Chapter 4: Reconciliation Opened
Chapter 4:
Reconciliation Opened 1. By it, God's enmity is taken away.
2. The enmity on the soul's part is taken away.
3. God takes us into His entire love.
4. By it, you come to be in league and covenant with God.
5. The soul is perfectly reconciled.
6. This reconciliation is everlasting.
7. It continues despite all your sins.
8. The devil's accusations shall never make God your enemy again.
Therefore, I come now, in the third place, to further open this grace of God, the doctrine of reconciliation. It is a most blessed and sweet doctrine, especially in these times when there are so many upheavals abroad in the world, and we hear of wars and rumours of wars, even wars near to us, in our very own land, in our innermost parts. What can be more acceptable in such times than to hear of reconciliation?
Now, when matters have escalated to such a height, when there is such a deadly hatred (for let me tell you, there has never been such a deadly hatred in a nation between one party and another as there is now), it has reached the boiling point. Just as poison can be boiled up to such a degree that it becomes deadly to even touch, so the poison and rage of our adversaries have boiled up to the greatest height.
Though we may not be able to conceive that there can be reconciliation between them and us, there is still a possibility of
reconciliation between God and us. The hearing of the doctrine of reconciliation can quiet and support our hearts against the fear and trouble that we face in these times, where we are surrounded by rumours of wars, even in the midst of the turmoil that we hear of, as the effects of these unnatural conflicts that are among us.
Now, this doctrine can be opened up in these several particulars:
The first is this: that enmity, which we have spoken of before—when God comes to be reconciled to a soul—is completely taken away. All that enmity is removed so that the ways of the Lord towards a person are entirely changed from what they have formerly been, which I shall discuss more fully when we consider the effects of this reconciliation. But this is the first point: the doing away of all the wrath and displeasure that was in the heart of God against the sinner.
If it were possible for you to look into the heart of God, you would not see any trace of that wrath and displeasure that once existed because of sin. It is true that if we consider all of God's works together, from election to glorification, it would be difficult to affirm that God was ever in a state of enmity against His elect, because He has always loved them. The truth is that while we conceive of God's works in separate parts, they are all one in Him.
However, if we are to understand God correctly, we must understand Him in relation to His creatures and in relation to Himself. For, as God exists in Himself, it is impossible for us to fully comprehend
Him. Instead, we must understand Him in reference to His creatures, where we find that one aspect of God's excellence is revealed in various pieces and parts. And that one act of God, which is His own being, is made manifest in several ways of acting.
There are many mistakes about God when men draw conclusions from what God is in Himself to determine what God is in relation to His creature. Because they cannot reconcile these two—namely, what
God is infinitely in Himself (which is beyond our comprehension) and what God is in His manifestation to the creature—they end up drawing most absurd and vile conclusions about God. Sometimes they look upon God as He is in Himself, and sometimes as He is to the creature, and, being unable to distinguish, they misunderstand the ways of God exceedingly.
For example, if you consider God as He is in Himself, there are not two attributes in His essence. What we call mercy and what we call justice is one and the same in God. What we call love and what we call hatred are all one in God, but in us, they are two distinct things.
In man, justice is one thing, power is another, patience is another, and love is yet another. But in God, all these are but one infinite essence.
Similarly, regarding actions, sometimes we conceive of God acting in one way and then another—first in the way of His wrath, and then in the way of His love. However, God Himself is one pure act. When we look upon God in Himself, we can see Him only as absolutely one in His own nature; there are no such attributes as we speak of. These distinctions are only according to man's capacity and the various ways of the manifestation of God's infinite essence and actions.
But when we look upon God in reference to the creature, we see God as it were divided. For example, when the sun shines, and its beams appear, if you place a green, blue, or red glass between your eye and it, then the reflection will appear blue, green, or red according to the colour of the glass. Yet, in the meantime, the beams of the sun remain unchanged. If you change that blue glass to green, the light of
the sun will appear green too. All the variety is in the glass, not in the sun.
In the same way, God is the same forever, but according to the different conditions men are in, so are God's workings toward that creature. Consider this: man in the state of innocence was like a clear, white glass, and God shined upon him in a way of goodness and love. When that same man falls and is stained red by sin, if he is now presented to God, then God's ways towards him appear as wrathful, like blood. But when this man is converted to God, the glass is changed, and God represents Himself in another way, yet He remains the same God. It is only according to the various conditions of the creature that His actions differ.
Therefore, those who try to speak of God as He is in Himself, who is but one pure act, are prone to lead you into a multitude of errors because they cannot handle their understanding of Him in His essence. Consequently, they draw wrong conclusions about God.
They might argue that God is unchangeable and ask how you can be under God's wrath when He has loved you from all eternity.
Yes, the same God who can look upon the creature in one consideration with love may look upon the same creature in another consideration with hatred. "We were by nature children of wrath, even as others," says the Apostle. In that respect, there was no difference between us and others.
Consider this: was there not a time when Jesus Christ was under God's wrath? Yet God loved His Son from all eternity; He always loved Him. However, there was a time when Christ was under the wrath of God. That is, when Christ was presented to God with our nature and with our sins, God's ways towards Him were, as we might say, in a "red" manner. In this way, we can understand that even
those who are elect, whom God has loved from all eternity, may still be in a state of enmity with God, as He works upon the creature according to its different conditions. Thus, while someone is walking contrary to God, God is also walking contrary to him.
So now you see what this reconciliation is. This enmity is taken away.
That is, whereas before God shone upon them through a red reflection, now that is removed, and He shines upon them through a white glass. This dreadful wrath of His that was against them and that opposition of God's ways against them is entirely taken away.
This is the first point.
Secondly, the second aspect of reconciliation is this: not only is the enmity in God removed, but the Lord also takes away the enmity on the soul's part. That is, through this reconciliation, you come to be so overpowered by the Spirit of God that you develop a heart in harmony with God. At the very least, that natural stubbornness and perverseness of your heart against God, by which you hate Him and what is holy and spiritual, is taken away. You receive a spirit that is mouldable, framed by God, and made willing to come in, submit, and yield yourself to Him. God gives you a spirit inclined to reconciliation, just as He Himself has a reconciliatory spirit toward you.
Thirdly, further, in the third place: there is a receiving into entire love. It's not just that God's wrath and enmity against you cease, nor is it merely that the enmity within you against God is removed; rather, there is a receiving into complete love, and this love is mutual. God receives you into the love of a friend, and you receive
God into the love of a friend as well. There has never been such an entire friendship between two friends, even after peace has been made between them, as there now is between God and your soul.
This is more than merely being pacified. Men who were previously enemies may have their fierce enmity subdued, and they may be reconciled to the extent that they will no longer harm one another, no longer fight as they once did. Yet, for all that, they may never come to love one another entirely and may live as strangers to each other. However, when the soul is reconciled to God, it is a thorough reconciliation. The enmity is not only taken away, but there is an entire love between God and the soul. You are made a friend to God, and God becomes a friend to you.
Fourthly, in the fourth place, there is this in reconciliation as well: you come to be in a league with God. God and you come to shake hands with one another—indeed, more than just shaking hands—you become one of His own people. God takes you into an everlasting covenant with Himself, and you take Him to be your God in an everlasting covenant likewise.
Just as when princes are at war with one another, there may be peace made, and they may lay down their reasons on both sides, but even then, they might not enter into a league of friendship and amity.
However, God is so reconciled to a soul that He enters into a league with it, establishing a covenant.
Fifthly, when the Lord is reconciled to a soul, He is perfectly reconciled. We may use that word here, for the truth is, this reconciliation is so perfect that not the slightest grudge remains in the heart of God toward a person who is reconciled. It's true that on our side, it may not be as perfect, but on God's side, the reconciliation is so complete that there is not the smallest grudge left in God's heart against the creature that would lead to any harm.
Sixthly, yes, such is the reconciliation that it is everlasting. It is a reconciliation where there shall never be another breach, such a
reconciliation where there will never be any falling out again. When was there ever such peace made between one man and another?
When has anyone ever been reconciled to another, who was once at deadly enmity, in such a way that one could say, "They are so reconciled that there will never be any breach between them again"?
They are so reconciled that nothing that can ever be done in the world will break the bond of friendship that exists between them.
This is true reconciliation, and this is the reconciliation that exists between God and every believing soul from the very first moment you come to Jesus Christ. God shakes hands with you, enters into a league with you, becomes a friend to you, and is so reconciled to you that nothing in the world will ever break the atonement made between God and your soul.
You shall see how God Himself expresses it in Isaiah 54:10, speaking to His Church about this very matter of reconciliation: "The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed, but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee." This scripture, though spoken to the Church, is true of every believing soul. Do you think that mountains are firm? Many storms and tempests may rage, but all the storms in the world cannot remove the mountains.
"Look," says God, "at how firm and steady the mountains are; so firm shall my mercy be to you, and the covenant of my peace." If God has had mercy upon your soul and has reconciled Himself to you, then know that this reconciliation is more stable and firm than the mountains themselves. Oh! This is the fulfilment, the pinnacle of reconciliation—that it is a perpetual reconciliation.
So that, even though some of God's ways may seem to you as though He is an enemy, even though He may sometimes appear to be against
you, there is peace for you. God intends no harm at all. However He may sometimes seem like an enemy, He means you no harm. All the afflictions that befall you do not come from God as from an enemy, although, perhaps through your weakness, you might think so. For even though God is reconciled to you in such a gracious way, if He corrects you, you may be inclined to see Him as an enemy. But no, this is your mistake. God's reconciliation is a complete reconciliation, and it is compatible with all the corrections He may use toward you.
7. Yes, this reconciliation will remain constant, despite all those sins of yours which, by their very nature, create breaches between God and man. Take heed not to abuse such a doctrine as this. Your sins cannot overcome God's goodness; oh, let God's goodness overcome your wickedness. For it is certain that the Lord, when He first reconciled Himself to you, knew that there would be many failings and disagreements, as it were. Yet, He was resolved to be reconciled, and that this reconciliation should continue despite all those failings.
Your sins, though they may change some aspects of God's dealings with you, so that He may severely correct you, will not take away this reconciliation. The Lord will remain your friend still. However, if you are truly reconciled, God will instill in your heart the desire that when there is any failing in you, you will never be at peace until you come again to renew your peace with Him. You may lose the sense of your peace, but you will never lose your peace indeed.
And though we cannot speak such a truth as this without fear and trembling—because it may contribute to the hardening of many souls
—yet God is so willing that His people should be comforted that He will have this doctrine of reconciliation published, even if it results in the damnation of many sinners.