sin to holiness. There is a growth, change, and a desire
to learn of God, follow him and to be like Jesus so we can worship God. The spirit of Satan will lead to sin,
continue in sin, to stay away from God’s word, no hunger to learn of God, they
may have a hunger for false doctrines, Satan will provide and show and deceive
them with false doctrines so they will be lost.