Reconciliation, Justification, Adoption, Election, and Redemption

God is angry with mankind. This is known as the wrath of God. While wrath is a terrible thing, it is a natural part of God’s nature for wrath represents that port of God’s character that hates sin and demands its punishment. While hating sin, God still loves the sinner, a concept often difficult for men to understand. Yet, it is the perfect balance of God’s wrath and God’s love that allows Him to offer salvation to men, while demanding punishment for the wrongful, sinful behavior.

God’s wrath came evident with his charge to Adam and Eve following their sin in the Garden of Eden.

Genesis 3:15-18 (KJV)
15 And I will put enmity between thee [the serpent] and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. 16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. 17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;

Due to sin, God curses Satan, Adam, Eve, and the earth. God’s wrath becomes visible. But, with the curse of His wrath, we immediately see the outplaying of His love.

Genesis 3:21 (KJV)
21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.

Romans 5:8 (KJV)
8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Having died on the Cross, Christ has provided the payment for God’s wrath against sin and allows for a mechanism whereby God may punish sin and yet save the sinner. Thus, at the moment of initial salvation, man is saved from God’s wrath. This event is called “reconciliation.” For those who do not accept God’s offer of salvation, the time will arrive when sin and sinner merge as the finally operation of God’s wrath takes effect in the Tribulation.

2 Corinthians 5:18-19 (KJV)
18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 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.

We were enemies of God as sinners. He may have loved us, but we were still at enmity with Him. When we are saved through the blood of Jesus, we are reconciled back to God. To be reconciled is to be brought back into a friendly relationship. In English, reconciliation is always a two-sided coin as both parties reconcile. But, in the Greek, it may be one sided. God (Jesus) is always the Reconciler in Scripture. God removes the obstacle which allows us to come into fellowship with Him. This creates the reconciliation. When we come to Christ in faith, God cleanses us and adopts us into His family. What a wonderful reconciliation we experience. Since we are now reconciled to Jesus by justification by faith, we are brought alive spiritually through the life of Christ. We live with Him and through Him.

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