Continuing with the blessings of the cross of Christ;

2. RECONCILIATION answers: How Can Sinful Man Be in Right “Relationship” with God?

“For if, when we were enemies, we were Reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being (now) reconciled, we shall be saved (Gk. sozo, completed) by his life (Gk. Zoë, His spirt-life.” (Romans 5:10)

The word “reconcile” means “to change a Relationship Completely.” For example; if a husband and wife are at war with each other, they need to be RECONCILED. The relationship is not right and there needs to be a restoration to friendship and fellowship (1 Cor. 7:11). Instead of being “at war” there needs to be a complete change in the relationship so that they can be “at peace” with each other. Often both parties are wrong and both need to change in order to restore a right relationship.

The Bible says that “… God is angry with the wicked every day. (Psalm 7:11). God has never changed His attitude towards sin. God hates sin and God must judge sin. Because our sin was placed on Jesus and because God’s anger fell upon Jesus Christ, our Substitute, God is able to reconcile us unto Himself.  

“For he (God the Father) hath made him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; (so) that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

“And all (these) 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 unto himself, not imputing (not counting) their trespasses (sins) unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of ‘reconciliation.’ 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.” (2 Cor. 5:18-20)

Instead of being at war, the believing sinner then has “peace with God.” “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:” (Romans 5:1) Through the death of His Son, God the Father has made it possible for man to have a right relationship with the living God without COMPROMISING or CHANGING His holy character! His holiness, His righteousness, His hatred of sin, these have all remain unchanged!

3. REDEMPTION answers the Question: How Can I Be Set Free from The Slavery of Sin?

“In whom (In Christ) we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;” (Ephesians 1:7)

We sing, “Redeemed how I love to proclaim it!” and many other great hymns about redemption, but do we really understand what this important word means? Basically, redemption involves these four things:

a) A Terrible Sort of “Slavery”

Before God redeemed the Israelites, they were SLAVES (“BONDMEN”) in the land of Egypt (cf. Deuteronomy 7:8; 15:15) under a new and awful Pharaoh. Did they enjoy this slavery (bondage)?

“the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour (hard labor): ¹⁴ And they made their lives ‘bitter’ with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour.” (Exodus 1:13-14)
 “And it came to pass in process of time, that the (kinder) king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage.” (Exodus 2:23)

In What Way Are Men Slaves Today?

Note here below that the word “servant” is the Greek “doulos,” meaning “slave.” …  and the word “sin,” as a singular noun, indicate the ‘Sin-nature.’

“¹⁴Sin (the Sin nature) shall not have dominion over you…”

“¹⁶Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants (his slaves) ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” (Romans 6:14a, 16)

Who Can Set Us Slaves Free?  

“If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed (truly free).” (John 8:36)