In the context of salvation, reconciliation is God bringing alienated, at-odds sinners back into fellowship with Himself through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Les Feldick defines reconciliation as taking two parties that have been alienated and at odds with one another and bringing them back into fellowship [Clip 2]. The world is set aside from God and at odds with Him, yet God has done everything possible to reconcile the world to Himself through the cross [Clip 2]. The moment a person takes God's offer of salvation, they make peace with God — the enmity is gone and they become His child [Clip 6].
2 Corinthians 5:18 — This is the foundational verse Les Feldick points to: God is the One who reconciles us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and He then gives believers the ministry of reconciliation.
2 Corinthians 5:19 — Shows the scope of reconciliation: God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them.
Scripture is clear that reconciliation is entirely God's work. In 2 Corinthians 5:18-19, Paul writes: "And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation." These verses show that God Himself, in Christ, was reconciling the world and not counting their trespasses against them. Romans 5:10 shows the condition of the sinner before reconciliation: "For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life." The sinner is an enemy of God, and reconciliation is accomplished by Christ's death. The result of God's reconciling work is described in 2 Corinthians 5:17: "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."
Les Feldick defines reconciliation in plain terms: it is taking two parties that have been alienated and at odds with one another and bringing them back into fellowship [Clip 2]. He compares it to redemption — redemption pictures buying back something you have lost control of, while reconciliation pictures bringing separated parties back together, and this is what God wants to do with the whole human race [Clip 1]. The world tonight is set aside from God and at odds with Him, and God has done everything possible to reconcile them to Himself [Clip 2]. Les emphasizes that the work of the cross has made reconciliation not just possible but available to the whole human race [Clip 4]. Yet he is careful to note that God's reconciling the world in Christ does not mean the whole world is going to be saved [Clip 5]. Reconciliation becomes personal when a person takes God's offer of salvation — that is the moment they make peace with God, and the enmity and outcast status are replaced with the position of a child of God [Clip 6]. Les also connects reconciliation to the cross and resurrection rather than Christ's earthly ministry alone. Paul said he no longer knows Christ after the flesh, and there is no salvation in simply understanding His earthly ministry — we must go to the cross and the resurrection [Clip 0]. Finally, God does not stop with reconciling believers; He gives them the ministry of reconciliation — the same God who reconciled us commissions us to carry that message [Clip 5, Clip 7].
Les Feldick teaches that redemption and reconciliation are a lot alike. Redemption is when you have lost control of something, and the only way to gain control is to buy it back. Reconciliation is for someone who has been separated by a gross disagreement — it brings them back together [Clip 1]. Both are God's work: believers are redeemed when they believe what God says about the shed blood of Christ and His death, burial, and resurrection [Clip 3], and the world is reconciled to God because the work of the cross has made it available to the whole human race [Clip 4].
The Apostle Paul writes that "God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself" (2 Corinthians 5:19). Les Feldick says this language must be handled carefully — it does not mean the whole world is going to be saved [Clip 5]. Rather, the work of the cross made reconciliation not just possible but available to the whole human race [Clip 4]. Reconciliation becomes a reality for a sinner on the day they take God's offer of salvation, which is when they make peace with God [Clip 6].
God, who began by reconciling believers to Himself, does not stop there — "he hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation" (2 Corinthians 5:18). Les Feldick highlights this in connection with the believer's position as a citizen of Heaven living on earth: all things are of God, who reconciled us by Jesus Christ, and then gave us the ministry of reconciliation [Clip 7]. Believers have been entrusted with the word of reconciliation, even though this does not mean everyone will be saved [Clip 5].
Les Feldick points to Paul's statement that he once knew Christ after the flesh but now knows Him no more. He uses this to show that there is no salvation in simply understanding Jesus's earthly ministry — salvation requires going to the cross and the resurrection [Clip 0]. This connects directly to reconciliation: Romans 5:10 says we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, and being reconciled we shall be saved by His life [Clip 4].
Knowing Christ After the Flesh
Les shows that salvation is not found in simply understanding Jesus's earthly ministry. Reconciliation requires going to the cross and the resurrection, where God's reconciling work was accomplished.
Redemption and Reconciliation Compared
Les explains that reconciliation, like redemption, restores what was broken: redemption buys back what was lost, and reconciliation brings two separated parties back into full fellowship — which is what God wants for the whole human race.
Bringing Alienated Parties Back Together
Les defines reconciliation directly: it takes two parties that are alienated and at odds and brings them back into fellowship. The world is at odds with God, yet God has done everything possible to reconcile them to Himself.
Redeemed Through Shed Blood
Les links redemption to the shed blood of Christ and to faith: we are redeemed when we believe what God says about His death, burial, and resurrection. This is the price side of the reconciliation God offers.
Reconciliation Available to All
Les teaches that the work of the cross made reconciliation not just possible but available to the whole human race, and that being reconciled by Christ's death, we are saved by His life.
The Ministry of Reconciliation
Les cautions that God's reconciling the world does not mean everyone will be saved, and then points believers to the ministry of reconciliation given to us.
Making Peace with God
Les connects reconciliation to peace with God: the day a sinner takes God's offer of salvation, the enmity is gone, the outcast status ends, and the believer becomes God's child.
New Creation in Christ
Les shows that being in Christ makes the believer a new creation, and that the God who reconciled us to Himself then gave us the ministry of reconciliation.
2 Corinthians 5:17: Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Describes the result of God's reconciling work — the believer becomes a new creation in Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:18: And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
The key verse on reconciliation: God is the reconciler through Jesus Christ, and He gives believers the ministry of reconciliation.
2 Corinthians 5:19: To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
Reveals that God Himself was reconciling the world in Christ, not counting their trespasses against them.
Romans 5:10: For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
Shows that sinners were enemies of God, yet were reconciled to Him by Christ's death, and are saved by His life.
Reconciliation is taking two parties that have been alienated and at odds with one another and bringing them back into fellowship. The Bible says the world is at odds with God, and God has done everything possible to reconcile the world to Himself [Clip 2].
No. Les Feldick is careful to point out that God's reconciling the world in Christ does not mean the whole world will be saved [Clip 5]. The work of the cross makes reconciliation available to the whole human race [Clip 4], but a person makes peace with God the day they take His offer of salvation [Clip 6].
They are closely related. Redemption pictures buying back something you lost control of, while reconciliation pictures bringing separated parties back into fellowship [Clip 1]. Both are accomplished through Christ: believers are redeemed through His shed blood [Clip 3] and reconciled to God through the work of the cross [Clip 4].
At the moment of salvation, the sinner makes peace with God. There is no longer enmity between them, they are no longer an outcast, and they become a child of God [Clip 6]. They are also made a new creation in Christ [Clip 7], and God gives them the ministry of reconciliation [Clip 5].
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