Why reconciliation by death?

“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)

One of the first impressions that many may have about Romans 5:10 is that God is a blood thirsty Being who finds pleasure in death and the shedding of blood because as the words of this verse seems to suggest, it is the ignominious death of Christ that is the sole reason that sinners are reconciled to God. This understanding may be used by a great number of people who have developed the notion that God is wrathful and seeks to be appeased only if violent methods are being used. Certainly, the understanding that death and bloodshed as the means to appease God is not in line with the idea that God is love. So, what is the true meaning of the above verse? What is the Bible trying to point us to when it says that sinners are reconciled to God by the death of His Son? In order to be able to answer these questions and gain a better understanding of what the word of God is actually saying, we need to understand the principle involved in the fall of man and how this principle in turn affects the principle involved in the plan of redemption.

We have to bear in mind that sin came as a result that man had another perception of God, different from the one he initially had when he first came to existence. The misrepresentation of God’s character by Satan not only altered the way Adam and Eve began to behave, but it also went a long way in changing their character to one that viewed God as the enemy and were unable to subject their minds and their thoughts under the will and purpose 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 carnal mind that both Adam and Eve had after they fell into sin and eventually the rest of humanity possesses, is seen in the way they hid themselves from God when He came and looked for them in the garden. Their behaviour was rather unusual considering the fact that, before sin entered their lives, they enjoyed the company of God. What this tells us is that man changed because of sin. He no longer desired the company of his Creator and there is no way that man can make his way back to God because the carnal mind that he now possesses prevents him from doing just that. However, God did not change because of what man did. In spite of the fact that man chose to disobey Him, He came to look for His children as His custom was. But the closer God came towards them, the farther away they run from Him. This goes to show that it is man who needs to bridge the gap between him and God, and he has to accomplish this goal successively in his sinful and carnal state. In other words, there has to be someone from within the human race who, in the state of being sinful, carnal and separated from God, achieve the impossible, that is to take hold of God’s hand. But because the major problem that stands in the way between humanity and his goal is the carnal mind, God has to find a way to make this possible.

This is where the humanity of Jesus is necessary as a means to achieve salvation. The goal of reconciliation was achieved at the cross because it was here that the Saviour of the world was separated from God. In being thus separated from His Father, Christ was placed in the same position that humanity found itself as a result of what happened in the garden of Eden when the first Adam decided to forsake God. And knowing that sin is a state of being separated from God, it was at the cross that Christ was also forsaken by God and therefore made to be sin.

“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.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

In choosing God outside of God, Christ chose to be united to God and He did this on behalf of humanity, thereby breaking the spell of sin that has so long held humanity captive. This was how the work of reconciliation was achieved. Finally, there is a Human who achieved the impossible task of stretching forth His hands towards God when He was in a sinful and carnal state of mind. Therefore, humanity has been reconciled to God through Jesus.

“And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us … by Jesus Christ…” (2 Corinthians 5:18)

Another way of looking at this is our reconciliation to God was accomplished because of what Jesus did and it was certainly not on the basis of what He did not or could not do. What I am saying is that, neither the separation nor the death achieved the desired effect, but it is what Christ did between the time He was separated and when He died. Keep in mind that it was not Christ who separated Himself from the Father otherwise He would have not cried out, “My God, My God, why has Thou forsaken Me?” Further, He did not kill Himself; it was because He was separated from the Source of life, God the Father, that He died.

If Christ’s death did not achieve reconciliation, then why does the Bible say that God reconciled us by the death of His Son? The words in Romans 5:10 are intended to serve three main purposes. Firstly, this passage is intended to direct our attention to the crucifixion scene because it was here that God was finally able to reconcile humanity to Himself because of what His Son did. As a matter of fact, if Christ, being outside of God, had not chosen God, He would not have achieved victory over sin and this would have defeated the very purpose He came to accomplish and humanity would remain unreconciled to God. Secondly, by saying that God reconciled us by the death of Jesus, it goes to show that His death proves beyond any shadow of a doubt that Christ was indeed placed in the exact same situation that humanity found itself in, that is of being sin, which is separation from the Potentate of the universe. Thirdly, because of the principle involved, separation was essential to achieve the goal of reconciliation. By separating Himself from His Son, God knew that the outcome would be that His Son would die. But because this was the only way through which sin could be defeated and reconciliation be attained, God had no other option but to sever the connection that bound His Son to Him. It is for reasons such as these that Paul says that God reconciled us by the death of His Son. Hence, it is not death that actually achieved anything significant (not even reconciliation). That is why Roman 5:10 does not stop at the reconciliation part but it goes on to say that because we are reconciled, we are saved by the Saviour’s life.

It is in light of these resounding truths of the gospel of salvation that Jesus is and shall always be the way to salvation. No wonder therefore that Jesus once said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh to the Father, but by Me.” (John 14:6) Therefore humanity stands to benefit immensely from the life of Christ. If only the world believes and takes hold upon the promises given by God that it will experience the peace and comfort that can only be found in the Saviour of the world.

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