The Scriptures make it clear that sin has broken our relationship with God and separated us from him.  How this has happened is described in the third chapter of Genesis and goes all the way through the Scriptures.  Under the Mosaic Law, sin was temporarily covered under the Levitical sacrifices.  For example, if a man sinned against his neighbor, he was to make it right and confess his sin and take a sacrifice to the priest.  The efficacy of these sacrifices was temporary, however. 

The abiding solution to sin awaited the sacrifice of Christ on the cross.  In dying for the sins of the whole world (1 Jn. 2.2) he solved forever man's sin problem.  His death removed the barrier and the enmity between man and God.  Christ's death satisfied the righteousness and justice of God and because of this, sin is no longer a barrier between man and God.  The Scriptures reveal that we were enemies of God because of sin.  But the death of Christ on our behalf has changed all that.   No one is an enemy of God because of sin and there is no longer judgment because of sin.  When Jesus cried out, "It is finished!" he meant it.  The problem of mankind's sin was solved when Jesus became our sin bearer.  The only "barrier" that now exists between God and man is the person of Jesus Christ for he is the one and only mediator between God and man (1Tim. 2.5).   God thus reconciled us to himself by means of the death of Christ.  We receive the benefit of God's reconciliation by putting our trust in Christ's death and resurrection for us.  This is the New Testament concept of reconciliation.  The pertinent verses of reconciliation are the following:

katalla/ssw and katallagh/

Rom. 5

8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.
10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
11 And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

2 Cor. 5

17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation,
19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the
righteousness of God in Him.

Rom. 11

13 But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry,
14 if somehow I might move to jealousy my fellow countrymen and save some of them.
15 For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?

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Eph. 2

11 Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called
«Uncircumcision» by the so-called «Circumcision,» which is performed in the flesh by human hands --
12 remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall,
15 by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in
ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing
peace,
16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.
17 AND HE CAME AND PREACHED PEACE TO YOU WHO WERE FAR AWAY, AND
PEACE TO THOSE WHO WERE NEAR;
18 for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.

Col. 1

18 He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.
19 For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him,
20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.
21 And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds,
22 yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach --
23 if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.

Closely related and as a result of reconciliation is peace with God.  Through accepting the gift of Christ's death and resurrection of Christ for us, we can have peace with God.

Rom. 5.1 THEREFORE, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

tw~| a0gaph/santi h(ma~j kai\ lou/santi h(ma~j a0/po\ tw~n a9martiw~n h(mw~n e/n tw|~ a(i/mati au)tou~.

©1999 Don Samdahl.  Anyone is free to reproduce this material and distribute it, but it may not be sold.

Updated February 15, 2000