# God's Reconciliation to His Enemies



## newnature (Mar 27, 2013)

Does God really hate man because of the actions of men? The fact is that God loves man so much that the magnitude of his love is almost incomprehensible to imagine. In the past, God stood far off from the sinner, but God’s love is so paramount that he says he loves humans who are actively his enemies. Certainly, the bible shows that God does not like the actions of men, but God reconciled himself to his enemies while they are still in hostility, although this statement may appear to be strange and impossible, but it is not. These are important worlds; God’s reconciliation to mankind took place when man was actively his enemy, not after man repented. An enemy is one that is on the other side of the fence, he is in absolute opposition and his actions are hateful, and it was while mankind was in this state of utter hostility and in direct opposition to God, that we were reconciled to God by the death of his son. 

God’s reconciliation to man is from God’s side only. God alone decided to make peace with man, and he did it through the death of his son, while man is still very much ungodly, a sinner, and while man is an active enemy to God. This one-sided reconciliation on God’s part is self-evident proof of God’s superabundant love to man. As far as God is concerned, he loved us so much that he was willing to let his own son die on the tree of crucifixion for sinful man, and have his son pay all the penalties of our sins, forget our rebelliousness and overlook our hostility, while we were still sinners, still rebellious, and still hostile. 

God made up his mind to become completely reconciled to mankind before man made any signs of making peace with God. God has told the world through Paul’s teachings, that he has reconciled himself to them because of his love for them, and it was God alone who did this harmonious act; we have had nothing to do with it, all we have had to do is to receive the reconciliation that God has made with mankind. God has one-sidedly reconciled himself to mankind through the death of Christ on the tree; all sins and hostility are paid for as far as God is concerned, and it is time all people begin to believe it. 

No longer do we have to strive to attain and maintain God’s acceptance on the basis of who we are and what we can do. No longer are our sins held against us, no longer does the death penalty for sin hang over us. The just do, in fact, live by faith, but it is not our sinless lives that allow us to be called just; we do not live sinless lives. True faith is believing that God raised Christ from among the dead, thus, because of the resurrection of Christ, those who believe in Jesus are secure in their redemption. Justification is an act of God; it is not an action of man. Our justification is secured by the vindicating act of God in resurrecting Jesus. Our possession of Christ’s righteousness is guaranteed by the reality that Christ has been raised from among the dead, for we have been justified through that resurrection. 

Sin causes a debt to God so large that it can never be paid by ourselves, but the person who knows what Jesus Christ really accomplished, also understands that those who are reconciled to God through the death of Jesus Christ in which he bore our sin, exist in a completely new relationship with God. Justification is the judicial act of God whereby he declares us righteous. As we stand before God in his courtroom, the evidence is overwhelmingly against us. Yet, as he drops the gavel, he pronounces no penalty. We are seen as Christ is seen.


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## 1gr8bldr (Mar 27, 2013)

Welcome to Woody's


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## barryl (Mar 27, 2013)

newnature said:


> does god really hate man because of the actions of men? The fact is that god loves man so much that the magnitude of his love is almost incomprehensible to imagine. In the past, god stood far off from the sinner, but god’s love is so paramount that he says he loves humans who are actively his enemies. Certainly, the bible shows that god does not like the actions of men, but god reconciled himself to his enemies while they are still in hostility, although this statement may appear to be strange and impossible, but it is not. These are important worlds; god’s reconciliation to mankind took place when man was actively his enemy, not after man repented. An enemy is one that is on the other side of the fence, he is in absolute opposition and his actions are hateful, and it was while mankind was in this state of utter hostility and in direct opposition to god, that we were reconciled to god by the death of his son.
> 
> God’s reconciliation to man is from god’s side only. God alone decided to make peace with man, and he did it through the death of his son, while man is still very much ungodly, a sinner, and while man is an active enemy to god. This one-sided reconciliation on god’s part is self-evident proof of god’s superabundant love to man. As far as god is concerned, he loved us so much that he was willing to let his own son die on the tree of crucifixion for sinful man, and have his son pay all the penalties of our sins, forget our rebelliousness and overlook our hostility, while we were still sinners, still rebellious, and still hostile.
> 
> ...


amen !!!!!


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## Snackdaddy66 (Mar 27, 2013)

Ditto


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## Ronnie T (Mar 27, 2013)

Yep.  Thanks and welcome.


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## StriperAddict (Mar 28, 2013)

Amen indeed, thanks for posting a poignant synopsis of the great news!


Romans 5:1


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## gemcgrew (Mar 28, 2013)

newnature said:


> God made up his mind to become completely reconciled to mankind before man made any signs of making peace with God.


When did this occur? What do you mean by "God made up his mind"? Also, do you hold to eternal justification?



I hope you stick around and I look forward to your reply.


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## gordon 2 (Mar 28, 2013)

Nice of you to share.... thanks.


"because of the resurrection of christ, those who believe in jesus are secure in their redemption"


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## Artfuldodger (Mar 28, 2013)

gemcgrew said:


> When did this occur? What do you mean by "God made up his mind"? Also, do you hold to eternal justification?
> I hope you stick around and I look forward to your reply.



While we wait for newnature's reply, I'll give you mine.
I'll start by leaving off the God made up his mind and say God reconciled with mankind, all of mankind, willing to accept his way of reconciling. Man could have never reconciled with God first. God's way of reconciling is for all of mankind willing to accept Jesus as savior, will be saved.

I do not hold to eternal justification because if that were true, God sending his only Son to save us would be a moot point.


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## mtnwoman (Mar 28, 2013)

gordon 2 said:


> Nice of you to share.... thanks.
> 
> 
> "because of the resurrection of christ, those who believe in jesus are secure in their redemption"



Another 

Plus this 

and this


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## newnature (Mar 29, 2013)

What a joy is by simply taking God at his word, concerning what his son accomplished for us. It is as simple as that. When God says he is satisfied with what Christ did for our sins, when Christ died for them, all our sins were all future. It is a son issue on our part, not a sin issue, in order to receive the gift of salivation.


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## gemcgrew (Mar 29, 2013)

newnature said:


> What a joy is by simply taking God at his word, concerning what his son accomplished for us. It is as simple as that.


I totally agree! So where are your scriptural references? You have assertions in your original post that interest me.


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## gemcgrew (Mar 29, 2013)

Never mind, I found an older source with reference.


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## newnature (Mar 29, 2013)

It is entirely outside of our self, and it is simply to be received. There is a new view of living, no longer for self, but for God; to die to self and live to Christ. God has taken the initiative to reconcile man back to himself. God is not reconciled to man, as though God were partly to blame for the enmity. Rather, man is reconciled to God, for it is man who moved away from God. When people need to be reconciled to one another, it normally involves a situation where fault lies on both sides to some degree. Not so with the case between man and God, man has moved away from God, and it is man who needs to be reconciled back to God, not God back to man. 2 Corth. Chapter 5


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## gordon 2 (Apr 1, 2013)

newnature said:


> It is entirely outside of our self, and it is simply to be received. There is a new view of living, no longer for self, but for God; to die to self and live to Christ. God has taken the initiative to reconcile man back to himself. God is not reconciled to man, as though God were partly to blame for the enmity. Rather, man is reconciled to God, for it is man who moved away from God. When people need to be reconciled to one another, it normally involves a situation where fault lies on both sides to some degree. Not so with the case between man and God, man has moved away from God, and it is man who needs to be reconciled back to God, not God back to man. 2 Corth. Chapter 5




I am not one to test, so it is not the purpose of this question. Rather I like to learn. Also, I don't what to take this tread off track. So.... if it does simply ignore.

What does it mean, what have we learned about, "to die to self and live to Christ". Especially what does it mean to "die to self". Many have gone to lengts to explain this and to demonstrate this necessity. My best or simple understanding of it is to die to our prejudices regards others and this is very difficult to do...even after being made to "live to Christ".

 Therefore to live in Christ is not only reconciliation on God's part? We have to do some reconciliation ourselves about God's will and what it means to serve others and all of his creation? So even after being "born again" we have, by faith, lots of work to do in order to achieve our reconciliation to God as Adam or Eve were at the first?

Ideas?


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## StriperAddict (Apr 2, 2013)

gordon 2 said:


> What does it mean, what have we learned about, "to die to self and live to Christ". Especially what does it mean to "die to self". Many have gone to lengts to explain this and to demonstrate this necessity. My best or simple understanding of it is to die to our prejudices regards others and this is very difficult to do...even after being made to "live to Christ".



Simply put, it is the acknowledgement of those places in our hearts when we make choices to *NOT *believe God.  Then, as by the Holy Spirit, we see the choice for what it is (whether it gives birth to an act of sin or not) and rightly choose to confess it to our loving Father. 
In the deep quiet of His presence He does what we cannot... change that matter of unbelief to abiding trust in His love, mercy and grace.  We have as a result of "dying to the self" in humble surrender a fresh look and blessing of His work from the cross... to change that pride or selfishness rearing it's ugly head around to the victory that was already won, where we go from "faith to Faith". It is not what we do that'll get us outta the self-jam, it's apprehending by faith His victory in it that keeps the condemnation voices at bay. 
Jesus said - Apart from Me ye can do... yep, _nothing_.

As great a man of faith as Paul was, his declaration "I die daily" encourages me in my own weakness and those (false) belief systems of mine.
Growth in Christ is a lifelong progressive thing. I'm beginning to welcome His hand more lately, even if it hurts!


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