AS THE RECONCILED, BE RECONCILED TO GOD

The apostle Paul wrote the second epistle of Corinthians to believers. This letter was addressed to the “church” and “saints” there in Corinth. Also, he reminds them in chapter five that they were reconciled to God by God through the Lord Jesus Christ and His sufferings and death. “God was in Christ reconciling…” This reconciliation is an accomplished thing and we can add nothing to it. So what does the apostle mean when he says in verse twenty, “be ye reconciled to God”? It cannot be that this great reconciliation between God and men in the matter of our sin is in any way determined by something WE do! No, in the context of this chapter and epistle I believe it has to do with our attitudes and actions in relation to all that God does in our lives and all He commands us to do. John Gill, writing on this verse says, “we pray you in Christ's stead; representing him as if he was present before you: be ye reconciled to God; you, who are new creatures, for whom Christ has died, and peace is made; you, the members of the church at Corinth, who upon a profession of faith have been taken into such a relation; be ye reconciled to all the dispensations of divine Providence towards you; let your wills bow, and be resigned to his, since he is the God of peace to you; and as you are reconciled by Christ as a priest, be reconciled to him as your King, and your God; to all his ordinances and appointments; to all the orders and laws of his house; conform in all things to his will and pleasure, which we, as his ambassadors, in his name and stead, have made known unto you. You ought to be all obedience to him, and never dispute anything he says or orders.”

“Be ye reconciled to God” is not the message we are to preach to the lost, leaving it to them! We declare to men in the gospel that “God was in Christ reconciling” sinners to Himself, not imputing their sins to them. We call upon them to rest in Christ who made this peace by the blood of His cross. God is the Reconciler and Christ’s sacrifice is the ground of this peace.

But, as reconciled persons and God’s believing people, are to bow to Him in all things, seek to be obedient to all His commands and glorify Him in our lives as those He has reconciled unto Himself!

Gary Shepard

To impute is to charge a thing upon a person whether guilty or not, as the circumstances hereafter are proved, or not. Thus Shimei intreated David, that he would not "impute iniquity to him" for some former transaction. {2Sa 19:19} And the apostle Paul {Ro 4:8} declares them blessed to whom the Lord "will not impute sin." This is the general sense of imputation. But in the case of the imputed righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ to his people, and their sins imputed to him; the sense of imputation goes farther, and ascribes to Christ, and to the sinner, that which each hath not, but by the very act of imputing it to them. Hence the apostle Paul explains it in the clearest manner in two Scriptures: the first, in 2Co 5:21, where speaking of this imputation of our sins to Christ, and his righteousness to us, he refers it into the sovereignty and good pleasure of God the Father. For speaking of Christ, it is used, "God hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." Here the doctrine of imputation is most plainly and fully stated. Christ is the imputed sinner, or rather sin itself in the total abstract, and in the very moment when he knew no sin. And the sinner is said to be righteous; yea, the righteousness of God in Christ; when in the same time he hath not a single portion of righteousness in himself, or in any of his doings. This is, therefore, to impute Christ’s righteousness to his people, and their sins to him. The other Scripture that explains the doctrine is but in part, namely, respecting the imputation of sin." Christ {Ga 3:13} hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us." Here Christ stands with all the curse of a broken law charged upon him, as the sinner’s Surety; yea, as the curse itself. And consequently, as in the doing of this, he takes it from his people; they are redeemed from it. The original debtor, and the Surety, who pays for that debtor, cannot both have the debt at the same time charged, upon them. This, therefore, is the blessed doctrine of imputation. Our sins are imputed to Christ. His righteousness is imputed to us. And this by the authority and appointment of JEHOVAH; for without this authority and appointment of JEHOVAH, the transfer could not have taken place. Robert Hawker

THESE IDOLS OF THE HEART

The first commandment of the decalogue says, "You shall have no other gods before Me." The meaning of this precept, which is the foundation of all religion, is not merely that we shall not acknowledge any other God besides Jehovah--but also that we shall treat Him as God! That is, we . . . must love Him with all our hearts, serve Him with all our lives, and depend upon Him for our supreme felicity.

It is obvious that whatever we love most, and are most anxious to retain and please--whatever it is we depend most upon for happiness and help--whatever has most of our hearts--that is, in effect, our God! It does not matter whether it is friends, possessions, desires--or our own selves! These are the idols of the heart!

SELF is the great idol which is the rival of God, and which divides with Him the worship of the human race. It is surprising and affecting to think how much SELF enters into almost all we do. Besides the grosser form of self-righteousness, which leads many unconverted people actually to depend upon their own doings for acceptance with God; how much of . . . self-seeking, self-valuing, self-admiration, self-dependence, there is in many converted ones! How covertly do some seek their own praise in what they professedly do for God, and their fellow-creatures! How eager are they for the admiration and applause of their fellow-creatures! How much of self, yet how little suspected by themselves--is seen by One who knows them better than they know themselves, at the bottom of their most splendid services, donations, and most costly sacrifices!

In how many ways does self steal away the heart from God! How subtle are its workings, how concealed its movements, yet how extensive is its influence. How SELF . . . perverts our motives, lowers our aims, corrupts our affections, and taints our best actions!

How much incense is burned--and how many sacrifices are offered on the altar of this idol!

"Little children, keep yourselves from idols!" 1 John 5:21