Reconciliation is not Salvation!
I believe that the message of salvation is encapsulated in a single verse in the entire Bible. This verse is Romans 5:10.
“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.” (Romans 5:10)
This verse divides the work of salvation into two steps: the act of reconciliation and the act of saving. Here is a brief elucidation on these two aspects of the plan of salvation.
THE ACT OF RECONCILIATION
“For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son; …” (Romans 5:10a)
Popular belief has it that the death of Christ is what actually saves us. However, the words of Paul to the Romans, contradict what many have come to consider the actual reason we are saved. In fact, these words clearly state that the death of Christ brought reconciliation between us and the Father. The reason that reconciliation is necessary as a part of the plan of salvation, is because we are the enemies of God. This is also true when we speak of two or more individuals fighting against each other or one fighting against another because of dissension.
Paul also says that when we were enemies of God, we were reconciled to Him. This suggests that the enemy did not have to do anything on his part to be reconciled. It is purely the work of God. So who, according to scripture, is the enemy of God?
“… know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” (James 4:4)
Notice, that it is our friendship with the world that makes us enemies of God. The apostle John tells us more about what the “friendship of the world” actually means.
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (16) For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” (1 John 2:15,16)
Here, John says that the “friendship of the world” is the “love of the world” which points to the things that the world, in general, runs after. These include the lust of the flesh and the eyes; and, of course, pride. We do not find these traits in the character of God. These can only be found in a sinner who possesses a carnal nature. Paul speaks of this carnal nature or carnal mind as one which is in enmity against God and which cannot be subject to the law or the will of God.
“Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” (Romans 8:7)
This is the kind of mind that we receive as an inheritance from our earthly father, Adam. And speaking about “mind”, the word of God implores us to have the “mind of Christ”.
“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made Himself of no reputation, but took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” (Philippians 2:5-8)
This passage suggests that the word “mind” is used to refer to nature or character. The mind or character of Christ is one that is humble and obedient. So when Paul makes mention of the carnal mind, he is evidently referring to the sinful nature, which is, by nature, disobedient and proud – the same mind that Adam had as a result of doubting God and subsequently separating himself from Him. This reveals that humanity possesses a life that is utterly incapable to combat sin and its oppressive nature as can be witnessed in the following statement made by Paul about his personal experiences in life.
“For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that I do.” (Romans 7:19)
It is in this state of being persistently rebellious towards God, that God has chosen to reconcile us to Himself through the death of His Son. So, in giving His Son, God is offering humanity a treaty of peace. This treaty of peace is meant to benefit both believer and non-believer. The apostle Paul in his second letter to the Corinthians highlights this truth for us.
“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.” (2 Corinthians 5:19)
What is reconciled unto God? It is the world – the entire world – that is reconciled to God. The vilest criminal and the most notorious dictators are reconciled to God. Our sins are no longer a barrier that separate us from Him because Christ has dealt with the root of this problem, which is separation from God, once and for all. His death has opened the door for all sinners to come to God just as they are.
This principle was typified in the in the Passover feast. When the Israelites were about to leave Egypt, God instructed them to smear the blood of the Passover lamb on their door posts so that when the angel of death saw the blood mark, he would pass over that house and would not kill the firstborn of every creature of that household. This feast was so designed that both Jew and Egyptian could benefit from it. An Egyptian family could escape the plague if, having faith, could find shelter in the house of any of the Israelites who obeyed the instructions of God. Therefore, the blood of the lamb was meant to save both the Jews and the Egyptians. The Jews represented the class of people who know God whereas, the Egyptians stood for people who have no knowledge of the true God. Since the whole world is reconciled, will the whole world then be saved? Will all the people who had ever lived, from Adam to the present day, inherit eternal life? Absolutely not! Why? Because CALVARY IS NOT SALVATION!!! IT ONLY OPENED THE DOOR TO SALVATION!!!
The reason that all will not be saved is unbelief. Unbelief has prevented the world from accepting the gift of reconciliation brought about by Christ’s sacrifice. Unbelief is causing many who have accepted the gift of reconciliation to stop at the foot of the cross; it has blinded them from realizing that the road does not end here. Unbelief has warded off many people from entering through the opened door into eternal life. Clinging tenaciously to the “old rugged cross” will not make us better Christians. In fact, we are no better that the vilest sinner because the cross is only for the sinner.
Further, it is not death that ultimately matters. If death alone is necessary for salvation, then what need is there for Christ to be resurrected? The Bible teaches that it is imperative that Christ should be raised from the dead.
“If Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. (18) Then they which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. (19) If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men miserable.” (1 Corinthians 15:17-19)
THE ACT OF SAVING
Hence, it is necessary for Christ to be raised to life because without a risen Saviour, our lives are without hope. But the life of Christ serves another, more important, purpose, that is of saving souls. While His death reconciles us to God, His life is what saves us in the end.
“…much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” (Romans 5:10b)
Why the life of Christ? Because Christ’s victory over sin culminated at the cross. It was here that He was actually “made to be sin” and defeated it. By way of explanation, for the first and the only time, the world has found in Christ the ONLY solution to the struggle against sin and its curses. This life is the righteousness of Christ, the only righteousness which is acceptable before God. It is also referred to as the “eternal life.” And by “eternal life”, it means the quality of life and not just about how long one can go on living. But let us not be mistaken that this life is merely the life of Christ that lives in us, but rather it is Christ Himself living His life in us and through us by His Spirit. This is what the Bible calls “the hope of glory.”
“Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:27)
Thus, it is not so much the death but the victorious life of the world’s Redeemer that counts. Our part is simply to BELIEVE – to have faith, faith that works.
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