#DailyDevotion God Has Provided A Way For Us To Be Reconciled To Him, Today

Lent day 3

2 Corinthians 5:20b—6:10

20bWe implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Now what does it mean to be reconciled to God? The verses previous to this one say, 2Co 5:18-“19  All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;  (19)  that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.” So in Christ, God is reconciled to us by not counting our trespasses against us. Well why is that? Well verse 21 clues us into that. Christ was made sin, the atoning sacrifice for sin for us. He is the Old Testament Atonement goat and the Scapegoat. Our sins are laid upon Jesus as the High Priest would lay the sins of the people upon the two goats. One goat was sacrificed and its blood was poured out upon the altar and the other was cast outside the city into the wilderness because it was now unclean. (Lev. 16) Jesus’ blood was poured upon the mercy seat of God in the heavenly Holy of Holies and made atonement for the world. He was then led outside the city gates being unclean with our sins and crucified outside the city gates. Jesus has become our scapegoat before God.

Because of this then be reconciled to God. God is reconciled Himself to you on behalf of Christ. How do we reconcile ourselves to God? Well first we must believe God has done this for us. We must believe God no longer counts our trespasses against us. But I think there may be more to that as well. Many people are angry with God. They may have many reasons to be so. He allowed someone they love to die. They may have some incurable disease. They may simply look at this world and think how unjust it is and blame God for it. I think it is a good idea that we take everything we wish to blame God for and lay it on Christ just as He has done for us concerning our sin. The cross becomes a wash for God’s relationship to us and our relationship to Him. We get to start all over with God in Christ Jesus and we a new appreciation for our God and Creator.

But it is still more than that.  Paul tells us, “in him (Christ) we might become the righteousness of God.” So God not only takes away our sin, but in Christ he also makes us the righteousness of God.  He not only removes our sins and iniquities, but he credits us the righteousness of Jesus, God’s own righteousness so that we no longer in the red, we are not just even, but we are deep in the black with God. We stand before God’s judgment throne not just cleansed of our sins but clothed with God’s very on righteousness. All the goodness of God is ours through faith in Christ’s work on the cross.

So, what are you waiting for? “Now is the favorable time. Now is the day of salvation!” Put your faith in Christ Jesus and his reconciling work. Today is the day of salvation for you. You only have today. Tomorrow never comes. Why go to bed still angry? Why go to bed believing God is angry with you? Trust God has reconciled Himself to you in Christ Jesus and be reconciled to God.

O Almighty God, grant us such faith in your reconciliation in Christ that we too may be reconciled to you in Jesus and receive your righteousness. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.