Reconciliation: What is universal reconciliation?
This is the false teaching that Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection will ultimately provide reconciliation and salvation for all mankind, not just some. You might be surprised at how many people believe this. This first passage of Scripture we’ll look at is one that is generally used to promote and defend this belief.
II Corinthians 5:18-21
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 is to say], that God was in Christ, reconciling the world [all mankind] unto himself, not imputing [crediting] their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word [the message] of reconciliation.
20 Now then we are ambassadors [personal representatives] for Christ, as though God did beseech [implore] you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
21 For he [God the Father] hath made him [Jesus Christ] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. [Emphasis added]
Unfortunately, there are many people who have never paid much attention to this passage. But I assure you that it is one of the most important passages you’ll ever read in all the Bible. The reason I say that is because it is a passage that helps us understand what has happened and what must happen for someone to get to go to heaven. So, this is a passage that helps us understand the means to our salvation. And, in case you don’t know this, there’s a tremendous amount of confusion about this in our world. What you want to be sure of is that there’s no “confusion” and wrong understanding about this in your mind. Where you’ll spend eternity depends on it. That’s why it is so extremely important for you to become familiar with all this.
In the first verse of this passage, we are told that a work of reconciliation has occurred. We are also told there that as God’s people He has given to each of us a “ministry of reconciliation” to share this truth with others. What is all this about?
The first thing you need to know is that because man created a big problem for himself through his sin, something had to be done about it to provide a means for his salvation. This is because without such a work, man was in a hopeless and helpless situation. You’ll be glad to know that God entered into the picture and did exactly what needed to be done to provide a solution for man’s situation. God sent His Son into the world to pay in full the required penalty for man’s sin so that salvation for him could be a possibility, but not a certainty.
I Corinthians 15:3-4
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: [Emphasis added]
Even though we were God’s enemies, He sent His Son into the world to solve the problem of our sin and to provide us with a marvelous work of reconciliation between us and Himself.
Romans 5:10
10 For if, when we were enemies [before we were saved], we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. [Emphasis added]
This tells us that when all mankind was in a state of enmity with God, He did a work to provide reconciliation. In this work, Christ completely paid the penalty for the sins of the entire world of mankind by His death, burial, and resurrection. Other passages also speak of His work to provide the opportunity for our salvation.
I John 2:2
2 And he is the propitiation [the means to satisfying God’s just demands] for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. [Emphasis added]
As believers who have accepted Christ’s work in our behalf, we are now said to have been reconciled.
Colossians 1:21
21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled. [Emphasis added]
These believers in Colossae had accepted the message of the gospel Paul gave them. They are, therefore, said to have been reconciled to God. But when was that work of reconciliation made complete? A major step toward providing complete reconciliation occurred when Christ did what He did in paying for our sins. It was then that He completed a part of this work when He bore our sins on the cross. However, that alone does not provide a person with salvation.
II Corinthians 5:21
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. [Emphasis added]
In this verse, the phrase “might be made” the righteousness of God is in what is called the subjunctive mood in the Greek text of Scripture from which it was translated. That means this is talking about something that is potential. In this case, what’s potential is one being “made the righteousness of God in him” to gain salvation. So please pay special attention to that word “might.” It tells us that there was a part of this work of reconciliation that was not complete until something else happens. God did His part through Christ’s work on the cross, BUT man must respond to that with faith for the reconciliation to be made two-way, instead of only God’s side of it being complete. That’s why there’s the command to “BE reconciled” in that same passage we just looked at. Note what is said in verse twenty.
II Corinthians 5:20
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. [Emphasis added]
The only right response to this command is to accept by faith what Christ did for us. In other words, to be fully reconciled and saved we must put our faith in this work Christ did for us as the SOLE basis for our salvation. It is only when that faith is expressed that full reconciliation, or two-way reconciliation is complete, providing us with eternal salvation. It is then and only then that we can have real peace with God over this matter.
Romans 5:1-2
1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. [Emphasis added]
Until this faith is expressed, we remain alienated and God’s enemies.
Colossians 1:21
21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled [Emphasis added]
It is only in this manner that we become acceptable to Him and qualified for heaven.
Colossians 1:22
22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: [Emphasis added]
All together this is a picture of our salvation. All these things are now ours by faith in what Christ provided in His death, burial, and resurrection. Both of these aspects of our reconciliation are laid side by side in this next passage.
Romans 5:10
10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son [at the cross], much more, being reconciled [at the point of our expressed faith and afterward], we shall be saved by his life. [Emphasis added]
His life, His resurrection life, is now shared with each of us as believers.
Romans 5:11
11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now [now that we’ve put our faith in Christ’s work] received the atonement. [Emphasis added]
The Greek word for atonement here is KATALLAGE which does not mean atonement. In all the other passages where this word is used it is correctly translated reconcile or reconciliation, not atonement. The reason the translators translated it this way here [atonement] is that the word does mean at one. Reconciliation does mean to become at one with someone. But what’s so important to understand about this is that when Christ bore our sins, He wasn’t just covering our sin problem for the time being as was done in the work of Israel’s priesthood through their Levitical offerings; by His payment for our sins Christ permanently canceled our sin problem once and for all. Complete reconciliation between us and God is fully provided the moment we accept what He did to provide for it. It is then and only then that we are said to be justified before God. We were made one with God when we put our faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.
Theologically speaking, atonement is an Old Testament idea. The Hebrew word for atonement is KAPHAR which means to cover. When the Old Testament sacrifices were offered, the sins of the people were covered until the actual payment could be made through Christ’s death. Today we have a far greater blessing. Our sins have now been completely done away with by the blood of Christ. It is this that paves the way for complete reconciliation with God for salvation. The justice of God was fully satisfied at the cross of Christ. We can, therefore, by faith gain the complete reconciliation of salvation and peace of mind regarding our situation before God. Again, as we noted earlier, these verses spell out our new and perfect situation now that we have responded with faith to God’s command to be reconciled. We never again have to be concerned about our standing position of complete blessing.
Romans 5:1-2
1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. [Emphasis added]
Conclusion:
Therefore, it is NOT true that everyone is going to heaven. There has not been nor ever will be universal reconciliation. The work of Christ made it possible for everyone to go to heaven, but personal faith must be applied to what God did for a person’s salvation to occur. We know that everyone has not been and will not be fully reconciled to God. Again, there would be no need for the command to BE reconciled to God if man was fully reconciled to God by the work of Christ on the cross. God’s work in the matter surely was complete, but there was left standing a demand for a positive response to that work on the part of man. When and if that occurs, a person is completely reconciled to God and his salvation is made permanently secure. If you’ve still not accepted Christ’s work in your behalf, I pray you will right now. God knows all your thoughts. You can immediately respond to the command and BE reconciled today.
