To me, one of the most incredible things Jesus did was the work of reconciliation. It’s mentioned several times in the New Testament how He reconciled us to God. What He did was remove the hostility that existed because of sin, mended the relationship that was broken and brought us back into,alignment with God’s plan. He removed what was between us when He sacrificed Himself for our sin. I like to say that forgiveness takes one person, but reconciliation takes two. He took the step to move toward us and clear our accounts. When we accept Him as our savior, we move towards Him and restore the relationship. Now we have been given the ministry of reconciliation by leading people to be reconciled with God.
Here are some Bible verses on the work of reconciliation:
1. Therefore, it was essential that He had to be made like His brothers (mankind) in every respect, so that He might [by experience] become a merciful and faithful High Priest in things related to God, to make atonement (propitiation) for the people’s sins [thereby wiping away the sin, satisfying divine justice, and providing a way of reconciliation between God and mankind].
Hebrews 2:17 AMP
2. For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Romans 5:10-11 NIV
3. For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross. This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions.
Colossians 1:19-21 NLT
4. For, There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time.
1 Timothy 2:5-6 NLT
5. But all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ [making us acceptable to Him] and gave us the ministry of reconciliation [so that by our example we might bring others to Him].
2 Corinthians 5:18 AMP
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