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Reconciling Fallen Mankind

 ... the ones called according to purpose, because those he foreknew he predestined to be  conformed together to the image of his Son... (Romans 8:28-30)

Those God predestined he calls and justifies and glorifies (Romans 8:31). He chose you before he created the world and prededestined you for adoption as his own. He is making known the mystery of his will to those chosen, predestined according to his purpose which he purposed in Christ. Through the church the mystery of his wisdom, hidden in God before he created all things, is being made known according to the eternal purpose which is accomplished through Christ, whom we have boldness and confident access to God through faith in Jesus (Ephesians 3:9-12). Man  was created in the image of God and in Christ God is restoring the fallen image of man to that of Christ's image.

This is the theme and main purpose of the new covenant, also called testament and will. God is restoring us to reflect his divine nature. And because we become Christ-like he can make his appeal to other's through us. The first must happen before the second. The process of reconciliation through Christ is restoring fallen man who was at first created in the image of God, to the image of his Son, who is the exact representation of God's divine nature. The gospel is a mystery and a stumbling stone to some but purposed according to the wisdom of God, and according to his good pleasure, so that boasting alone is in God.

therefore if anyone is a new creation in Christ, the old has passed away, behold the new has come. Now all this from God the one reconciling us to himself through Christ... (2 Corinthians 5: 17-19)
This is God's purpose hidden in him before he created the world and purposed through Christ. "God is reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses toward them, and he entrusted to us the ministry of reconciliation... He who knew no sin and became a sin offering on our behalf so in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:18-21). Jesus died for this purpose to reconcile man and God chose us to be holy and blameless in his presence in love (Ephesians 1:3-17). Jesus came as the sacrifice acceptable to God for the atonement of fallen man's sin and his sacrifice appeases God's anger, in Christ he is not counting our trespasses against us. Jesus also came to give us the authority to be born into the kingdom of God, not by fleshly birth but of God. 

... who has blessed us in all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Christ. just as he chose us in him before he created the world to be holy and blameless in his presence in love, predestining us for adoption as his own... (Ephesians 1)

All these blessing we have received. Mainly we are redeemed, forgiven our sin, adopted through the new birth of the Spirit becoming his children, all to be reconciled to God so he has a people of his own. A holy people who share in his divine nature. He is doing this in Christ conforming us to the image of his Son who reflects his divine nature. Jesus did not die just so we are forgiven our sin and go to heaven but he came to do away with sin, to destroy it. Yes, we are these things as a new creation, partakers of his nature inwardly as we are of the Spirit, and we can boldly approach him as such, but reconciliation continues as we are being conformed outwardly so that in this body of death we reflect his image.

therefore we are ambassadors on behalf of Christ, whom he is making his appeal through us, so we implore you to be reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:20)

As children of God, he is making his appeal through us, so be reconciled to God, which implies his continued work, a maturing process, so children become sons reflecting outwardly more of being like him and conformed like as him (Ephesians 4). If we ourselves are not mature in Christ then how can God use us as ambassadors, how can he make his appeal through us? This is why Jesus gives gifts to the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body into mature adulthood, the measurement of that maturity being like Christ (Ephesians 4:8-16).

... whom he is making his appeal through us.... (2 Corinthians 5:20)

The word for "making his appeal" is παρακαλέω (parakaleō, from pará "from close beside" and kaléō "to call") so together meaning "to call to one's side." God is calling us to his purpose to be reconciled to himself. Reconciliation to himself is centered around a relationship. God is calling us as his beloved children to be imitators of his divine nature which he has given to us through the Spirit and knowledge of Jesus. 

who delivered us from the authority of darkness, and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son (Colossians 1:13)

Is it all about worshiping God? or having a relationship with him? The latter certainly reveals his holiness and character and shows us his glory so we do praise and worship him. How many angels has God created? Could not he create more angels to worship him and if more rebelled he could erase their existence and create more if that is all he wanted. I believe he wants something more, a people of his own, a people like him, a new creation he purposed. As we are reconciled more to him, being conformed to be like him through the knowledge of Jesus, we know more of him as a loving heavenly Father and we willingly want to be like him and reconciled to him.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, [he is] a new creation, the old has passed away; behold, the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Think on this, what it means to be a new creation in Christ. God is certainly doing something new and is working all for our good, those called according to his purpose, to be conformed to the image of his Son. As we look into the face of Christ which shines the glory of God we are being transformed from glory to glory. God is restoring fallen mankind in its sinful nature to the glorious image of His Son.

... and just as we wear the image of dust also wear the likeness of heaven (1 Corinthians 15:42-50).



















































































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