Wednesday, July 11, 2012
2 Corinthians 5:19 God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them.
RECONCILIATION WITH GOD IS A CHANGE IN STATUS
In order for us to properly consider spiritual reconciliation, we have to understand why it was necessary. As soon as sin entered the world people became separated from God. It is not as if God were upper class and human beings were lower class and the two parties just didn't seem to get along. Sin completely severed the relationship that people could have with God. It is not merely a dislike for sin on God's part that causes this separation. Since He is holy, He will not be around sin. For man to have a relationship with God something would have to give.
Sometimes it's possible to mend relationships on this earth. You may mend fences with a friend, or a relative, or a spouse. Maybe each party gives a little bit. Maybe the party in the wrong makes amends. But this would not work with God. Either we would have to get rid of our sin or God would have to relax His standards. Neither one is possible. Getting rid of our sin would be like trying to get rid of our soul -- it just can't be done. We also know that God is unchangeable -- so His holiness will always remain the same.
God's plan of salvation works because in looking over the situation He found the only solution that would work. He changed our status from sinners to saints, from enemies to children. He made a declaration of not guilty for those who were steeped in guilt, and in doing so replaced hatred and fear with peace.
God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them. (2 Corinthians 5:19). This is one of the most amazing and comforting passages in Scripture. God changed the status of the world. We may feel far apart from God by looking at the accumulation of our sins, or maybe because of the magnitude of one sin, or maybe there is a particular sin that we can't seem to stop doing. But when we look at the fact that God did not impute -- did not charge -- sin to the entire world, our doubts and fears have no argument. We are included in God’s plan of salvation. God reconciles sinners personally to Himself by declaring them "not guilty" on account of Jesus' work, thus making it possible for people to have a relationship with Him.
