Reconciliation implies that something that was united became separated and then became united again.
Adam was in intimate fellowship with God. But he became separated from Him by sin. His sin transmitted a Sin Nature into each of his descendants.
That Sin Nature was crucified with Christ Jesus. By faith in Him and the power of His shed blood we are reconciled to Him and Born Again of His Word and Holy Spirit.
The implications of reconciliation are dependent on what the expectations are of the two parties.
Let`s consider a marriage that has encountered a separation.
When a couple comes together in marriage two become one in many respects. They share finances, material possessions, goals, children and last but not least, their bodies.
When a separation occurs the sharing ceases.
Upon reconciliation all that was separated should come back together. In a marriage this includes physical and emotional intimacy.
But what if one of the partners does not want the physical and emotional intimacy but is agreeable to sharing the other things. Are they truly reconciled?
From appearances it would seem so. They live together in the same house with their mutual children. They appear together in public spaces.
Such a reconciliation is functional in some respects but the devotion to each other and the joy of relationship is simply not there.
It is likely that one of the partners in such a reconciliation is not satisfied with the arrangement.
Applying this to the reconciliation that God provided for In Christ Jesus there are the expectations of both parties to be considered.
Each person has their expectations of what reconcilement with God means.
In general the expectations of people to reconcilement with God amount to the following:
→ cessation of hostilities
→ elimination of the threat of punishment
→ a future in heaven
But what are the expectations of the other party - God?
The rank and file Christian grasps the expectations of God for their relationship from teachers and preachers.
This leaves them vulnerable to the accuracy, completeness and emphasis of those who teach and preach.
During the MiddleAges the rank and file Christian was totally dependent on the Catholic clergy to communicate the expectations of God for their relationship with Him.
Since the printing press was invented and the Bible translated into local languages the potential for individual Christians to explore the expectations of God has greatly increased.
However, denominational and tradition based teaching and preaching still defines most believers` understanding of God`s expectations.
Virtually every denomination has defined the parameters of relationship with God such that staying within those parameters ensures acceptance while stepping outside of them results in rejection.
The trinitarian isolation of the person of God from the person of Christ Jesus and the person of the Holy Spirit reinforced the notion that there is a formal contractual basis for being in relationship with God.
And, as is the case with all error, there is an element of truth to this notion. We are told the mechanics of salvation in the scripture and they are quite simple and clear:
OK, so I did that.
Does this mean that all of God`s reconciliation expectations are now met?
I guess that depends on whether God offered a contract or a marriage proposal.
In the example of the marriage reconciliation above, one of the parties may have just desired a contractual agreement to share material resources while the other desired a restored marriage in every sense of the word.
Did God offer us a contract or did He offer us a marriage proposal?
When we think of God as being some remote supreme being that administers His creation, including humanity, from afar with only a mild interest in the affairs of men, then the contract perception makes sense.
However, if we think of God as a being who desires intimacy that can only be achieved through a oneness relationship, then the marriage proposal perception makes sense.
How do we know which He desires? How do we know what satisfies Him. How do we know if we are meeting His expectations?
His Word must be the starting point for answering those questions.
When we look into the Word, specifically the New Testament, we see God becoming human and giving Himself up totally, even to the extent of dying, to reconcile us to Himself.
So, right off the bat we understand that God`s idea of reconciliation is all-in.
When we look further,
→ We find that it is the love of God for us that compelled Him to give Himself for us.
→ We hear Him tell us to love Him with all that we are
→ We hear Him tell us to be filled with the Holy Spirit
→ We hear Him tell us to abide in Him.
All of these Words speak to intimacy and not contract.
But how can we be intimate with God, the great being who administers His creation from way off in heaven?
And this is where the trinitarian concept breaks down totally. We cannot be intimate with someone with whom we only have contractual contact.
God is a Spirit. He is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit Of Christ Jesus.
Jesus, the express image of His Holy Spirit, came to earth for the sole purpose of enabling us to enter into intimate personal relationship with Him by His Holy Spirit in us.
Before His death, Jesus prayed that we would be One with His Holy Spirit Father.
After His resurrection He commanded us to do nothing until we received His Holy Spirit whom He referred to as our Comforter but Who would also empower us.
So, despite every possible effort by God to reconcile us to Himself, the reconciliation is not satisfying to Him unless we become one with Him.
So, who is God that I can become one with Him? The Holy Spirit Of Christ Jesus is this God who gave Himself for me through the shedding of His blood In Christ so that He could abide in me and I abide in Him.
Don`t just have an `arrangement` with God. Receive Him as the lover of your soul, your helper, your Comforter, your healer, your strength and your very life.
Receive the Holy Spirit who is eternal God whose name is Jesus.