reconcilation – La Vista Church of Christ

He Died for My Sins

Jeffrey Hamilton — Tue, 17 Jun 2025 22:13:27 +0000

by Allen Dvorak
via Biblical Insights, Vol. 15 No. 2, February 2015

What would you be willing to do for your enemy? To the Romans, Paul wrote that God demonstrated His love for us “in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). We (men in general) were enemies of God because of our sins (Romans 5:10). Whatever other significance the death of Jesus might have for us, it is certainly evidence of the divine love for His human creation. And that love ought to motivate us to obedience.

As impressive as this demonstration of love is, we should not overlook the emphasis that the apostle placed on the fact that Jesus' death was for our benefit. He “died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:6). He “died for us” (Romans 5:8). We have been “justified by his blood” (Romans 5:9). We are “saved by him from the wrath of God” (Romans 5:9). We were “reconciled to God by the death of his Son” (Romans 5:10). Clearly, the death of Jesus is connected in some way to our justification and reconciliation.

If the concept of Jesus dying on our behalf seems patently obvious to the reader, it is worth noting that not everyone shares the same understanding of what that entails. Some affirm that Jesus did not die “for us” in the sense of enduring the punishment that the sinner should receive. God may have allowed Jesus to suffer, i.e., experience what mankind faces, but He was not “punishing” Jesus in any sense of the word. Noted author Jim McGuiggan wrote, “The trouble with believing that God punished Jesus with the punishment that sinners were due to get for their sins is that if God punished Jesus he was punishing a man he knew to be utterly innocent and utterly righteous—that’s immoral and God himself forbids it (Deuteronomy 24:16)” [“Did God PUNISH Jesus?” www.jimmcguiggan.com].

It seems to me that there is a difference between punishing an unwilling innocent victim for the sin of another (an injustice) and a person willingly taking the punishment that belongs to another. But, setting aside for the moment this issue, the expressions “saved by him from the wrath of God” and “reconciled to God by the death of his Son” are both related to judicial concerns.

God’s wrath is not born of selfishness, but is judicial. Paul wrote, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men...” (Romans 1:18). In Romans 3:25, Paul affirmed that God had “put forward [Jesus] as a propitiation by his blood.” The word translated as "propitiation" (ίλαστηριον) conveys the idea of appeasing wrath through an offering that satisfies justice.
God’s wrath against sin is appeased by the sacrifice of Jesus, His blood representing His life given on the cross.

In another article on his website, McGuiggan argues, “What atoned for sin was not Christ’s suffering as suffering (much less ‘punishment’) but Christ’s holy obedience that took the form of suffering ... On stylistic grounds, Macleod Campbell is a very hard read, but in The Nature of Atonement, he has taught us well in showing us that Jesus’ suffering was the form a Son’s loving obedience took in doing the will of his Holy Father. That’s what gave it its moral value and its reconciling power—it was the expression of a heart entirely aligned with the heart of the Holy Father. His aim was to reconcile humanity to God, to realign their hearts to the Holy Father, and the nature of his goal is expressed in the nature of his life and death. What he was and did is what he meant to bring about in and for others.” (“What atoned for sin? www.jimmcguiggan.com”).

While it is certainly true that our hearts need to be “aligned with the heart of the Holy Father,” McGuiggan says nothing about what must be done to atone for sins already committed. According to him, my reconciliation to God is accomplished by Christ’s obedience, the cross being the final expression of that obedience, apparently by its persuasive power. However, reconciliation necessitates the removal of that which has separated the two parties. Man is separated from God by his sins (Isaiah 59:2). Does God “justify” men, i.e., declare them free from sin, without any “cost”? The author of Hebrews wrote, “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 ESV). For sin to be forgiven, a life must be given (“the shedding of blood”). Interestingly, Paul did not write that we are reconciled to God by the obedience of His Son, but “by the death of his Son” (Romans 5:10; see also Colossians 1:22).

The giving of a life was the price of redemption. Speaking of Christ, Paul wrote, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace” (Ephesians 1:7 ESV). The word "redemption" refers to the payment of a ransom to obtain liberty. Both Paul and Peter indicated that the price paid for our freedom from sin was the blood of Jesus, i.e., His life given on the cross (Ephesians 1:7; I Peter 1:19). He died to pay the price for our sins!

My cousin is upset that I didn’t invite her to my wedding

Jeffrey Hamilton — Wed, 21 May 2025 01:34:52 +0000

Question:

Hello Pastor,

I have a question that has been on my mind recently. I was reading in Matthew something like, “If your brother has something against you, leave your offering at the altar and reconcile.” I remembered a circumstance that happened a while ago, and it’s worrying me if I’m right with the Lord. I wonder if this holds me back.

When I got married, we had a limit of 240 guests. We mainly invited family and close friends from church. Honestly, I wanted to invite more people from church because I’m closer to them than my actual family, whom I don’t see or talk to. To please my parents, I invited most of my family.

There is a particular cousin though, I didn’t invite. First, we’re not close; we don’t talk. Unfortunately, she decided to leave the church years ago and live a sinful lifestyle. Since we think differently, we don’t interact. After that, it was because my mom kept her distance from her. Her daughter tried to accuse my brother and another cousin of sexual abuse. Afterward, it turned out it wasn’t true. She was trying to get out of trouble by using that false statement. My mom decided to keep her distance for the sake of our family and avoid further defamation.

Getting back to the point, this cousin got angry and upset that I didn’t invite her. I didn’t leave her out as a way to hurt her. She called other family members, expressing her anger and being upset about not being invited. She said we had a black heart (evil) for not inviting her.

Does that Bible verse apply to this situation? It's weird to bring that up since we don’t talk, but I worry I’m sinning by knowing she had something against me.

Thanks.

Answer:

"You have heard that the ancients were told, 'You shall not commit murder' and 'Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.' But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, 'You good-for-nothing,' shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, 'You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell. Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering. Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Truly I say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last cent" (Matthew 5:21-26).

Jesus is discussing different forms of anger and why anger is as much a crime as murder. Matthew 5:22 is about anger at another. Matthew 5:23-26 is about anger directed toward you. We cannot control the response of every person. After all, Jesus faced angry mobs several times and was killed. Jesus said it would happen to his followers (Matthew 5:10-12). "If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men" (Romans 12:18).

Your cousin left the church. Her daughter falsely accused your brother to avoid responsibility for something she did. Your cousin's family and your family have stopped talking for years. Any reasonable person would not expect a wedding invitation, but your cousin is unreasonable. Like her daughter, she is stirring up problems because that is her nature. Knowing she was upset, the proper response is to state the obvious: We had limited seats, and there were many we would have liked to have invited, but could not. You don't have to mention that you would not have invited her even if there were enough seats.

You are not going to resolve the issues that she has caused. You can tell her that you would love for her to return to the Lord's church as a faithful member and that you would like to see her reach heaven. If that problem could be resolved, then it would be possible to settle the other issues. Unfortunately, I don't think it will happen since it depends on your cousin changing her heart. "For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame" (Hebrews 6:4-6). Don't let the wicked shift the blame for their sins on you.

Returning to Matthew 5:23, Jesus is focused on a brother having a problem with you. Your cousin ceased to be a brother when she chose sin over God. You must still hope for the best for her, but she doesn't control your ability to worship God with her anger and strife.

Reconciled

Jeffrey Hamilton — Thu, 06 Mar 2025 22:01:19 +0000

by Doy Moyer

When we are outside of Christ, we can be described in various ways, like sheep without a shepherd (Matthew 9:36), lost (Luke 19:10), or without God (Ephesians 2:13). Descriptors like these help us see our condition apart from Jesus. Understanding where we are without Him is vital to seeing why Jesus came to die in the first place. To be without God is to be out of His fellowship, separated from Him, and devoid of the eternal blessings He offers and desires for us. In other words, we are unreconciled.

What does it mean to be unreconciled? Romans 5:6-11 describes the idea. Paul refers to the unreconciled as weak (sick), ungodly, sinners, and enemies of God. He says this in the context of showing the work Jesus came to accomplish:

“For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation” (Romans 5:6-11).

Paul says that Jesus came to reconcile sick, ungodly, sinful enemies with God. To be unreconciled means that there is a divide between two parties. They are not at peace because something has come between them. In this case, our sins have made this separation from God (cf. Isaiah 59:2). Sin is not just a mistake. It is an unjust offense against God and all He is (His glory, Romans 3:23). By our actions in which we attempt to dethrone God and set ourselves up in His place, we make ourselves His enemies. By our continued friendship with the world, we are at enmity with our Creator (James 4:4). Our only hope lies in being reconciled to Him. We need to be at peace with God, but how?

Back in Romans 5, Paul had already set this context for seeing reconciliation with God as that of having peace. “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:1-2). This rests on the previous point Paul made about Abraham being justified by faith rather than the Law (since the promise was made prior to the Law). That faith was counted as righteousness, but it was meant to be an example of how other believers would be justified: “It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification” (Romans 4:24-2-5). Because of what Jesus did, we have peace with God. We are reconciled to God.

The mission of Christ and His people is reconciliation. We face an unreconciled world, as we have all been, and we are striving to be peacemakers, to bring peace through Jesus by showing the world how He can reconcile us to God. God made the first move by grace. He put the pieces in place and made the offer available to all. While we remain unreconciled, we are still His enemies. Yet, it need not remain that way.

Paul’s commitment to plead with others to be reconciled to God is evident in his work. He focused on what cannot be seen, knowing this is eternal and most important (II Corinthians 4:16-18). In all things, he wrote, “we make it our aim” to please God (II Corinthians 5:9). Why? This ought to spark a sense of fear because we must all appear before the Lord in judgment (II Corinthians 5:10). Paul then writes,

“Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others” (II Corinthians 5:11). What was he trying to persuade others about? He was passionate about seeing people (especially Jesus) not according to the flesh, and because of what Jesus did, all of us should now be living for Him who died for us. This love displayed by Jesus should constrain us to live for Him, realizing that all things are made new in Christ.

“All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” (II Corinthians 5:18-20).

The message we have for others is this: be reconciled to God! You can have peace with God because Jesus died for you. We earnestly appeal to all.

How do I convince my wife to reconcile?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Mon, 03 Feb 2025 02:46:57 +0000

Question:

Good afternoon. God bless you.

My wife and I got married when I was an unbeliever and she was a Christian, during which time I mistreated her and was unfaithful to her. She was also unfaithful but did not have sex; she only kissed other men.

I left home, we did not get divorced, and I met the man after six months. From that moment on, I turned from my sin to live in holiness to the Lord. I returned repentant to my wife, trying to get us to return to lead a marriage for the glory of God, but she did not want to.

Today, it has been almost three years of being in this situation, married but without living together; I have tried in many ways to reawaken her love in her and ask God for restoration, but she still does not want to return, and my hope is being extinguished more and more.

I feel frustrated because I know that I love God and that, by God's grace, I would be a good husband if we returned together. However, it seems she does not see that, and what she experienced with me in the past weighs more heavily on her.

I need words of advice. Thank you. God bless you.

Answer:

Sadly, I have seen this before where one spouse sees he is heading toward destruction and turns himself around to become a true Christian. Yet, the other spouse isn't living the Christian life, even if she may call herself a Christian. Strangely, the more improvement is made, the more the other spouse distrusts what she is seeing.

I hope and pray that you find a way to reconcile, but you can't force the issue. She must decide.

If you can, date your wife with the hope of a reconciliation but without pushing for it. It may be a long process, and you may not succeed, but at least you can try.

The Blood of Christ

Jeffrey Hamilton — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 00:10:39 +0000

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/The-Blood-of-Christ.mp3

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton

Text: I Peter 1:18-21

I. The blood of Christ is strongly connected with the concept of salvation from sin.

A. It has been in the plan of God that Christ should die for mankind

1. Isaiah 53:5 - He was wounded for our transgressions.

2. Zechariah 13:1 - A fountain opened for sin and uncleanness

3. God even used the enemies of Christ to make this point - John 11:49-52

4. Planned before the foundation of the world - I Peter 1:18-21

II. What Christ’s blood does for man

A. It takes care of man’s sins

1. It washes away sins

a. Sin makes a person defiled - Isaiah 1:16

(1) Not physically but spiritually - Titus 1:15

b. Christ’s blood cleanses us

(1) He washed our sins in his own blood - Revelation 1:5

(2) It makes us pure - Revelation 7:14

2. This is the idea of sanctification – being set apart as something holy

a. It was done under the Old Law - Hebrews 9:18-22

b. We were sanctified by Jesus’ blood - Hebrews 13:12

3. It cleanses us from sin - I John 1:7

a. Though sin stains the heart, we are made pure - Isaiah 1:18

4. It purges our conscience - Hebrews 9:13-14

5. It puts away sin - Hebrews 9:26

6. It forgives or remits sins

a. Sin incurs a debt toward God

b. Shedding of blood is necessary for forgiveness of sin - Hebrews 9:22

c. Jesus’ blood was shed for the remission of sin - Matthew 26:28

B. It restores our relationship with God - Colossians 1:20

1. Man’s sins put a barrier between man and God - Isaiah 59:1-2

2. Desire of the world, makes us enemies of God - James 4:4

3. Through Jesus we are reconciled to God - II Corinthians 5:18-21

4. We are reconciled by Jesus’ death - Romans 5:10-11

C. It justifies us - Romans 5:9

1. When we sin, we incur a death penalty. We stand condemned before God. - Proverbs 12:2

2. When we sin, we break God’s law - I John 3:4

3. There is no condemnation in Christ - Romans 8:1

D. It redeems man by purchasing him out of the slavery of sin - Colossians 1:13-14; Ephesians 1:7

1. That we should no longer be slaves of sin - Romans 6:6

2. Redeemed us from every lawless deed - Titus 2:13-14

3. Redeemed by the blood of Christ - I Peter 1:18-19

E. In the buying back of men from sin, Jesus’ blood purchased the church - Acts 20:28

III. The blood of Christ is a gift freely and universally given

A. It is a free gift - Romans 5:15-16

B. One act brings justification to all men - Romans 5:18; I Corinthians 15:22

C. He tasted death for everyone - Hebrews 2:9

D. Salvation has appeared to all men - Titus 2:11

E. Christ gave himself as a ransom for all - I Timothy 2:5-6

F. God wants everyone saved - I Timothy 2:3-4

1. He wants everyone to repent - II Peter 3:9

2. God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked - Ezekiel 18:23

3. Notice that these last two verses imply that while the gift is freely given and offered to all, all will not benefit from the gift.

IV. God’s gift to man was the shed blood of Christ, but how do we gain access to the gift?

A. Jesus’ blood was shed in his death - John 19:34

1. Baptism represents his death - Romans 6:3-4

B. Jesus’ blood washes away sin - Revelation 1:5

1. Baptism washes away sins - Acts 22:16

C. Jesus’ blood sanctifies us - Hebrews 13:12

1. We are sanctified and cleansed by the washing of water - Ephesians 5:25-27

2. A washing of regeneration - Titus 3:4-7

D. Jesus’ blood cleanses our conscience - Hebrews 9:13-14

1. Baptism saves as an answer of a good conscience toward God - I Peter 3:21

2. Baptism with faith saves - Mark 16:16

E. There is no condemnation in Christ - Romans 8:1

1. Baptism puts us in Christ - Galatians 3:26-27; Romans 6:3

V. So many object to baptism, claiming it is nothing more than a work

A. Actually faith, repentance, and confession are more properly works than baptism because they are things I must do. Baptism is something that must be done to me.

B. When people claim that man is not saved by his own works, such is true (Ephesians 2:8-9).

1. But when they then say that baptism is such a work, they are saying that baptism is a work of man.

2. We are to do the works of God - Ephesians 2:10

3. Hence, let us read Matthew 28:18-20 and let me borrow a question similar to one Jesus once asked, the baptism commanded by Jesus is it from God or from man?

a. If it is from man, then why is it commanded by Jesus?

b. If it is from God, then submitting to it is doing the work of God and not man.

C. Will you not do the work of God today?

Unread Letters

Jeffrey Hamilton — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 02:19:00 +0000

by Matt Hennecke
via Think on These Things, April-May-June, 2009

A childhood accident resulted in poet Elizabeth Barrett becoming an invalid and a recluse. Despite her isolation, her early poetry drew the attention of Robert Browning who began courting her. He eventually asked for her hand in marriage and Elizabeth and Robert were married in 1846. But there's more to the story.

In her youth, Elizabeth had been watched closely by her tyrannical father. He was strict beyond reason and attempted to prevent suitors from courting her. In fact, he did not want any of his children to marry. As a result, Elizabeth and Robert eloped, and their wedding was held in secret because of her father's disapproval.

After the wedding, the Brownings sailed for Italy, where they lived for the rest of their lives -- exiled from her parents. Even though her parents had disowned her, Elizabeth never gave up on the relationship. Almost weekly she wrote them letters. Some were fairly lengthy, others short and poetical in form. Not once did they reply.

After ten years, Elizabeth received a large box in the mail. Inside, she found all of her letters. Not a single one had been opened. Elizabeth's years of writing, her letters pleading for reconciliation -- were for naught.

Today those letters are among the most beautiful in classical English literature. Had her parents only read a few of them, their relationship with Elizabeth might have been restored. These events were reported in the Daily Walk on May 30, 1992.

What makes the story of Elizabeth Barrett Browning so compelling is that it is so similar to another story. A story that is repeated over and over again -- generation after generation.

You see, I am aware of other letters which have been written but not read. Beautiful letters. Letters of reconciliation. Letters of hope. We know them better as epistles. These letters, written by men, but authored by God through the Holy Spirit have been written for our reconciliation, for our salvation. Sadly, they often go unnoticed, unread, and unheeded. Indeed, the entire Bible, God's Word, is a book pleading for reconciliation. What is amazing is that God is pleading with us for reconciliation but He has done nothing wrong. We are the ones who have gone astray (II Peter 2:15), and yet God stoops to beg for our reconciliation.

In Colossians 1:18-23, Paul speaking of Christ says, "It was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross" Why? Why would God give His only begotten Son for all of us who have gone astray? Paul tells us in verse 22: "In order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach." Paul's letter speaks of reconciliation and of hope. Are you listening? What a beautiful letter. It would be a shame if it were never read, or if read, ignored.