We cannot reconcile ourselves to God by works, laws or religion. The Catholic church cannot reconcile anyone to God. If you believe that it can, you have been deceived. Many believe that they can reconcile themselves to God by keeping the commandments. Others believe that they can reconcile themselves to God by living holy lives. If you believe that you can do something or become something that will reconcile you into God, you have been deceived.
Why is this so? It is so, because we have ALREADY been reconciled unto God by Jesus Christ. Multitudes are trying to do in their flesh through works, laws and religion what God has ALREADY done in Jesus Christ.
"God was in Christ reconciling us and the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and has committed unto us the word of reconciliation" 2 Corinthians 5:19.
Before we were ever born Jesus had ALREADY reconciled us and the world unto God. This is the good news of the Gospel. God now stands before us with open arms saying... "Though your sins be as scarlet, they can be as white as snow" Isaiah 1:18. God offers reconciliation to everyone that wants it. If you don't want to be reconciled unto God, you don't have to. God is not going to threaten you. It's your choice.
Those that have rejected God's offer of reconciliation through Jesus Christ and are trying to reconcile themselves to God through works, laws and religion are still enemies with God. When they die in their sins, they will go into the judgment and be judged and condemned. God has done all that he can do to save us and reconcile us to himself through Jesus Christ. All that we have to do to be saved is to accept our reconciler, who is Jesus Christ and God's offer to be reconciled.
I came late to this party and I've missed a lot of the discussions in this thread already I see.
Just viewing this OP I see at least the last sentence needing much more explanation and unpacking.
"All that we have to do to be saved is to accept our reconciler, who is Jesus Christ and God's offer to be reconciled."
How has it worked out for you thus far?
From a broad historical perspective, I see that God's purpose and plan to reconcile us to himself, began since Eden, since the 'fall' of Adam. And in each generation there were only a 'few' or only a remnant who met God's requirements for it. And today it is not different; only a few of each gen is reconciled by design and purpose of God's plan. Only a few are his elect by design, for his pleasure. This view is sometime hard for folks to understand and swallow.
The key component of Reconciliation is meeting God's requirements for salvation, regardless of the generation, since Adam.
Today, this salvation requirement only flows through God's Son as his instrument that causes reconciliation. And it is to those who God moves towards himself and his Son, in belief to saving faith given and presented by the Spirit of God in the form of his Son's spirit into our own spirit.
(Col 1:19) For it was the good pleasure of
the Father that in him should all the fullness dwell,
(Col 1:20) and
through him to
reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of his cross- yes, to reconcile all things through him, whether things upon the earth, or things in the heavens. The Context of Paul’s Preaching
(Col 1:21) And you, being in time past alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil works,
(Col 1:22) yet now has he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish and unreproveable before him.
This miraculous reception of this new imperishable seed within us for new life is God's form of reconciliation today. And there is no other way.
"Though your people, O Israel, be like the sand by the sea, only a remnant will return. Destruction has been decreed, The Lord, the LORD Almighty, will carry out the destruction decreed upon the whole land" ( Isaiah 10:22-23 ).
In speaking to those already being saved...........
(Rom 5:10) " For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. "
(Rom 5:11) " And not only so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
the remanent is being saved today
(Rom 9:24) " even us, whom He also called, not from the Jews only, but also from the Gentiles? "
(Rom 9:25) " As He said also in Hosea: I will call them My people, who were not My people; and she that was not beloved shall be called beloved. "
(Rom 9:26) " And it shall be, that in the place where it was said to them: You are not My people, there shall they be called children of the living God. "
(Rom 9:27) " And Isaiah cried out concerning Israel: Even if the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, it is
only the remnant that shall be saved. "
(Rom 9:28) " For the Lord will execute His word upon the earth, finishing it and cutting it short. "
(Rom 9:29) " And, as Isaiah has said before: Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had become as Sodom and had been made like Gomorrah. "
............