First let us see who was offended. Of course, God was and that was because man transgressed God's law in the beginning. So God brought about reconciliation through his Son, Jesus, and this between God and his people. We will turn to II Corinthians 5:17: "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; Old things are passed away; and behold, all thins are become new. 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 God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, and not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the Word of Reconciliation. 20: Now we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us; we pray you in Christ stead, be ye reconciled to God." We can see that God through Christ brought about reconciliation.

For God to be satisfied, it took perfection--Christ was perfect and made a perfect offering by the sacrifice of himself. He made the offering to God and not to man. It is a wonderful thing for Gods people to be led into the understanding of what has been done for them in the work of Christ in justifying and making satisfaction for them. Thus he placed them in a condition where God is completely satisfied in regard to the matter. The law is fulfilled in Christ and God is satisfied. God is just and the justifier he sent Christ who is our justification. God is the justifier of every one that believeth.

This doesnt mean that the individual believes in order to be justified, but if he believes in Jesus it is because God has given him faith which the Bible says is a gift from God. The person who believes has received the spirit of adoption which enables him to cry "Abba Father!" God was in Christ reconciling the world (that is, his people in the world) unto himself and not imputing their trespasses. Only God could do this work because God required a perfect offering. Man wasnt able because of his imperfections but Christ did satisfy God and his broken law.

When we receive the spirit of Christ, we do not receive a spirit that testifies that we are in bondage but the spirit of Christ that testifies that we have been delivered from bondage. The measure in which are brought to an understanding of those things enables us by faith to look to him for the accomplishment and fulfillment of those things which he had promised. Those promises were in Christ. We experience in part the peace and joy by the earnest of the spirit that keeps us looking to actual fulfillment and final conclusion of it. This will be when the Lord returns and raises our bodies to make them immortal in his own image and carry us to live with him for ever and ever.

Back to the scriptures quoted above from II Corinthians 5:19 and 20, "To wit, God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, and not imputing their trespasses unto them; And hath committed unto us the Word of Reconciliation." This set forth very emphatically that God accomplished this through his son, Jesus Christ, and did commit to the ministry the word of reconciliation and of course they are to preach this to the people and live before those to whom they preach and with whom they come in contact that they are just faithful servants or ambassadors to preach the world of reconciliation. The 20^th verse states:" Now we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us; we pray you in Christ stead, be ye reconciled to God." This command is to the ministry, but I think that this admonition is to every individual that has received the benefits of the atonement [for] his heart that redeemed and justified him. Thy should be faithful ambassadors and show that they are reconciled to God in their talk, walk, and in everything they do because the Lord has never required us to do anything but that which is good, God honoring, and will bring peace and satisfaction when we engage in it.

Reconciliation in an experimental phase of it, can be experienced in a persons life when he shows his actions that he is reconciled to God. We are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works, and he has before ordained that we should walk in them. May each reader reread these cardinal principles that have been discussed, namely: ELECTION, ATONEMENT, REDEMPTION, JUSTIFICATION, IN THREE PHASES, AND RECONCILIATION. Turn to your Bible and read the scriptures suggested and pray God for light and revelation to see if these principles are true. Life will have a new meaning to you and the Bible will become the most cherished book you can read and meditate upon. There will be real fulfillment in life for you and your family

May God Bless You to do this. Wiley Sammons