Being reconciled to God is not our doing, but His doing. Still, He awaits our reply. Such is a God of love.

4 Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but [Christ’s] righteousness delivers from death.

As I was reading Romans 5 yesterday morning, I ran across this verse,

¹¹ Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom we have now received reconciliation.

I was curious to know the meaning of the word, “reconciliation,” which we have received, so I looked it up at Dictionary.com. What I found was a progression! It said, using the verb tense of “reconcile,”

1. to cause (a person) to accept or be resigned to something not desired: He was reconciled to his fate.
   • We come to realize that there is nothing good in us; we are separated from God with no way to be reunited with Him through anything we can do. We need a Savior.
2. to win over to friendliness; cause to become amicable: to reconcile hostile persons.
   • In and of ourselves, we do not want to be reconciled to God; we want our own way. Were it not for the wooing of the Spirit, we would never seek God. He reconciled us to Himself!
3. to compose or settle (a quarrel, dispute, etc.).
   • Jesus settled the dispute of our sin on the cross. He paid our debt so that we could have access to God. Don’t forget that Jesus IS God!
4. to bring into agreement or harmony; make compatible or consistent: to reconcile differing statements; to reconcile accounts.
   • God settled the books and reckons our debt as paid in full (Psalm 22:31).
5. to reconsecrate (a desecrated church, cemetery, etc.).
   • We are reinstated as His children with full rights and privileges of children of the King.
6. to restore (an excommunicate or penitent [person]) to communion in a church.
   • We now have full communion with God the Father through the Son by the Holy Spirit.
7. to become reconciled.
   • We are now in an eternal state of reconciliation; it can never be changed or revoked.

Reconciliation is our position in Christ. It is what Baptists call, “the security of the believer.” Calvinists call it, “the perseverance of the saints.” Whatever happens to our relationship with the Father while here on earth, nothing and no one can separate us from the love of Christ (Romans 8:35-39).

It’s amazing what a little research can find!

Abba, may we revel in our reconciliation to You. Thank You for going to all that trouble for us; may we appreciate all that You have done for us and live to serve You out of thankful, grateful hearts. Amen.