“Be kind and helpful to one another, tender-hearted [compassionate, understanding], forgiving one another [readily and freely], just as God in Christ also forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32 AMP

The Christmas season of giving and good cheer, it however also a season of forgiving and restoration! The Scripture is clear when it comes to the reason for His coming.

“19that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting people’s sins against them [but canceling them]. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation [that is, restoration to favor with God].” 2 Corinthians 5:18-19

God the creator and ruler of the universe humbled Himself and took on the form of a human being in order to “reconcile” mankind to Himself. The Greek word used here means “to make an exchange.” Normally we think about us being the change agent regarding our relationship with God. We think in terms of repentance, confession, and redirection. While all those things are true, none of it would be possible unless someone corrected the situation that brought us to our rebellious state! The Apostle Paul addressed this issue to the church at Rome.

“Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, so death spread to all people [no one being able to stop it or escape its power], because they all sinned” Romans 5:12 AMP

Man was trapped with no way out. Because of the transgression of our forefathers, sin and death have reigned. Now a perfect man was needed to defeat the power of sin and also fulfill the penalty that sin brought with it…death. Jesus was willing to take on the task! 

“Have this same attitude in yourselves which was in Christ Jesus [look to Him as your example in selfless humility], 6who, although He existed in the form and unchanging essence of God [as One with Him, possessing the fullness of all the divine attributes–the entire nature of deity], did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped or asserted [as if He did not already possess it, or was afraid of losing it]; 7but emptied Himself [without renouncing or diminishing His deity, but only temporarily giving up the outward expression of divine equality and His rightful dignity] by assuming the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men [He became completely human but was without sin, being fully God and fully man]. 8After He was found in [terms of His] outward appearance as a man [for a divinely-appointed time], He humbled Himself [still further] by becoming obedient [to the Father] to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Philippians 2: 5-8 AMP

Once Jesus died and fulfilled the requirement of a perfect sacrifice for the sins of man, man now had the option to remain estranged from God or be reconciled! 

“But the free gift [of God] is not like the trespass [because the gift of grace overwhelms the fall of man]. For if many died by one man’s trespass [Adam’s sin], much more [abundantly] did God’s grace and the gift [that comes] by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, overflow to [benefit] the many. 16Nor is the gift [of grace] like that which came through the one who sinned. For on the one hand the judgment [following the sin] resulted from one trespass and brought condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift resulted from many trespasses and brought justification [the release from sin’s penalty for those who believe]. 17For if by the trespass of the one (Adam), death reigned through the one (Adam), much more surely will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in [eternal] life through the One, Jesus Christ.Romans 5:15-17 AMP

Since now we have been reconciled to God we can bear the fruits of our new nature. Because Christ chose to be the instrument of reconciliation so too must we be agents of reconciliation! Take time this season not only to remember the reason for the season but be the agent of reconciliation one to another! Have a blessed day, Pastor Ken