We see Jesus,

who was made a little lower than the angels

for the suffering of death,

crowned with glory and honour.

Hebrews 2:9

Reconciliation

Notes of an address by

D W Paterson

Newcastle-upon-Tyne

1982

Part 3 of 5

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3. The basis for reconciliation.

It is solemnizing to consider the basis of this wonderful work is found in the death of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I am going to develop that a little bit.

There are several scriptures that will help us to understand it.

Romans 5:10, For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son,

Get a hold of that. It does not say the death of Christ, that would be for the forgiveness of our sins. It is not a matter of our sins it is a matter of the state in which we were found. That is why it is the death of His Son. God’s purposes are in mind, it is the death of such a one as the Son. An elementary statement perhaps but Romans is elementary. We were reconciled by the death of His Son.

A second scripture - Colossians 1:20, And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

The blood of his cross, what peace is that? Is it the peace we find in Romans 5 ? No, this is peace of the God head.

Remember in Genesis six, God looked down and was grieved with man it repented the Lord that He made man.

Here peace was brought in in relation to the God head. Sin had made awful havoc in this world, not only in the human race but in the whole created sphere.

In Colossians 1 verse 16 all things were created by Him but here you find that sin had invaded all these spheres. Such is the efficacy of the work of our Lord Jesus Christ that He was able to effectuate peace so far as the God head is concerned.

Another scripture 2 Corinthians 5 verse 21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

What does this wonderful scripture mean? We find that the oldest brothers, those who have been laboring in the word and doctrine, they puzzle over this scripture. What does it mean? For He made Him to be made sin for us who knew no sin.

I think the simple answer is found in the sixteenth chapter of Leviticus, You will remember that on the day of atonement that the blood that was taken into the holiest of all and the blood was sprinkled not only on the holy sanctuary, not only on the tabernacle, not only on the altar, not only on the priest but also on all the people, the whole of the tabernacle system came under the power of the blood.

That is one side of the story but what happened to the beasts? They were taken outside the camp and they were wholly consumed with fire. Now you can begin to understand why the oldest brothers in the meeting and the most mature sisters find that in this verse we have one of the most profound statements relative to the sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ. The sort of situation that we are brought face to face with on the Lord’s day morning in the breaking of bread you understand that every blessing to link the whole redeemed scene is on the basis of the fact that He had been wholly consumed by fire. What a moment to contemplate. The Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, the one in the bosom of the Father, consumed all the fire of God’s judgment in order that blessing might reach to the utmost bounds of the everlasting hills.

What a scripture, For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

I will give you another scripture. You will find in the first chapter of Colossians, “and you has He reconciled, who once being alienated in your mind in the body of His flesh through death.”

Now I wonder if I were in the local bible reading if weather I would get a clear statement from those who take the lead in the teaching as to what the body of His flesh means. I hope there would be clear teaching in regard to the subject of the body of His flesh. What does it mean?

I dare say it is not the guilt of our sins here, it is the matter of our state. It is not only our sins but it is the root here. The early brethren used to say, “what could not be mended must be ended.” And we find in this statement of the body of His flesh through death is not only dealing with the sin question but the removal of the man that brought in the sin.

I will give you a few scriptures to back it up. Romans seven verse four.

v4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

Being set free from one order of things in order that we might be married to another. That is it, not only the clearance side but attachment to another order of things.

Ephesians two Verse 15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make of himself of twain one new man;

There was enmity between Jew and gentile. And in this expression, “the body of His flesh through death.” the Lord Jesus deals with the enmity that existed between Jew and gentile. It has to be taken out of the way.

When you come to Hebrews again you find the statement relative to the body but you have to keep in mind that this is an epistle written not to gentiles it was written to Jews. And consequently the language changes from reconciliation to sanctification. And I would say to you as a brief lead in to the subject that you find reconciliation and sanctification are almost interchangeable terms. Reconciliation as far as the gentile is concerned but sanctification so far as the Jew is concerned. And consequently you find in the tenth chapter of Hebrews verse ten, “ by which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

There it is the body of Christ. You see the removal of one order of things in order to establish another order of things. And then in verse twenty.

Hebrews 10:20 the new and living way which he has dedicated for us through the veil, that is, his flesh,

Here again you get a statement relative to His flesh and the way of entry into the holy place is the removal on the one hand that which is offensive to God in order that there might be the establishment of that which is for His pleasure.

Oh, how little we understand the ramifications of the work of Christ, we are so superficial relative to it. We seem to contemplate only our side of it and the guilt or the releaf side if you like.

That which is for the establishment for God’s glory and the removal of that which is for His displeasure in order that there might be the establishment of that which is altogether for His praise and glory.

I feel that I have dealt with that very inadiquitly but I will give you a little picture just as I conclude this section that will perhaps make it a little clearer.

You will remember in connection with the sin offering and the burnt offering there was the action taken by the priest of leaning on the animal. So far as the sin offering was concerned all the nation’s sins having been confessed the priest leaned on the sin offering and the sin offering took up all the responsibility of the nation in respect to their sins. That is the sin offering clearly.

But then there was the case of leaning upon the burnt offering and all the efficacy, all the acceptance of that which the burnt offering stands was transferred to the priest. Now that is really a picture what we get so far as the work of Christ is concerned.

All of our needs, all our sins, all our state He took up and judges and removes in order to establish that which is for God’s pleasure and all the acceptance that was seen in Him is now transferred to you and me.

Now that leads me to the next heading that I would like to consider with you.

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Yours in the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Don Lewis