Reconciled

[newnature]

We need to understand that forgiveness was all upfront and all-inclusive. It took place when Christ said that it is finished. God knows about it, and he wants us “humankind” to know about it, because they think he is alienated from them, in his mind, when they sin. He put all that sin on his son long before those people were ever born, and now he wants them to accept that reconciliation. God is not holding or charging that sin to their account. If you want God to view you today, you got to be in his son. How can you get into his son, and have all of his righteousness freely imputed to your account? By simply taking God at his word, concerning what his son accomplished for you. It is as simple as that. When God says he is satisfied with what Christ did for your sins, when Christ died for them, all your sins were all future. It is a son issue on your part, not a sin issue, in order to receive the gift of salivation.

 

[aspen]

It think that we have the opportunity to go to God with our selfishness or sin because we are already forgiven and reconciled with Him. It is similar to a marriage relationship - we have the opportunity to be honest with our spouses because we are in a loving relationship, but it is a bit of a paradox because if we withhold our love and honesty, the relationship is at risk. So we have the freedom and the responsibility of being vulnerable enough with God to return love and honesty and selflessness.

 

[ScottAU]

We need to understand that forgiveness was all upfront and all-inclusive. It took place when Christ said that it is finished. God knows about it, and he wants us “humankind” to know about it, because they think he is alienated from them, in his mind, when they sin. He put all that sin on his son long before those people were ever born, and now he wants them to accept that reconciliation. God is not holding or charging that sin to their account. If you want God to view you today, you got to be in his son. How can you get into his son, and have all of his righteousness freely imputed to your account? By simply taking God at his word, concerning what his son accomplished for you. It is as simple as that. When God says he is satisfied with what Christ did for your sins, when Christ died for them, all your sins were all future. It is a son issue on your part, not a sin issue, in order to receive the gift of salivation.

So why didn't the apostles preach that in the book of Acts?


Act 26:20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

When exactly did the Gospel become...

Have the righteousness of Jesus freely imputed to your account by simply taking God at his word, concerning what his son accomplished for you. When God says he is satisfied with what Christ did for your sins, when Christ died for them, all your sins were all future. It is a son issue on your part, not a sin issue, in order to receive the gift of salvation.

Polycarp sure didn't teach that...

Polycarp 2:2 Now He that raised Him from the dead will raise us also; if we do His will and walk in His commandments and love the things which He loved, abstaining from all unrighteousness, covetousness, love of money, evil speaking, false witness; not rendering evil for evil or railing for railing or blow for blow or cursing for cursing;

He was a student of John.

It think that we have the opportunity to go to God with our selfishness or sin because we are already forgiven and reconciled with Him. It is similar to a marriage relationship - we have the opportunity to be honest with our spouses because we are in a loving relationship, but it is a bit of a paradox because if we withhold our love and honesty, the relationship is at risk. So we have the freedom and the responsibility of being vulnerable enough with God to return love and honesty and selflessness.

Look at what the Bible actually says...

2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
2Co 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
2Co 5:19 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. Reconciling the world unto Himself is clearly a general statement in regards to mankind as a whole. Paul is simply teaching that we are reconciled to God via Jesus Christ.
2Co 5:20 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. See IT IS NOT a done deal. Being reconciled is not automatically applies because Jesus died. The death of Christ presents us with the OPPORTUNITY to be restored to favour with God (reconciliation).
2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Paul then presents his previous words in the context of the sin offering of Christ and the abiding relationship we enter into. For he goes on to say...

2Co 6:1 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. The grace of God can be received to no effect hence we have to be "workers together" with God or in other words we have to respond and cooperate with what God is doing.
2Co 6:2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)



To say this...

we have the opportunity to go to God with our selfishness or sin because we are already forgiven and reconciled with Him.

...surely implies that you believe sins are forgiven in advance. Thus you have an individual approaching God in a rebellious state who is already forgiven. What does repentance mean then? Is it just a confession that one is a filthy rebel and that's it? Think about it. Did the Prodigal Son just confess his filthiness in the pig pen or did he leave it?

Look at this passage...

2Co 7:10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
2Co 7:11 For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.

Godly sorrow works repentance to salvation. Godly sorrow prduces a clearing, carefulness, indignation, fear, vehement desire, zeal and revenge. Paul then says "ye have approved yourselves PURE (clear) in this matter." Why would he say that if repentance was simply confessing that one is doing evil? Does that approve oneself clear?

 

[John S]

I'm REALLY Sorry - "the gift of salivation"
If I spit, will I be going to Heaven?

Seriously - "It is a Son issue on your part, not a sin issue".
Forgive my ignorance. Are you promoting the OSAS doctrine?

 

[HeRoseFromTheDead]

So why didn't the apostles preach that in the book of Acts?

Why do you ignore so many verses that support exactly what the OP said, and only quote those that seem to support (in your mind) your disobedience?

 

[ScottAU]

Why do you ignore so many verses that support exactly what the OP said, and only quote those that seem to support (in your mind) your disobedience?

A car consists of many components that all must work together for it to function correctly.

It can be a true saying to say, "fill the car with gas and you'll be able to get to town," yet that statement is conditional on the tyres being inflated, the engine working, the driveshaft being in place and many other things.

It is the same with the Bible. We have to apply the WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD not simply isolate and proof text verses to support some systematic theology.

I don't ignore any verses. Show me a verse you think I ignore and I'll deal with it and then I'll show you what you ignore (probably a verse right above or below the one you give me).