Reconciled!
Chapter 3

We have all had the sweet taste of reconciliation on the level of our humanness. We reconcile with our spouse or with a friend after differences and offenses and it is such a joy to restore that bond, a bond of friendship and love. I hadn’t thought of that in those specific terms in regards to God and His reconciling us unto Himself and this is what HH says regarding that bond:

“Always a relation or bond of friendship and love is understood, the same is true of God’s work of reconciliation. It presupposes the eternal covenant relation of love and friendship into which God entered with His people, a relation that is rooted in His eternal purpose of election. That covenant relation can never be destroyed for the simple reason that is rests wholly in God. God loves His people with an eternal, unchangeable love.” -HH

“Reconciliation is an act of infinite love, of unlimited grace, of abundant mercy. God loved His people when they were enemies" -HH

“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”-Romans 5:10

God is the author of reconciliation, not us. We have no part in our reconciliation because it is God who reconciles us unto Himself and that is the wonder of it, it must be of God. It can be no other way for man cannot reconcile himself to God. He cannot work his way to reconciliation, he cannot be reconciled to God, God must reconcile us unto Himself and He did this marvelous, precious work through the death of His Son on the cross while we were yet enemies.

“And so the gospel is the ministry of reconciliation. It proclaims that reconciliation is an accomplished fact: the elect are surely reconciled to God. He reconciles us! We are reconciled by grace, by pure, free, sovereign grace!” -HH

“He causes the word of reconciliation to become a mighty power within us, a fire in our bones, so that we repent of sin in dust and ashes and seek reconciliation with God in the blood of Christ” -HH

I remember and will never forget when I first knew this truth that God had reconciled me unto Himself through His Son and the result was an overflowing and profound understanding that NOW I could have peace with God, because He has peace with me. It is one of the glorious aspects of our salvation in Christ Jesus to know, in this life, because by faith and the knowledge of it we can walk through this vale of tears and have peace with God.

O the wonder of it!