There have been done some really rather terrible things to the wonderful doctrine of Salvation over the past 300 years. I admit that it is often just a subtle thing or even a misunderstanding, but it does exist. It is best captured in the idea that “salvation” is fully comprehended in the avoidance of the eternal punishment of our sin, or as it is often characterized “going to heaven”. Some old evangelists called it a “fire-escape” from hell.
Salvation is far more than that. While it does include the forgiveness of sins and the alteration of our eternal destination, it is also a matter of an incredibly altered life. According to the apostle Paul in the book of 2 Corinthians, we are reconciled to God.
Think of it with me in the terms of a married couple that are separated from each other over issues of broken promises and bad behavior. Now however, they have been reconciled through admission of wrongs done and commitment to loving behavior. Just so are we reconciled to God by the admission of our sin and commitment to obedience. It is also imperative to recognize that it is we who are reconciled to God and not Him to us. He does not alter who or what He is in this process, it is we who are being altered, by repentance. We are becoming new people in Christ.
So my question for you is this, have you been reconciled to God?
2 Corinthians 5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
