Questions from Our Readers

This is a biblical word with a deep, rich meaning. We read in 2 Corinthians 5:18: “And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation.” There are two keywords here: ministry and reconciliation. Let us take a closer look at both, beginning with the word reconciliation.

The word reconciliation implies enmity, a state of war or disharmony. There is no need for reconciliation if two parties are fully at peace with one another. Alas, this is not the case between man and God, by nature. Scripture clearly teaches us that there is enmity between man and God because of our fall and disobedience in Paradise. Our sins cause God to hide His face from us “that He will not hear” (Isaiah 59:2). This enmity causes God’s presence to be a consuming fire and an everlasting burning (Isaiah 33:14). The Apostle Paul refers to this enmity, among others, in Romans 5:10 and Ephesians 2:16. In apostolic times there was the belief among the Jews that man had to initiate a reconciliation with God. It appears that this generation of believers is still alive today. What Paul manifests, however, in 2 Corinthians 5:18 is the marvelous truth that not man but God makes Himself the subject and man the object of reconciliation. All things are from God; from God all blessings flow. What an eternal wonder it is that God has not abandoned His fallen world but from eternity was the first to restore what He did not destroy; God was the first to come with an overture of peace to Adam and Eve after they fled and hid themselves from God in the garden.

Throughout the Scriptures we find an abundance of such undeserved overtures of God in Christ. All things are of Him, but all sins are of man and belong to us. All fault lies with man. All alienation from God is to be charged to man’s account. We remain, at all times, accountable to God for each and every sin, and, yes, all responsibility to be reconciled with God also lies with us. Yet, all reconciliation God has laid for His own account, that is, for the account of His Son, Jesus Christ. This is truly the mystery of sovereign grace through atonement for sin. The origin and ground of salvation lie not in men who at some point in life became tired of their enmity against God and said, “Lord, let us make peace.” No, something entirely different took place. In due time Christ died for the ungodly (Romans 5:6b). This implies love for enemies and becomes evident especially when we study the word reconciliation. There are multiple words in Scripture that are translated with reconciliation. The word Paul uses in 2 Corinthians 5:18 (katallasso) according to scholars has also reference to the element of substitution, in the sense of instead of or an exchange. Jesus took upon Himself the rejection and enmity of man and gave peace with God through the cross of Christ (Colossians 1:20). Thus, Christ received in His humiliation what His Church deserves eternally, but the Church receives from His exaltation the love of God which pertains to Christ. The price of sin was laid upon Him, and He gives the reconciliation of paid in full. Blessed, holy, unfathomable exchange—here opens the ocean of love and reconciliation in and through the blood of Christ.

Now, concerning the first word, the ministry of reconciliation, we could describe this as follows: the redemptive act of God’s reconciliation through Christ, becomes, in the preaching, the ministry of reconciliation. I found a beautiful description by one of our Dutch authors. “By preaching the reconciliation in Christ, the apostles as deacons hand out this benefit. They bring this redemptive act to the world. They show what has happened and how a totally new situation has come into being. They pray the people to believe this, that is, to no longer remain in their sin, death, and enmity, but to enter into the life and childship of this newly formed state of righteousness” (F.J. Pop in Bijbelse woorden en hun geheim—Biblical Words and Their Secret). This is exactly what Paul mentions only two verses later in “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.” Charles Hodge writes: “It is therefore the peculiar duty or special design of the ministry to proclaim to men that God, justly offended by their sins, can be just and yet justify those who come to Him by Jesus Christ.”

Hence, with ministry is meant the very preaching of the gospel. Consequently, a tremendous responsibility rests upon the minister of the Word of God. He is commissioned by God to represent the Lord of lords and King of kings before the people to whom he has been sent. He may not speak his own words but must speak only the words that God has revealed to him. Likewise, the hearers must receive this ministry in the same manner. God makes His appeal through the ministry of the Word unto all those who hear the Word preached. This renders all hearers without excuse if they reject both the reconciliation and the ministry of the same, as the Canons of Dordt clearly explain in the Second Head, article 6, namely, that “this is not owing to any defect of insufficiency in the sacrifice offered by Christ upon the cross but is wholly to be imputed to themselves.”

Let us not rest before we may know not only the ministry of reconciliation objectively but the very means for it, namely, the blood of Christ subjectively, that is, in the heart. All things are from God. How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?

Please send your questions to Rev. H. Hofman, 112 Pratt Road, Kalamazoo, MI 49001, or hofman@premieronline.net.

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