Jesus spoke about reconciliation and redemption through parables and everyday examples. Reconciliation means restoring the relationship with God, made possible by Jesus’ sacrifice, which atoned for sins. Redemption is the price paid to free people from the penalty of sin, eternal damnation, through Jesus’ sacrifice. However, Jesus’ atonement – the washing away of sin – does not automatically save: repentance is required from everyone.
Jesus often used stories and examples from everyday life to explain important ideas. Two of these ideas are ‘reconciliation’ and ‘redemption’. These words may seem difficult, but they are very important in understanding how people can fix their relationship with God.
What is Reconciliation?
Reconciliation means making peace and restoring a broken relationship. In the Bible, it’s about fixing the relationship between God and people, which has been broken because of sin. Sin is when people do things that go against God’s will, and it separates us from Him.
In the Old Testament, people made animal sacrifices to reconcile with God. For example, priests would sacrifice animals, and their blood would cover the people’s sins:
“The priests slaughtered them and made a sin offering with their blood on the altar, to make atonement for all Israel.” (2 Chronicles 29:24).
The sacrificial animal was to be without blemish and its blood was to be taken to the temple. However, God did not design animal sacrifices to be the actual means of atoning for sin. That’s why God sent His Son, Jesus. Jesus was perfect and without sin, and His sacrifice on the cross was the final and complete reconciliation. Because of His death, everyone can have a restored relationship with God:
“In Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them” (2 Corinthians 5:19).
What is Redemption?
Redemption means paying a price to free something or someone. Spiritually, it means that Jesus paid the price to free people from the penalty of sin, eternal damnation. In the Old Testament, people sacrificed animals as a way to symbolize this. For example, Moses sprinkled the blood of a sacrifice to seal a covenant (promise) between God and the Israelites (Exodus 24:1-8).
But people continued to sin, and no animal sacrifice could truly pay the price. Jesus became the final and perfect sacrifice. His blood paid the price for all sins, freeing people from eternal punishment.
“The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28).
Why Repentance is Important
Even though Jesus paid the price and reconciled us to God, people need to repent to receive forgiveness. According to the Bible, repentance means turning from the way of damnation to the way of God’s will. The essence of repentance is the forgiveness of sins received personally (Luke 24:47). It results in a desire to obey God and avoid sin. In addition, everyone is required to repent. The Apostle Paul said:
“The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30).
When people repent and believe the message of forgiveness preached by a believing person, they can fully embrace the reconciliation personally. This forgiveness is made possible because of Jesus’ sacrifice:
“Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins” (Hebrews 9:22).
What Does This Mean for Us?
Jesus is like the spotless lamb who was sacrificed for everyone’s sins. His blood is what makes reconciliation and redemption possible. When we personally believe His forgiveness preached out loud to us, we are redeemed and our relationship with God is restored. As Peter wrote:
“You were ransomed … with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.” (1 Peter 1:18-19).
Through faith in Jesus and His sacrifice, anyone can be reconciled to God and saved.
Author: I.H.
Image: Pixabay
Read more:
How We Believe
What is Repentance in the Bible
