Reconciled
The Debt Is Settled, the Account Is Balanced
SCRIPTURE:
2 Corinthians 5:21 NKJV - For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
OBSERVATION:
In this chapter, Paul is describing what our future will be like after death. He states that a heavenly one will replace our earthly tent. Why would he say this? Is there something wrong with our earthly tent? Yes!
We are born into sin, corruption, and death. When we enter heaven, we will no longer know sin, corruption, or death. We have this guarantee from the Lord Himself.
2 Corinthians 5:5 NKJV - Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
How was God able to give us this guarantee? Paul tells us in today's verse. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Because of the work of Jesus on the cross, when we receive this gift of forgiveness, or, as Paul calls it, 5 times in this chapter, reconciliation, we are given the guarantee of a new heavenly body! One that will no longer experience pain, suffering, corruption, death, or sin.
The word reconciliation is important for us to understand. It describes what Jesus did in verse 21.
To reconcile means “to bring into agreement or harmony, to resolve a difference, or to make someone accept something, whether it's an unpleasant situation or a disagreement with someone; to settle or resolve.”
In accounting, it means to “check (a financial account) against another for accuracy; to account for.”
Jesus did this! He brought us back into agreement with the Father, resolved the difference, and accounted for our sins. He reconciled the account, which means he made it balance. If you read the end of verse 20 with verse 21, this is what you get!
2 Corinthians 5:20-21 NKJV - …on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Because of the work Jesus did on the cross, we can be reconciled to God. Earlier, I said that Paul used the word 5 times in this chapter. The number 5 is associated with grace. Because of grace, we are reconciled, and our debts have been resolved!
APPLICATION:
What is our role in all of this? Paul tells us in verse 7.
2 Corinthians 5:7 NKJV - For we walk by faith, not by sight.
Trust the Lord and walk by faith, not by sight. He sees us as complete. We see all our imperfections.
Philippians 1:6 NKJV - being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.
One day soon, because of what Jesus did on the cross, we will see Jesus face to face and enter the Kingdom of God with new glorified bodies, because we have been reconciled in Christ!
PRAYER:
Thank you, Jesus, for reconciling me! Thank you, because of the cross, my sins are forgiven, and my account has been settled. Thank you that I will enter Your Kingdom in a new, glorified body.
2 Corinthians 5:21 NKJV - For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
OBSERVATION:
In this chapter, Paul is describing what our future will be like after death. He states that a heavenly one will replace our earthly tent. Why would he say this? Is there something wrong with our earthly tent? Yes!
We are born into sin, corruption, and death. When we enter heaven, we will no longer know sin, corruption, or death. We have this guarantee from the Lord Himself.
2 Corinthians 5:5 NKJV - Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
How was God able to give us this guarantee? Paul tells us in today's verse. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Because of the work of Jesus on the cross, when we receive this gift of forgiveness, or, as Paul calls it, 5 times in this chapter, reconciliation, we are given the guarantee of a new heavenly body! One that will no longer experience pain, suffering, corruption, death, or sin.
The word reconciliation is important for us to understand. It describes what Jesus did in verse 21.
To reconcile means “to bring into agreement or harmony, to resolve a difference, or to make someone accept something, whether it's an unpleasant situation or a disagreement with someone; to settle or resolve.”
In accounting, it means to “check (a financial account) against another for accuracy; to account for.”
Jesus did this! He brought us back into agreement with the Father, resolved the difference, and accounted for our sins. He reconciled the account, which means he made it balance. If you read the end of verse 20 with verse 21, this is what you get!
2 Corinthians 5:20-21 NKJV - …on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Because of the work Jesus did on the cross, we can be reconciled to God. Earlier, I said that Paul used the word 5 times in this chapter. The number 5 is associated with grace. Because of grace, we are reconciled, and our debts have been resolved!
APPLICATION:
What is our role in all of this? Paul tells us in verse 7.
2 Corinthians 5:7 NKJV - For we walk by faith, not by sight.
Trust the Lord and walk by faith, not by sight. He sees us as complete. We see all our imperfections.
Philippians 1:6 NKJV - being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.
One day soon, because of what Jesus did on the cross, we will see Jesus face to face and enter the Kingdom of God with new glorified bodies, because we have been reconciled in Christ!
PRAYER:
Thank you, Jesus, for reconciling me! Thank you, because of the cross, my sins are forgiven, and my account has been settled. Thank you that I will enter Your Kingdom in a new, glorified body.
Through Christ, God didn't just forgive our sins — He reconciled the entire account, making us the very righteousness of God in Him.
Posted in 08 - 2 Corinthians
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