Lesson for February 23, 2022
The Doctrine of Soteriology
Lesson 8
What Christ Accomplished on the Cross
The Doctrine of Reconciliation
There are two words for reconciliation in Greek. One word “diallasso” means to reconcile two parties who are mutually hostile toward one another. The second word “katallasso” means to reconcile two parties where only one party is hostile toward the other. “Katallasso” is the word used for reconciliation to God. This means that it is mankind who is “hostile” towards God and has become rebellious by means of spiritual death and their inherent sin nature. It means that everyone is born the enemy of God and needs to be reconciled to God.
“Katallasso” means to change or to exchange (originally referring to money). It came to mean a change from being one’s enemy to at peace with another person. At salvation, believers are reconciled to God. This means that they are no longer God’s enemy, but that peace has been made as a result of their change of mind towards Christ (the true meaning of repentance). (Romans 5:10)
Reconciliation was accomplished by the removal of a barrier that exists between God and man. Once this barrier was removed, the possibility exists for peace between God and man. The barrier that separates God from mankind is sin. Every person is born with Adam’s original sin which results in spiritual death and condemns us at birth. (Ephesians 2:14-18)
Since we are condemned at birth to spiritual death (because of Aam’s original sin), this barrier of sin must be removed so that we can have a relationship with God. Jesus Christ was the sin-bearer, which means that on the Cross He was judged for our sin. This judgment of sin satisfied the righteousness and justice of God. Those who accept Christ’s payment for their sins are no longer God’s enemy, but peace now exists between that person and God.
Reconciliation takes place instantaneously at salvation. The result cannot be felt or seen; it takes place spiritually. Colossians 1:21 says we were “aliens and enemies (of God) in our minds.” The Greek word for enemy is “echthros” and primarily denotes hatred or hostility. The word also means adversary and is used for Satan as well.
The Greek word for aliens is “apallotrioo” and means to be estranged from. This means that prior to salvation we were estranged from and enemies of God. Since this estrangement takes place in the mind, it is our thinking that needs to be transformed before and after salvation. When a person responds to the message of the Gospel, they automatically change their mind from lack of faith in Christ to faith in Christ. Peace then exists between them and God, and they are no longer estranged from God.
The potential now exists for us to be presented blameless experientially at the Judgment Seat of Christ. The word for blameless in Greek is “anenkletos” and means “with nothing laid to one’s charge.” This potential depends on whether we continue in learning and applying Bible doctrine (the faith), being grounded in doctrine, and settled in the full confidence of all the Gospel entails. (Colossians 1:21-23) The Greek word for grounded is “themelioo” meaning foundation. The Greek word for settled is “hedraios” and means established in your mind. The word for continue in Greek is “epimeno” and means to remain. In other words, you will be presented with “nothing laid to your account (experientially),” if you establish a strong foundation of accurate doctrinal truth in your mind.
The Doctrine of Propitiation
The Greek word for propitiation is “hilasmos” and means to appease the wrath of an offended party, or to satisfy the just demands of someone who has been offended. The Greeks used the word for appeasing their pagan gods by some “righteous act,” which would demonstrate their good character.
Since God is absolutely righteous, He must judge sin wherever He finds it. The Bible is very clear that all human beings are born with a sin nature and are spiritually separated from God. We know from Scripture that no one possesses the righteousness necessary to spend eternity with a perfectly righteous God. In other words, God’s perfect righteousness cannot have fellowship with “man’s righteousness” (human good).
God is offended (not shocked) by the lack of righteousness and subsequent sinful condition of mankind. It is this offense and, therefore, God’s wrath that must be appeased. (Romans 3:23)
God’s wrath is an anthropopathism (language of accommodation ascribing to God human emotions that He does not possess) to explain His policy with regard to mankind’s sin. God is never angry, as we think of anger. God’s righteousness is the standard or principle of His holiness and must condemn sin. The judgment that God pronounced upon sin was spiritual death. Everyone, therefore, comes under the wrath and impending judgment of God. (John 3:36; Romans 3:9-12, 23; 6:23; Isaiah 59:2, 64:6)
What the righteousness of God condemns, the justice of God judges. God’s righteousness and justice had to be satisfied, if anyone was to have the potential for eternal life. We are all born physically alive but spiritually dead (separated from God). Under the sentence of spiritual death, we were helpless to remedy the situation. (Romans 3:25-26)
Since the sentence that God pronounced on sin is spiritual death, only spiritual death could satisfy the fair demands of God’s righteousness. Only one Person in history was qualified to meet this fair demand. Jesus Christ literally became “the propitiation” for the sin of the entire world. By His impeccable (sinless) life and spiritual death, Jesus satisfied the perfect righteousness which God demanded.
(I John 2:1-2, 4:10)
The Doctrine of Eternal Life
Eternal life is God’s life credited to us at the moment of salvation. We possess eternal life the very moment we trust Christ as Savior. Eternal life creates the capacity to receive and appreciate eternal rewards. Since it is God Who gives us eternal life, it is a matter of grace. Therefore, eternal life is not deserved, nor can it be earned. This means that anyone who has believed in Christ for salvation (whether they are living their spiritual life or not) possesses eternal life. It also means that they are secure in Christ forever. (John 5:25-26; 11:25-26; 14:6; I John 5:11-13)
Having eternal life is the guarantee of a resurrection body. Our resurrection bodies will be like that of Christ’s resurrection body. This means we will no longer possess a sin nature, and therefore we can no longer produce human good. In our resurrection bodies we will be able to produce only divine good. (Philippians 3:21; I Thessalonians 4:13-17; I Corinthians 15:51-57; I John 3:2)
Eternal life means living in a state of eternal peace and happiness for every believer, regardless of their eternal rewards. Some believers will reign over cities, and some will not, but we all will live in magnificent mansions. Though our primary motivation for living the Christian Way of Life should always be our personal love for God, knowing that there are degrees of rewards should also motivate our advance to spiritual maturity. In God’s system of reward and blessing, we must never forget that proper motivation and proper protocol are the keys to successfully receiving them.
The Doctrine of the Royal Family of God
At salvation, we became part of the most unique family in history – the Royal Family of God. No longer merely God’s creation, we are now children of God. The terms used in the Bible to describe our family relationship is “son of God” and “child of God.” The Greek language gives a slight, but significant difference in the two terms. Looking at both words, also helps us get a complete meaning of our relationship with God as believers. “Huios,” the Greek word for “son” emphasizes position and function, but the word in Greek for child, “teknon,” emphasizes our family relationship. As I said, a slight difference, but one that helps us to understand that not only are we now related to God, but we are also to function as adult children. (John 1:12; Galatians 4:1-7)
As children of God, the Bible tells us that we are related to Jesus Christ as joint heirs. This means that we share in His inheritance, which we know is going to be fantastic. Because of this unique relationship, every believer will enjoy an inheritance beyond their imagination. However, for those who reach spiritual maturity, the rewards will be based on functioning as an “adult” child. All children of God will spend eternity with God, but not all will fulfill their responsibilities as sons or daughters of God. Once we become children of God, the potential exists for us to function as God’s “adult” children. (Romans 8:14-17)