Reconciliation

“God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself” -II CORINTHIANS 5:19 [KJV]

This phrase declares the ministry of reconciliation which God has given to faithful preachers. It declares the AUTHOR, MEANS, SUBJECTS, and CONSEQUENCES of that work. In the person of His dear Son, God was actually providing Himself a lamb, a ransom, and an atonement. He did not charge our sins to us, but to Christ, having made Christ to be sin for us.

The word “world” does not mean that Jesus Christ effectually bore the sins of every son of Adam and reconciled every person to God by His death. If this be the case, no one would be finally lost. He reconciled the “world” in the sense that He actually redeemed a people out of every kindred, nation, and tongue, not of the Jews only (REVELATION 5:9-12).

John Owen said, “If Christ died for ALL of the sins of ALL men, then ALL men would be saved; if Christ died for SOME of the sins of ALL men, then NO ONE would be saved; but in that He died for ALL of the sins of SOME men, then some will truly be saved.”

This ministry of reconciliation, substitution, and satisfaction has been committed to faithful preachers, and we will preach it, and we dare not preach any other message. Inasmuch as Christ is our righteousness God does not call upon us to produce a righteousness, but to receive His perfect righteousness by faith. Inasmuch as Christ is our Surety and Substitute, God will not require satisfaction from us but accepts us IN THE BELOVED (EPHESIANS 1:6).

-Gospel report by preacher Henry Mahan