GOD WAS IN CHRIST…

We turn to the scriptures to find God. Somehow, we stumble upon Paul’s great revelation that

“God was in Christ

conciliating the world to Himself,

not reckoning their offences to them.“

We look again and again at the scene of Christ’s cross; His death, entombment and resurrection. Paul says he knows nothing else but Christ and Him crucified. But what was accomplished in the cross?

This is a big event. The biggest. Bigger than the moon landing. Bigger than the completion of the tallest skyscraper. Bigger than a miles-long bridge over a large ocean bay. Bigger than any of man’s accomplishments.

Christ went to the cross.  But it was not His idea… The whole thing was God’s idea. “God was in Christ.” – Conciliating the world to Himself… and as if that’s not enough… Due to what was accomplished on the cross.. God is NOT reckoning the offences of the world to them.  The world is now conciliated as far as God is concerned.

Can we begin to see the extraordinary care Paul took to introduce this thought to us? It not just that God conciliates the world to Himself… it’s that God was in Christ… doing this.

It’s not that God is NOT RECKONING their offences to them.. it’s that God was in Christ … doing this.

This is the work of God. Our salvation. Our conciliation. God did it. God was in Christ.

It’s more than just a forgiving God, being kind. It’s more than dealing with “sins” to get that troublesome pack of acts out of the way… no… this is dealing with THE OFFENCES… sins that wound, sins that cut quick, sins that are remembered: offences.

The freewill preachers blasting out the message of “eternal torment” awaits sinners who don’t “repent” have no idea about this great accomplishment of God’s work in the cross of Christ.

That God was in Christ doing this…

2 COR 5:18-19

18 Yet all is of God, Who conciliates us to Himself through Christ, and is giving us the dispensation of the conciliation,
19 how that God was in Christ, conciliating the world to Himself, not reckoning their offenses to them, and placing in us the word of the conciliation.

20 For Christ, then, are we ambassadors, as of God entreating through us. We are beseeching for Christ’s sake, “Be conciliated to God!”
21 For the One not knowing sin, He makes to be a sin offering for our sakes that we may be becoming God’s righteousness in Him.

A.E. KNOCH’S BIBLE COMMENTARY: (GET A COPY HERE)

REGARDING VERSE 19: “All is of God!” this is the key the real evangelism. Here we have, in brief, the heart of the true evangel for the world in this administration of grace. The key note is conciliation. Not the sinner conciliating God by penance or prayers, but God conciliating the sinner. The sinner may be most offensive and insulting, but God does not reckon these offenses against him. Let this be clear. God is not charging men with their sins, for Christ has died for sins. He is not pressing their offenses, for He is bent on conciliation. The evangel is not concerned with the sinner at all but God’s attitude toward him and with the sufferings of Christ. He has placed in us, not the message of judgment but the word of conciliation.

REGARDING VERSE 20: God insists on being at peace with the world, no matter how they treated His Son or Paul, or any of His ambassadors. … Your sins are no hindrance, for He has made a Sin Offering for our sakes that we made become God’s righteousness in Him. There is nothing for you to do but to accept His proffered love. Simply thank and adore Him for His grace.