Reconciled to God while enemies !

1stCenturyLady said:

Seeing as you are a Calvinist, you may be able to help answer a question I have wondered about.

The "T" in Total Depravity. Is that only before regeneration, or still after regeneration? In other words, have you been taught you still have a sin nature, or after regeneration you have a clean nature.

Click to expand...

Stick to the subject of reconciliation

The Gospel Call of Reconciliation !

2 Cor 5:19-20

19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

The Gospel Call of Reconciliation in 2 Cor 5:20 " be ye reconciled to God" in the greek this is a command, an imperative, and it is also in the passive voice, meaning quite frankly the command is instrumental in actually reconciling those the summons is issued to, and this command is not to all men without exception, as false teachers that lie, would have us believe, but it is only to those that belong to that world before in Vs 19, that had not its trespasses imputed to them, and hence a forgiven world, a redeemed world ! And the OT confirmation of this premise is here Isa 43:25;44:22

25 I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.

22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.

Or it can very well say, be reconciled to me Ye were reconciled to me by the Death of My Son Rom 5:10 !

Clearly Remission of sins is the foundation for the imperative, return unto me, which is but the OT counterpart for "be ye reconciled to God" and both appeals are made upon the doing away of their sins before God's Sight !

Those trespasses that were not imputed to that World in 2 Cor 5:19 were done away with by the Lamb of God Jn 1:29 ! And it is to them only, the Call goes out '"Be ye reconciled to God " ! 1

2 Cor 5:19 Preaching Reconciliation !

2 Cor 5:19

19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

When Preaching the Word of reconciliation as the Apostle Paul did, it is imperative to Preach the Non Imputation of sin or trespasses unto those Christ died for and reconciled to God by His Death Rom 5:10, for in our text we read in 2 Cor 5:19 how was God reconciling the World [The Church] unto Himself, for it is put quite plainly " by not imputing their trespasses against them !

The word trespasses here is the greek word paraptōma and means:


to fall beside or near something

2) a lapse or deviation from truth and uprightness

a) a sin, misdeed

Its also where we get the word fall away as here Heb 6:6

6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

So when one for whom God reconciled falls away, that one or ones does not have that laid to their charge. All for whom Christ died did fall away at first in Adam, that was not laid to their charge.

Now understand, everyone of that World in 2 Cor 5:19 is freed or Justified from all sin, they have a clean slate before God, God views them, even as sinners and dead in sin, He views them with no sin charges against them Rom 8:33 ! He views them as the blessed man here Rom 4:7-8

7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.

8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

The word man here is used generically to denote a group of both men and women, and we can very well understand Vs 8 to read this way:

8 Blessed is the world as in 2 Cir 5:19 to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

Such a world is freed or Justified from the legal charge of sin before God !

2 Cor 5:19 Preaching Reconciliation cont

I have shown from scripture that the Word of Reconciliation does include non imputation of sin 2 Cor 5:19, which means all those reconciled to God by the death of His Son are born into this world, yes as sinners by nature and depraved and enemies to God, but with no sin legally charged unto them ! They have a clean slate before God. Now for the next Gospel point of reconciliation and non imputation, it also means for those reconciled remission or forgiveness of sins, Notice Rom 4:7

7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.

The word forgiven here in the greek means this:

"to send away, set free;" also "to let alone," To be cancelled !

The idea is also that their sin debt to God's Law and Justice has been covered ! They are no longer in the face of God with regard to punishment due unto them !

Now Vs 8 helps clarify Vs 7, that is sins are forgiven and cancelled, and covered because they are not charged to them, because they are or have been charged to their Surety, the Lord Jesus Christ.

In light of this, the Reconciled world of 2 Cor 5:19, this Blessed World that the Lord WILL NOT IMPUTE SIN, is a forgiven World, the sins and trespasses of this World are covered !

So let it be known that the Reconciled World of 2 Cor 5:19; Rom 5:10a is a blessed, forgiven and justified World ! And for any to appeal to this verse to prove that Christ died for all without exception, they are guilty of wresting the scripture, and showing their willful ignorance of the Truth of the Gospel !

Legally Reconciled first !

All those that Christ died for are legally, but not experimentally reconciled to God in Rom 5:10

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.

Yes here in Rom 5:10a Paul is only speaking of Reconciliation legally before God, no sin has been imputed to our charge. Even when those Christ died for are yet enemies and unbelievers they have been reconciled to God; However he does goes on to speak on their experimental Reconciliation [by His Death and Life] as a sure event to transpire in their life, this he does when he states " Much more, being Reconciled [while enemies] we SHALL be saved by His Life" Now this phrase 'shall be saved by His Life" means their experimental reconciliation is certain, which is what he means here Col 1:21-22

21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled

22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:

Now in the Rom 5:10a passage Paul teaches that all for whom Christ died are reconciled to God legally, even while experimentally they were being enemies; and because of that reconciliation legally, they shall be saved from being enemies, which is what Paul stated to the believing Colossians here in Col 1:21, where Paul states they were once [past tense] enemies. But remember, even while being enemies in their mind, they had legally still been Reconciled to God by Christ's Death, but now they have been experimentally Reconciled.

So Paul Teaches by the Death of Christ a Twofold Reconciliation effected by Christ's Death, One which is solely legal, it being effected even while they are being enemies Rom 5:10a; and #2 One that is effected that saves them experimentally out of being enemies in their minds Col 1:21, and Both are effected by the Death of Christ Col 1:22

21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled

22 In the body of his flesh through[because of His] death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:

Now understand this also, This also confirms that its Through Christ's Death as the Meritorious cause it effects both legal and experimental Reconciliations to God, even as it is called 'being saved by His Life" in Rom 5:10b !

So for anyone to say that Christ's Death alone, in and of itself does not save one experimentally, they are LIARS and ANTICHRIST !! For anyone to tamper with the Saving Efficacy of the Meritorious Death of Christ, His Blood and Cross, they are a Child of the Devil, who perverts the Right ways of the Lord Acts 13:10

10 And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?

The challenge is out for anyone to prove anything, any one point not true in this post, that sets forth truthfully the Gospel of Reconciliation by the Blood of Christ ! 1

We do believe and preach that every Justified and or Reconciled sinner before God, and that solely premised upon His Death and or Blood as Per Rom 5:9-10, that sometime in their sinful physical lifetime that they shall receive a actual Spiritual Application of Justification and their Imputed Righteousness whereby they will receive a knowledge of it by Faith !

More on reconciliation !

One who has been legally reconciled to God by the Blood of Christ or to say by His Death Rom 5:10, even while being enemies and unbelievers, this reconciliation is also their Justification before God, simply because reconciliation legally denotes the non imputation of their sins unto them 2 Cor 5:19

19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

So , legal reconciliation and non imputation of sin go hand and hand, and that can be the case only if God does not reckon them to be lawbreakers, because of the Blood of Christ shed for them alone, for Christ's sake alone, God hath accepted their persons as Righteous, not for anything in them by Nature, nor wrought in them by New Birth or the Spirit, but while they are being enemies by nature, and not for anything done by them , but for Christ's Sake alone ! It is not because of any Gospel Obedience such as repenting and believing, but because also of imputing the Righteousness and Obedience of Christ unto them, and this also while they themselves are being enemies by nature as well as being ignorant of their own Justification, and Reconciliation to God, solely by the Death of Christ ! 2

Reconciled by His Death !

Everyone the Lord Jesus Christ died for was first and foremost or primarily reconciled to God objectively / legally . This did also occur when they themselves were sinners, ungodly, and without strength Rom 5:6-8

6 For when we [The Elect] were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we[God's Elect Rom 8:33-34] were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

For those scriptures have pointed out Christ's Death for those He died on the behalf of Rom 5:8 !

And so while or when ungodly sinners, Christ hath died for them or us, and by that Death, He did reconcile them unto God as plainly stated in Rom 5:10, now the word reconciled is the aorist passive indicative of katallassó which means legal and objective reconciliation is a finished work in the behalf of [benefit of] of those Christ did die for, while they are being in a ungodly and sinful condition Rom 5:6-8; and hath been reconciled [legally] by His Death alone, and so are they by the same death or blood Justified legally Rom 5:9. This is the word dikaioo and its an aorist passive participle denoting Just as when the elect were being enemies and ungodly sinners, Christ died for them, and by that death or blood passively reconciled them to God, so likewise, by that same death and blood referred to in Rom 5:9, passively and legally Justified them [made righteous] while being ungodly Rom 4:5.

The sinful condition of the Elect, those Christ died for, does not cancel out the legal benefits, the objective blessings of the blood of Christ, and so for this cause it is gross error to teach that the unbelieving elect vessels of mercy are ever in a legal state of condemnation by God as those who who believe not are in here Jn 3:18

18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

To say that is false teaching !

Preaching Reconciliation !

Reconciliation in both Rom 5:10 ; 2 Cor 5:18-19 is objective or legal , it primarily consists of two things, the non imputation, and by the death of Christ, the satisfaction of God's Law, which also is the propitiation Heb 2:17

17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people

Reconciliation here is the greek word hilaskomai and means:

to be propitious, make propitiation for

I have mercy on, show favor to, (b) trans. with object of sins: I forgive, pardon.

This reconciliation is whereby God through Christ's Blood or Death hath reconciled sinful men [ the elect or the people] unto Himself ! Now because of Christ's Blood, God's anger and wrath has been laid aside and the sinner for whom He died [sinfulness and all] has God received into His Favor, for the word reconciled means:

to receive one into favour

Therefore, all for whom Christ died, regardless of their spiritual condition by nature, God accepts them and looks at them with favor and mercy, and frees them from any condemnation and or wrath !

Preaching Reconciliation ! cont

Something to know about legal and objective reconciliation of the Elect, and that is this, that all the Elect while being enemies to Christ and God, are nevertheless legally still reconciled, received into God's Favor up until they are born again by the Spirit, or saved by Christ's Life Rom 5:10b. This means, but I do not teach it from scripture, but it does mean if an elect person were to die before new birth, that they would still be saved from the penalty of their sins, by the blood of Christ, that they would die objectively and legally reconciled into God's Favor by Christ's Death alone ! All of the sin and enmity the Elect by Nature have against God,while they are yet unconverted , and alienated from the life of God, and yes unbelievers, all that has been satisfied for by the blood of Christ ! In fact legal and objective reconciliation by Christ's Death Alone is that Propitiation John writes of in 1 Jn 2:2 !

2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

Propitiation:

akin to hileos ("merciful, propitious"), signifies "an expiation, a means whereby sin is covered and remitted."

The whole world of 1 Jn 2:2 is a world that has all of its sins remitted or covered. Like David said about the blessed Man Ps 32:1

Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven or remitted, whose sin is covered.

Thats the blessing of Legal Reconciliation/ Propitiation ! 2

The whole world of 1 Jn 2:2 that Christ is the propitiation in behalf of ,is a Justified World, because God has been propitiated for it, in the same manner that God had been propitiated towards the Publican in the story of Christ Lk 18:13-14

13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

That word merciful is the greek word hilaskomai and means:


to render one's self, to appease, conciliate to one's self

a) to become propitious, be placated or appeased

b) to be propitious, be gracious, be merciful

2) to expiate, make propitiation for

The noun form of the same word is found in 1 Jn 2:2

hilasmos:

an appeasing, propitiating

2) the means of appeasing, a propitiation

Now Jesus enlightens here, that a sinner for whom God is propitiated for is a Justified person before God:

"I tell you, this man went down to his house justified "

The word Justified is the greek word:dikaioō:


to render righteous or such he ought to be

2) to show, exhibit, evince, one to be righteous, such as he is and wishes himself to be considered

3) to declare, pronounce, one to be just, righteous, or such as he ought to be

So those who appeal ignorantly to 1 Jn 2:2 to prove that Christ died for the Whole World without exception, you are teaching falsely universalism, and that the whole World without exception has been declared Righteous before God !

Reconciliation = Justification !

Many who are ignorant of the blessed effects of the death of Christ, by not realizing, and rejecting the Truth that reconciliation to God by the Death of His Son Rom 5:10 is the same exact thing "as now being Justified by His Blood" Rom 5:9 ! 2

More Truth on 2 Cor 5:19

Many false teachers, those who teach that Christ died for all without exception, but only some of them shall be saved and those who teach that Christ died for all and all without exception shall be saved with none lost, they both teach that the World here in 2 Cor 5:19 means all mankind without exception ! However the rest of the words in the verse 2 Cor 5:19

19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

Proves them to be false, and that world here is restricted first by the words " theirs" and "them" which refer to God's Chosen or Called as Per 1 Cor 1:2

2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs's and ours's:

1 Cor 1:24

But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

1 Cor 1:27-28

But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;


And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:

also the fact that these in 2 Cor 5:19 World had not their sins laid to their charge or they were not by God counted against them, reason being they were charged against Christ, so that He would die for them and satisfy their sin debt against God's Law and Justice, it was paid in full, for non imputation of sin is an key component of the Reconciliation of the World in 2 Cor 5:19, and all men without exception cannot be said not to have their sins counting against them since they are said to be condemned already Jn 3:18

18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

And some men are said to be abiding under God's legal and Judicial Wrath Jn 3:36

36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

The word abideth is a present indicative active, meaning they are in a state of God's Wrath or Vengeance !

However this cannot be True of any of that World of 2 Cor 5:19 because they are in a state of favor with God !

Also notice about those in Jn 3:36 who are under God's Wrath, there is a promise annexed to them, which is that they shall not see Life !

But those Reconciled to God by Christ's Death while they are enemies and unbelievers, being reconciled, the promise to them is that they shall be saved by Christ's Life Rom 5:10

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.

This destroys arminianism as well as universalism with one stroke of the pen !

More on Reconciliation explained !

As in Justification, there is a difference between Objective/Legal Reconciliation and Subjective/ Experiential Reconciliation.

These must be kept distinct in that there is a big difference in what the Lord Jesus Christ did for His Sheep when He died on the Cross and what shall take place in them because of it; For the Apostles Doctrine taught both of objective and subjective Reconciliation. Now to understand the difference, Paul is teaching objective Reconciliation / Justification in Two places we shall observe #1 in Rom 5:10

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.

Also 2 Cor 5:19

19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

This Reconciliation [Legal and Objective] began in the Eternal Counsels of the Eternal Covenant, when it was agreed upon between the Father and the Son, the Surety of the People of the Elect or Sheep, that instead of trespasses that the Sheep will commit being charged or imputed to them, that they would instead be charged to their Shepherd, the Son, hence they were reconciled by the mere fact of Non Imputation of Trespasses of which Paul teaches in 2 Cor 5:19

19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

So Non Imputation equals Reconciliation, this is Objectively / Legally ! This Legal act of God had nothing to do with the actions of the sinners themselves, but only with the Divine Purpose to not to impute the Sins of the Sheep unto them but instead unto Christ their Shepherd ! So Christ is said to be slain from the foundation of the World for the sins imputed Rev 13:8

8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

Secondly, Objective Reconciliation was accomplished, finished, fulfilled in time by Christ's Death and that alone Rom 5:10

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.

This Reconciliation also is not based upon anything the sinner did, but solely " By the Death of God's Son " ! So what Paul has taught is that Reconciliation/ Justification began with the Offended Justice of God being satisfied for those Christ died for, and not with the offenders themselves whom Christ died for ! They themselves while this accomplished Reconciliation has taken place, are yet being enemies ! 2

More on Reconciliation explained ! cont

Now this legal and objective Reconciliation does presuppose an alienation of God to man because of their sins as here Isa 59:2

But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

Yet this alienation hath been removed God ward by the Propitiation sacrifice of Christ 1 Jn 4:10

Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Or to say by His Blood, consequently enabling God to receive them into His Favor, this Favor of Reconciliation is a Reality to God, accomplished solely by the Blood of Christ, even while the subjects themselves are not yet reconciled to Him, but they are being in a state of enmity and enemies by nature. The word reconciled is the greek word katallassō
and means:

to change, exchange, as coins for others of equivalent value

a) to reconcile (those who are at variance)

b) return to favour with, be reconciled to one

c) to receive one into favour

God can Look at unreconciled sinners and receive them into His Favor as He does because of what the Death of Christ did against all their iniquities legally before His Law and Justice ! It took them all away ! But however, those have a Promise unto them, They all shall be saved by His [Christ's Life] See Rom 5:10

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.

Now why is that ? Because they still need to be saved from being in themselves enemies to God, for God is reconciled to them, before they are reconciled to God, because their nature hates God and is at enmity with Him, so They shall be saved from that disposition ! 2

More on Reconciliation explained ! cont 3

They shall be saved by Christ's Life which means, because of the accomplishment of objective reconciliation, they shall be saved out of being enemies, into subjective reconciliation by the Life of Christ, which life is communicated to them by New Birth by the Spirit, thats why for all whom He died and objectively reconciled, by His Mediation, a Life Giving Spirit He became 1 Cor 15:45

45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

As Risen Saviour and Head, He must communicate Life to His Body of which He is the Saviour of Eph 5:23

23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the Saviour of the body.

The Spirit is given to all for whom He died through Him, which is Paul's meaning here Titus 3:5-6

5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

Please notice that the renewing Work of the Spirit, that saved them, was poured out or shed forth on them Through Jesus Christ our Saviour, hence, they were saved by His Life !

So in essence both objective and subjective Reconciliation of the sinner are of God 2 Cor 5:18

18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

Objectively by the Death of Christ, and Subjectively by the communicated Life of Christ by the Spirit in New Birth ! Any not hearing and receiving this Gospel Witness of reconciliation are in darkness even now and are rejecting the Truth ! 2

More on Reconciliation explained ! cont 4

Now scripture that teach Subjective Reconciliation by Christ's Death Col 1:21-22

21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled

22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:

Now notice here how Paul is attributing Subjective Reconciliation out of being enemies or a state of enmity, to Christ's Death in Vs 22, because he understands that, whet he called saved by His Life in Rom 5:10b is but the fruit of Christ's Death, whereby they were reconciled objectively, even while being enemies in their minds and doing hostile works, but because of the communication of His Life, Christ's Death is said to even reconcile them Subjectively out of being alienated and enemies, so again Col 1:22-23 teaches Subjective Reconciliation !

More on Reconciliation explained ! cont 5


1 Pet 3:18 teaches Subjective Reconciliation by Christ's death !

1 Pet 3:18

18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

The phrase here " That He might bring us to God" denotes Subjective Reconciliation, for His suffering and being put to death in the flesh, His dying on the Cross, was for the Purpose of bringing the Elect of God to God, and He did accomplish that. This bringing to God means to draw near, it means to render one acceptable to God !

This denotes that the enmity they had has been dealt with by the death of Christ as well and now they come into communion and fellowship with God !

Now this vital Truth of Reconciliation is important because when properly understood as it is taught in scripture, there is no room for the false teaching of Jesus Christ having died for everyone without exception, simply because, everyone without exception shall not be saved by His Life, as it is promised to all that were reconciled by His Death !

Jesus tells us that there are many who shall not see life Jn 3:36- This statement cannot apply to any for whom Christ died, and thereby reconciled them to God by His Death.

Also those who falsely teach that no one was actually reconciled to God objectively solely by the Death of His Son, but only they are given a basis for Reconciliation to God, if they believe, those are teaching lies and a false Gospel, for scripture is plain that all for whom Christ died were objectively Reconciled , and that the same shall be subjectively reconciled in time by a communication of Christ's Life to them by the Spirit of God ! 3